Henry Theriault ‘25 recently made a meaningful gesture of gratitude to his Alma Mater by donating his very first paycheck to the Fr. Kauffman, CSB Student Activities Fund. The gift honors the late Fr. Kauffman’s impact on Henry’s life and his belief in supporting future Shamrocks.

After graduating in 2025, Henry spent his summer working for the Village of Milford’s Department of Public Services and joined his classmates on one final Latin Club trip to Sicily. This fall, he began his studies at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where he is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering and plays in the marching band. His personal goals include maintaining a 3.8 GPA and lifting at least half his body weight by the end of the school year.

While the transition from high school to college has brought its share of challenges, Henry says Catholic Central prepared him well for what came next. “It has been a slight challenge, but CC prepared me well,” he said.

When asked what inspired his donation, Henry didn’t hesitate. “Fr. Kauffman did,” he said. “I also really enjoyed Student Activities my senior year.”

The Fr. Kauffman, CSB Student Activities Fund supports student-led events and programs that enrich the Catholic Central experience, something Henry says was an important part of his own time at the school.

“My time at CC formed me into who I am today, and I would not be where I am now without what I learned there,” he said. “Fr. Kauffman, in particular, showed me what it means to be there for others, and so I knew it was important to be there for the future Shamrocks.”

Henry’s memories of Fr. Kauffman reflects the priest’s constant presence and quiet compassion.

“Fr. showed up to every game, supporting everyone,” Henry recalled. “He was always very kind when you would see him in the halls. One day, when there was a really bad rainstorm, I needed to be picked up by my mom because my car couldn’t make it down the dirt roads. Fr. noticed that my car had stayed on campus overnight, and he was sure to ask me in the morning if everything was alright.”

Henry also shared his memory of the day after Fr. Kauffman’s passing, when students gathered at Mass to honor his memory.

“It was crazy,” he said. “I went to Mass early, as I normally do, and it was already fairly full. As it got closer and closer to the time when Mass would start, more and more people kept coming in. There were eventually more people than seats—even standing room. I just knew that Fr. Kauffman meant as much to everyone else as he did to me.”

One of the most meaningful tributes to Fr. Kauffman came when students made a collective promise to sing the Alma Mater properly, just as he had taught them.

“This meant not saying ‘of who’ during the Alma Mater at sporting events,” Henry explained. “Fr. was very adamant that the Alma Mater was not written with those words. The Alma Mater is a prayer, not a cheer, and therefore it should be reverently sung. We made a commitment to honor Fr. Kauffman by doing just that.”

We are so grateful to Henry for his generosity and thoughtfulness. His gift reflects the gratitude, spirit, and values that Fr. Kauffman instilled in all of us. Thank you, Henry, for honoring his legacy and supporting the experiences that make Catholic Central so special.

Click here to support the Fr. Kauffman, CSB Student Activities Fund.