Congratulations Class of 2024!!!

Deloitte. Helps to Beautify the Pastoral Services Building

On Friday, June 7^th, Saints was very fortunate to have employees from Deloitte, led by the mom of one of our students, Afi Appoh, on campus, as part of their company wide “Impact Day”. The Deloitte team, along with our Saints amazingly hard working landscaper, Michael from Pawtucket Landscaping, spent the morning beautifying the front of our Pastoral Services Building. The team planted new bushes, flowers ,and a beautiful new tree to enhance the building and showcase the latest addition to the Saints Campus. We are very lucky to have been chosen by Deloitte as part of their day to give back to the communities they serve, who generously donated all of the landscaping to the school. We can’t wait to watch everything grow and fill in beautifully. Thank to you Deloitte, and all the volunteers, for their kindness and generosity shown to Saints!

Welcome Back Miles DeMacedo '22

Can you tell us a little something about why you’re back on Walcott Street? I am currently completing a 250 hour internship for college credits at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. I am a community education and social change major and next year I will begin the process of getting my masters in higher education. I aspire to work in college or high school administration once I graduate in 2026. As soon as the opportunity arose to be able to come back to saints and help out the administration office, I knew this was where I wanted to spend my time learning and gaining experience. 

What is it like being back on campus? I am overjoyed to be back on campus! Everyone welcomed me with smiling faces and open arms! Being back in this position gives me a unique blend of nostalgia and new perspectives. I am seeing the ins and outs of every day on campus with fresh eyes on my journey of growth and learning. So far this opportunity has been incredibly fulfilling and I thank Mr. Richard, the administration team, and the faculty and staff who have welcomed me back as if I had never left. 

Mark Russell

What did you do following your graduation from Saints? After graduating from Saints, I attended Holy Cross with a few of my Saints classmates and graduated in 1973. I was planning on taking my law boards until, after the “advice” of my mother, I changed course and went to work at our family-owned funeral home. My family has owned a funeral home since 1876, and here I am 50 years after graduating from Holy Cross and still working there. I was very involved in the R.I. Funeral Directors Association and was president of the group for 2 years. I was also a member of the National Funeral Directors Association and was chair of their Government Relations Committee in 2001. One of the most rewarding things I have done is to have spent 20 years working with an organization called Friends Way, R.I.’s only Children Bereavement Center, dedicated to serving children and teens, ages three to eighteen, and their families, dealing with the loss of a loved one. You can check out the great work they do at Our Programs | FRIENDS WAY — FRIENDS WAY.

My wife Janet and I are not ones to sit and relax much and have been very involved in the Gaspee Days in Warwick, and this year was the 47th parade that we have helped organize.

Can you share how and when you became involved at McBride’s Pub and how your lessons at Saints may have helped you in your career? Janet and I have 2 daughters, Jennifer and Stephanie. When Jennifer was in college and considering what she wanted to do following school, she expressed an interest in the restaurant business. At the time, we had a 9-car garage for the funeral home that was used very little, so Janet and I decided to convert it to a restaurant and McBride’s Pub (named after a pub in Ireland) was established. In 2023, McBrides won the Best Irish Pub in RI as part of RI Monthly’s Best of Awards.

I must say the guidance I got from my 4 years at Saints set me on the course to where I am today which I am not sure if that is good because I am closing in on 73 and still working every day BUT my wife and I are finally talking about taking a little time to enjoy the fruits of our labor.  

I understand you are currently helping to plan your 55th Class Reunion from Saints. Can you share any details about the event(s) and do you have a message to your classmates? The Class of 1969 is having our 55th class reunion on Friday, September 6th, at the Navigant Art Gallery at Saints, beginning with a campus tour from 5-6 p.m., followed by dinner at approximately 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $100 and all proceeds from the event will be donated to the Ray Gannon Scholarship Fund. On Saturday, September 7th Saints will be having their opening mass to celebrate the 100-year history of the school followed by a reception an Alumni Hall. This is an invitation only event so contact Ron Dalton at rdalton@saintrays.org if you would like to attend as part of our reunion weekend. On Monday, September 9th, Saints will be hosting their first fall golf tournament at Pawtucket Country Club and will be honoring our classmate, Joe MarcAurele. This will be a great way to wrap up our weekend, honor Joe and enjoy a day on the course. Use the following link to register for the reunion: Click Here to Register for the Reunion and this link to register for golf: Click Here to Register for Golf. There are only 32 foursomes available so act fast if you want to golf.

“GO SAINTS”! Thanks for all you did for me. In my closet I have my Saints Yearbook, my letter sweater and my lanyard from our 50^th reunion, time for a 55^th. See you in September!!

Malaina Murphy '85 | Director of Guidance

How long have you been a guidance counselor at Saints? I have been a GC at Saints since 2009. I became the Director of Guidance in 2020.

What are some of the new programs you’re working on in guidance this year? Over the past several years, we have noticed that students have struggled more with mental and emotional health. This year, we were introduced to Kyle Cares, The Kyle Johnson Foundation, an organization that aims to promote a positive school culture and destigmatize mental health challenges. They also form partnerships with research-based programs; two of which are Active Minds and JED High School. A group of student leaders led the charge to start an Active Minds Chapter on our campus. As the Moderator, I support the student-led activities to educate, raise mental health awareness, promote positive mental health and encourage students to utilize supports on campus.

The JED High School is a three-year program that will help us assess and enhance our efforts in many key areas that support students' health and well-being. We will begin this 36-month program in 2024-25 school year. 

What is your favorite thing about working at Saints? I have two favorite things about working at Saints. The first is developing relationships with the students. Supporting them over the course of 4 years is something I do not take for granted. Every day with them is a journey. My second favorite is the ECHO Retreat Program. I made an ECHO when I was a senior and then continued working with the program after graduation. Being able to Co-Direct them now with Kristen Murphy is a true gift. Witnessing how seniors learn to see Christ in others and themselves is hard to put in words. It is a special experience. 

What does it mean to you to work at Saints as an alum? Working at Saints as an Alum is a joy. Returning to Walcott Street was always a thought that became a reality. I feel blessed to follow in the footsteps of Sr. Regina, who was my guidance counselor. She has had an incredible impact on my life. If I can give my students a fraction of what she has given and continues to give me, then I feel like I am doing something good. 

Carol Mecca | Art Teacher

How long have you been a teacher at Saints? This is my first year at Saints after teaching for many years in the Diocese of Fall River.

What classes do you teach? Currently I teach Intro to Art, Art Studio, Intro to Digital Design, Drawing & Painting, Sculpture and new courses in Advanced Placement Art & Design

What is your favorite thing about working at Saints? The people, definitely! The faculty is wonderful, and the administration has been very supportive of everything I have asked to try. The students are so welcoming and outgoing, and there is such an abundance of creativity. They have made it a wonderful first year!

2023-2024 Athletics

Our athletics teams had another exciting 2023/2024 season and continued to show the meaning of “Saints Strong” to all their competition. Unfortunately, at the culmination of the season, we have to say Goodbye to our seniors as their complete their final seasons representing Saints. The following photos show some of those seniors and the sports they represented during the year. We also held our first ever “Commitment Day” for some of our students that will take their athletic success to the next level and continue to compete in college. Congratulations to all our student athletes for another terrific year. 

2024 Hall of Fame

On Saturday night, April 6th, Saint Raphael Academy proudly inducted its third Hall of Fame Class, the Class of 2024.

Alison Bologna was the Master of Ceremonies for a wonderful evening of gratitude, friendship and Saints spirit. Inductees shared their favorite stories of their time at Saints, their lifelong friendships, the importance of giving back, and the impact the Christian Brothers and faculty had on their lives. They each highlighted, in their own examples, the impact a Saints education played on their lives and thanked their families, friends and Saints for their support and this tremendous honor. 

Saint Raphael Academy congratulates the members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

33rd Annual Golf Tournament Re-cap

On a beautiful Monday in May, nearly 200 golfers came together to once again catch up with their fellow Saints, share a few laughs and through their participation, help raise over $30,000 for the Saint Raphael Academy General Scholarship Fund.  Thank you very much to all our golfers, we couldn’t do it without your support!

We also recognized and thanked Steve Ormerod ’75, for his outstanding leadership over the years helping to sustain and grow our tournament to the level it is today. Thank you again Steve!

Morning and afternoon golfers shared some friendly competition, and the following were the winners for the day:



Closest to the Pin – Michael Murphy ‘07

Longest Drive (Women) – Angela Colagiovanni

Longest Drive (Men) – Alex Grimes

Low Gross Team – The Team from Fiserv., one of our generous dinner sponsors that supports us every year

Low Net Team – Dominic DiSano ’10, Joe Mello ’10, Rob Marshall ’10 and Redmond Leclaire’10

A special thank you to our sponsors who support Saints and our students through their continued generosity; Navigant Credit Union, Tracey Gear, Fiserv., FLPutnam Investment Management Company, Courtesy Mitsubishi, Greenwood Credit Union, Law Office of Richard Margarita ;75, Skechers GoGolf, and all of our Tee & Green, Cart Sponsors and In-kind donors to our raffle. 

We would also like to thank all our alumni that took part in our Class Challenge. 71 alumni, representing 20 classes, donated $6,000, making this the most successful challenge to date. If you want to help our students and don’t know how to help, this is a great way to support our events knowing that every dollar collected goes directly into the general scholarship fund. It’s a fun way for a little class competition and now, we even give every member who donates to the winning class, a Saints tee shirt from the school store. Thank you and please consider giving or continuing to give to our class challenges for the upcoming golf tournament and the Alumni & Friends 5k in September. We cannot do what we do without the very generous support of our alumni and our sponsors.



If you want to join us on the links or on the road in September, please use the following to sponsor or register for our two exciting events in September. Alumni - Saint Raphael Academy (saintrays.org)

Congratulations Jarod Tavares '17

The North Smithfield swore in two new hires swear at a ceremony at Town Hall on Friday, May 24, Patrolmen Jarod Tavares of Cumberland and Patrolmen Aaron Catarina of Millville, Mass. The ceremony was led by Chief Tim Lafferty and Town Administrator Paul Zwolenski.

Tavares, 25, served as a US Marine for four years from 2017-2021, with the highest rank of sergeant, and graduated from Saint Raphael Academy Class of 2017.

TJ Sorrentine '00 headed to coach in the NBA!

Saint Raphael Academy is so proud and excited to learn of the hiring of one of our own, TJ Sorrentine, Class of 2000, by the Washington Wizards of the NBA. 

TJ has recently completed his 16th season at Brown University after joining the staff in 2008 and being named the associate head coach in 2011.



A member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, TJ is well respected as a national recruiter and is recognized as one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the country.

A 2005 graduate of Vermont with a B.A. in sociology, TJ was a two-year captain, America East Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year, a three-time First Team All-conference player and an Honorable Mention All-American. He was also named to the America East Academic Honor Roll in 2002 and 2003. TJ led Vermont to two NCAA Tournament appearances, in 2004 and 2005, and hit the game winning three-point basket that crushed the Syracuse Orangemen in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the DCU Center in Worcester.

TJ played professionally from 2005-2008, playing with Kk Krka in Slovenia, FC Porto in Portugal, Branca Nouvo Trappani in Italy, and the Florida Flame of the NBA Developmental League. He also played in the NBA Summer League with the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks.

A 2015 inductee into the University of Vermont Hall of Fame, TJ’s number 11 jersey was retired by the University on October 26, 2019

TJ was an outstanding player here at Saints, earning All-State honors, while playing for his father, the one and only Saints legend, “Saar”. He was the Rhode Island Player of the Year (USA Today, Gatorade) in 2000 after leading St. Ray’s to back-to-back state titles.

All of us at Saints, and our entire alumni community are very proud of TJ and wish him and his family the very best of luck in Washington (except, of course, for when they play our beloved Celtics). 



Congratulations TJ.

Once A Saint, Always A Saint!

Saints Class Reunions are back!

Below are a few photos from some of our class reunions and Meet & Greet Events.

2024 Class Reunions!

We are still trying to connect with the classes of:

• 1989
• 2004
• 2009

Let's start planning! Contact Mel Colvin Johnson at alumni@saintrays.org

Saint Raphael Academy Celebrates 100 Years!

1924-2024

Saint Raphael Academy will be celebrating our centennial during the 2024/2025 school year with events being planned throughout the year as part of this historic anniversary. 

Our kick-off event will take place on Saturday, September 7th, with a mass celebrated at Holy Family Church (the former St. Joseph’s Church) at 11:00 a.m., followed by a brunch reception in Alumni Hall immediately following. Attendance is by invitation only as we are limited by the capacity of the church and cannot invite all of our alum. If you are interested in joining us for this kick-off event, please contact Ron Dalton at rdalton@saintrays.org or Mel Colvin Johnson at mcolvin@saintrays.org.

Additional events will take place throughout the year, including events celebrating 50 years of female students at Saints and culminating with a Centennial Gala in June of 2025.

Look for new banners on Walcott Street and special 100-year merchandise offered for sale in the school store. This will truly be a yearlong grand celebration honoring the history of our school, our current and former faculty, our students and families, and all our amazing alumni that have attended and supported Saints over our first 100 years.

More information will be announced soon highlighting events for our students, parents, faculty, and alumni.



Thank you for being such an important part of our first 100 years.



Once A Saint, Always A Saint.

Saint John Baptist de La Salle, Pray for us,

Live Jesus in our hearts, Forever!

John Thompson '75

Can you share with me a few sentences why Saints is still important in your life and why you have made the decision to create your legacy here at Saints? It is very important to me that one not forget or take for granted one’s roots.

Of the possible things that I have the potential to impact once I depart the world, I think that education and in particular Saints’ type of education will be the most impactful.

What did you do following graduation? I attended Boston College, which was my first choice. It was a great fit for me. I majored in Economics. I spent the first part of my career in Supply Chain Management roles at Texas Instruments and Davol, while I completed an MBA at Babson College. Thereafter I made the transition to management consulting at Ernst & Young in Boston and then started my own consulting firm, PAR Solutions in 2002.  I’ve seen a lot of ‘stuff’ over a multitude of assignments across industries around the globe. When young, I lacked a specific career objective, but I knew I wanted a career devoid of mundane, routine, repetitive and predictable responsibilities. Fortunately, I found my niche doing challenging and unique work across industries, cultures, and geographies. It’s been a lot of fun!

I think my Saints foundation was an asset to whatever I accomplished since 1975.

 Are you still in contact with any of your former classmates? Yes!  Very much so.  There is a core group of us who get together at least monthly, both here in RI and in the Washington, DC area. Also, whenever I travel, I reach out to Saints ’75 classmates and we get together.  We are a very close class. We constantly exchange emails, etc. whenever there is a holiday or other event that impacts us.

What is one of your fondest memories from your time here at Saints? There are so many! The dances, the sports, the Variety Shows, the close community of students, the steadfast support of the faculty – within and beyond the confines of the school day, the open campus…It is hard to find a single memory.

Being the first co-ed class, the merger of St. Jeans, the acceptance of women and the opening of SRA East mid-Senior-year was certainly the most memorable. I would humbly suggest that Saints ’75’s warm acceptance and embracing (figuratively) of our new female schoolmates set the tone for the co-ed Saints of the future. While it may seem trivial in hindsight, converting to a co-ed Saints after three years of close bonds formed by a ‘band of brothers’ was not an easy pill to swallow at that time. The then important dimensions of a new reality that impacted teenagers, such as class officers, school uniforms, academic honors, class rankings, etc. were handled gracefully with minimal dissent – through a variety of efforts, committees, student council meetings, debates, etc. The opposite impact was certainly a possibility – one that we worked hard to avoid as we successfully integrated women after a half-century tradition of ‘converting boys to men.’

Why did you decide to create your legacy here at Saints? For several reasons;

• I believe that supporting education is the keystone to a civilized society.
• I believe that Saints promotes academic excellence in conjunction with a strong sense of commitment to one’s community and social responsibility. I see that Saints students act like family [when I have visited], including the respect and genuine warmth they exude for each other. This does not happen by accident.
• I know the harsh realities of self-funding one’s education, as I did.
• I am fortunate enough to be able to help only because of the contributions and dedication of those who educated me and thereby lifted me up, and now it is my privilege to ‘pay it forward.’

The Saint Raphael Academy Alumni & Advancement Office:

Mel Colvin Johnson '02 - Alumni Coordinator & Ron Dalton '79 - Director of Advancement