Holy Cross of San Antonio

Holy Cross of San Antonio
Address
426 North San Felipe Avenue Loma Vista San Antonio, Texas, (Bexar County) 78228 United States
Coordinates	29°26′26″N 98°33′25″W / 29.44056°N 98.55694°W / 29.44056; -98.55694Coordinates: 29°26′26″N 98°33′25″W / 29.44056°N 98.55694°W / 29.44056; -98.55694
Information
Type	Private, College-prep
Motto	Spes Unica (Only Hope)
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Denomination	Congregation of Holy Cross
Patron saint(s)	Saint André Bessette, CSC
Established	1957
Area trustee	Bro. Stanley Culotta, C.S.C.
Principal	Dr. Rene Escobedo
Chaplain	Bro. Michael Winslow, C.S.C.
Grades	6–12
Gender	Coeducational
Enrollment	400[1] (2016-2017)
Campus	Inner City
Color(s)	Blue and Gold
Fight song	"Holy Cross Victory March"
Athletics conference	TAPPS Class 5A
Mascot	Knights
Nickname	Cross
Rival	San Antonio Christian School
Accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Newspaper	The Bard
Yearbook	The Tradition
Academic Dean	John Gutierrez
Dean of Men	Angel Cedillo
Dean of Development	Richard Vasquez
Dean of Women	Molly Calderon
Athletic Director	Mike Harrison
Website	http://www.holycross-sa.org/

Holy Cross of San Antonio is a Catholic, coeducational college preparatory secondary school located in the Loma Vista neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, on the west side of the city, in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio.

History

Holy Cross was opened in 1957 by the Archdiocese of San Antonio. At the suggestion of the Brothers of Holy Cross it was established as a four-year college preparatory school for boys. The first class of 84 boys enrolled as freshmen on September 3, 1957, with a faculty of three Brothers and a chaplain. It was jointly funded by a tuition fee and a subsidy from the Archdiocese.^[2] In 1968 the school faced possible closure because of the threatened withdrawal of the Archdiocese subsidy, but the financial issues were resolved, in part by adding grades 7 and 8 so that it became a middle and secondary school. Due to a lack of medical services in the area, in 1981 parents and alumni supported the establishment of Holy Cross Family Medical Center, which was expanded in 1985 and moved to a site across the street from the school, where it remains in operation.^[3]

In 1994 the school was incorporated as an independent Catholic school with a board of governors. In 2001 ownership was transferred to Holy Cross Community Services, a non-profit which also owned the medical center.^[4] Fundraising remained an issue to keep tuition as low as possible.^[5]

In 2002 the last Catholic high school for girls in the area closed. During the following decade the school gradually transitioned to a coeducational student body, becoming fully coed in 2009.^[6] The school's trustee, Brother Stanley Culotta, has been managing the school for almost 60 years as of 2017.^[1]

Academics

During the 1983-1984 school year Holy Cross was named a National Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education.

Athletics

Holy Cross is a member of TAPPS and participates in the 5A classification, the second largest in the league. Holy Cross has won, or has been a finalist for, the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) previously known as (TCIL) championship title in the following sports:

• Football
• Boys' Baseball
• Boys' Basketball
• Boys' Cross Country
• Weightlifting
• Boys' Golf
• Boys' Track & Field
• Boys' Soccer
• Girls' Basketball
• Girls' Volleyball
• Cheerleading

In its history the school's Football program has won 6 TCIL (1992-1997) state championships. The varsity Baseball team won the TCIL (Texas Christian Interscholastic League) Varsity championship game in 1968 and 1990. The Cheerleading squad has won 10 NCA championships from (1997-2015).

The Holy Bowl

The Holy Bowl is a traditional rivalry game played between Holy Cross and Central Catholic Marianist High School.^[7] The first game was played in November 1963 at the old Missions Stadium on a Sunday. Holy Cross lost that first meeting. The Holy Bowl has been held in almost every stadium in the city. Including the Alamodome (2002-2004). Holy Cross won The Holy Bowl in 1967, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, and 2013. There was a hiatus in the series from 1993 to 1998.^[8]

Holy Cross VS. Central Catholic in the Holy Bowl (2010)

In 2012, the game marked the first time in the history of the series that Holy Cross and Central Catholic have met in their season opener. The schedule changed when Holy Cross moved from TAPPS 2-I to TAPPS 3-II in the realignment by the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.

In 2014 The Holy Bowl went on hiatus due to scheduling conflicts.^[7] After 46 years of competition The Holy Bowl was the second oldest rivalry in the city.

Mascot

Holy Cross "Knights", named for the English term for a social position. The Fighting Irish ("The Irish") is the mascot of The University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana also a Congregation of Holy Cross Institution.

Religious Life

Christian service is an integral part of a Holy Cross education. Because of the importance of Christian service, Holy Cross students are required to serve the community through charitable acts as a requirement for graduation.

Traditions

• The Holy Cross Annual Alumni Softball Tournament happens each year on Memorial Day weekend. The double-elimination two-day tournament sets teams by individual graduating classes, with an older division and a younger division.^[9]

Notable alumni

• Stan Kelly, the public address announcer for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association.^[10]
• Roger Metzger, was a Shortstop for the Chicago Cubs (1970), Houston Astros (1971–78) and San Francisco Giants (1978–80).^[11]
• Emilio M. Garza, Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.^[12]
• Bubba Hernandez, former member of the polka band Brave Combo and Grammy Award winner.

References

External links

• School Website