March 12, 2016 - Archdiocese of Boston Statement Incident involving Catholic Memorial High School

The Archdiocese of Boston has learned of a troubling incident that occurred on Friday evening at Newton South High School, during a basketball game between Newton North and Catholic Memorial High Schools.  The Archdiocese wishes to make clear that the behavior of a number of students from Catholic Memorial at the game is unacceptable.   

On Thursday evening of this past week, in observance of the 50th anniversary of the Church’s landmark document that overturned the Church’s history of anti-Jewish attitudes and teaching, Cardinal Sean O’Malley stood in solidarity with hundreds of members of the Jewish community and in affirming the Jewish and Catholic communities’ shared heritage of faith.

We are pleased that the administration of Catholic Memorial took corrective action immediately during and after the basketball game. This incident, while not representative of the school community, presents an opportunity to promote an important learning experience for the students.

We stand ready to assist Catholic Memorial in providing the student body with the awareness education that is needed to ensure that there is no recurrence of these actions or attitudes.”