Education in the Catholic Tradition
By Casey Morgan ('08) and Carissa Homschek ('08)

Fr. James Connerton arrived in Wilkes-Barre from Notre Dame with only $200. His mission was to buy a typewriter and a train ticket-and begin the legacy of King's College.

On December 15th , 1945, Fr. Connerton stepped off the train in Wilkes-Barre. Bishop Hafey of Scranton had called upon the Holy Cross congregation of Notre Dame to help with his dream of opening an all male college. He wanted a Catholic higher education for the “sons of miners” in the Wyoming Valley . He got his wish.

Kings' College first home, Northampton Hall, was on 29 W. Northampton Street. It housed classrooms, school publication space and an art studio. A few years after, King's moved to its permanent site on North River Street. The first year Holy Cross Hall opened, only twelve students dormed there.

Catholic Leadership

King's is a Holy Cross college because of the leadership provided by Notre Dame and the Congregation of the Holy Cross. While Notre Dame sent seven priests to serve as King's faculty, it also donated many books to the library and textbooks for classes during the school's first year.

King's and Notre Dame stand out among schools because of their distinct Catholic identities. Students, staff and faculty have a close relationship with one another. The schools stress academics, of course, but they also teach a love of service to the community. Students learn that spirituality and faith are important parts of living full lives.

Fr. Patrick Sullivan of King's describes the two schools as having a strong “community spirit.” He credits this to the school's alumni support. “Students feel as though Kings is their second home and faculty and friends are their family,” says Fr. Sullivan, “so alumni are eager to help their college in any way they can.”

Both colleges also stress the inclusive Catholic tradition of open intellectual inquiry. “Going to King's showed me that there are different people with different beliefs and that this was okay,” says Kelly Conroy 01, “but it also made me free to have my beliefs and that's what made my faith grow stronger.”

Inclusive Values

Obviously, not every person at King's is Catholic. They aren't expected to be. “A student would never be turned away from King's just because of their race or religion. That's wrong and it would never be an issue here,” says Father Anthony Grasso,C.SC. He says King's is warmly inclusive, and teaches each student about the morals and values we all share as human beings.

“I never realized that what I was teaching and how I was teaching meant that much to some students,” says Dr. Joseph Cashore, a King's Theology professor for more than 30 years. “After a graduation ceremony, a graduate came up to me and told me how much everything meant to her. It was so gratifying for me.”

As quoted in the “Report of the Task Force on Catholic Identity of King's College", “As disciples of Jesus we stand side-by-side with all people. Like them, we are burdened by the same struggles and beset by the same weaknesses; like them we hope for a world where justice and love can prevail” – Constitutions of the Congregation of the Holy Cross (2:12).

“We're here to enhance our lives and as long as we can all do it together, it makes it even better,” says. Fr. Grasso.

Dr. Cashore believes success and achievement begin with the right attitudes and atmosphere. “I strive for the academic and personal needs of each of my classes and students. I don't specifically aim for it. I just treat everyone the same.”

Fr. Grasso says King's provides a welcoming, supportive environment to every member of the school community. “We want each and every student to feel welcome and at home,” says Fr. Grasso.