My Cathedral Story

By Michael Mick ’73

Michael Mick with Cardinal Joe Tobin

Michael Mick with Cardinal Joe Tobin. As a member of Cathedral’s Legacy Society, Michael has made a special commitment to the future of Cathedral High School.

Cathedral High School Holy Cross Legacy Society: Read why one member of our community supports our vision for the future and wants to assure the future of the Holy Cross education to generation after generation.

When I was in sixth grade, my mother drove my older brother, John ’71, downtown to 14th and Meridian to take his entrance exam for Cathedral on a chilly Saturday morning. Mom parked the car in front of the old WIFE Radio station and Wurlitzer piano store, and while my older brother took his exam, mom bought a new piano. That night my dad was excited about my brother’s success and was struggling to understand why we bought a piano.

In the fall of ’67, John enrolled, and I went to a Cathedral football game at the old CYO field on 16th street. The crowd, the student body, the band—the entire experience was very moving. I followed my older brother and my classmate, Judge John Hanley, and started at Cathedral in the fall of 1969. All of my friends on the west side of Indianapolis went to Washington. In those days we were huge rivals in all sports, but especially football. Ironically, legendary Cathedral football Coach, Papa Joe Dezelan, graduated from Indianapolis Washington, and Joe Shirers, the Washington football coach, graduated from Cathedral.

My Favorite Memory

Michael and siblings

Michael and siblings, all graduates of Cathedral: Mike ’73, John ’71, William ’75 and Amelia ’77

In the fall of 1972, Cathedral played Indianapolis Washington High School. This was long before the IHSAA had classes of schools or football playoffs. Washington was ranked No. 1 in the City and No. 1 in the State.

We had lost two games that year. Coach McGinley told us before that week of practice, “You can finish as Seniors as 7 and 3, which will be very respectable. Or each you can play Cathedral football, beat perennial state champion Washington and walk off the fields holding your head high and continuing the Cathedral football tradition.”

The game was played at Washington, and most of my friends I grew up with on the inner-city west side played for Washington’s team. Brother Dennis drove our bus through a hostile crowd. Cathedral won the game 20 to 14.

Cathedral had a huge influence on me as a young teenager in many ways: growing in my Catholic faith, meeting other young men from different parts of Indianapolis, teaching me responsibility, respect, discipline and compassion. Cathedral was (and is) so much more than a high school education. The Brothers of the Holy Cross (Brother Douglas Roach, Brother John, Brother Roland, Brother James May, Brother Thomas, Brother Charles Drevon, Brother Dennis and Brother Eugene) and lay teachers (Joe Dezelan, Michael McGinley, Tom O’Brien, Tony Ardizone, Gary Donna, Michael Concelea and Ed Henniger) had a positive influence on my development as a young man and as a student.

Michael and Emily

Continuing the family tradition: Michael with his daughter, Emily ’10

The friendships of classmates and faculty established during my time at Cathedral are still maintained today. I still travel often to watch Cathedral play football. We continue to be the winningest high school football program in the State of Indiana.

It’s a tradition for Micks to attend Cathedral: my younger brother William ’75, my younger sister Amelia (St Mary’s) ’77, my nieces Caty ’02, Stacy ’05, my daughter Emily ’10 and my niece Kaylee ’13.

Why I Support Cathedral

I sincerely believe that Cathedral is the best Catholic high school in the Midwest. The administration and faculty face new challenges in maintaining highly skilled faculty, administration and facilities, continuing to keep tuition costs at a competitive and fair rate, and enrolling a balance of young Cathedral students all while preserving our Catholic identity and high academic standards. Cathedral can only continue to succeed with alumni and friends’ generous contributions. These are only some of the reasons I give back and help support Dear Old Cathedral; I believe that the young men and women who become part of the Cathedral family make a difference in our society and offer a different gift to our culture.

Michael Mick

Michael at the 2018 FCA Dinner in Naples

Mike resides in Naples, Florida and serves as a Project Manager for Deangelis Diamond. Mike has six children, fourteen grandchildren and one great grandchild. He is a member of Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church serving on the Stewardship Council, Lecture and Eucharistic Minister. Mike is a Knights of Columbus member at Council 11281 and Assembly PGK. He now serves as Spiritual Advisor for the Council. Mike is a member of Cypress Woods Golf and Country Club and in his down time enjoys traveling to Indianapolis to visit family, golf, running lifting weights and spending time on his bay boat on the ocean.

Show Your Irish Spirit

When you make a legacy gift to Cathedral High School you’ll become a member of the Cathedral High School Legacy Society and join others, like Michael Mick, who are committed to ensuring the future of an exceptional Holy Cross education. To learn more, contact Abbe Ernstes at (317) 968-7348 or aernstes@gocathedral.com.