VASJ receives bequest

CLEVELAND — Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School (VASJ) has received a $250,000 gift from the Estate of Mary Ellen (Kilkenny) Grecol and her husband, John. Mrs. Grecol, a member of the Villa Angela Academy Class of 1946, passed away at the age of 85 in August 2014. Her husband passed away in 1999.

“They both held VASJ in high regard,” said Barbara Kilkenny Gareau, the Grecols’ niece. “My aunt and uncle were an amazing example of what it means to be a Christian. They wanted to share this gift with you in an ongoing effort to support your mission.”

VASJ, the fastest-growing private high school in Ohio, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Owned by the Diocese of Cleveland, the school is the result of the 1990 merger of the all-girls Villa Angela Academy and the all-boys St. Joseph High School. VASJ is the only school in the world that is sponsored by both the Ursuline Sisters and the Society of Mary (Marianist Brothers).

“Mary Ellen and John devoted their lives to God, to each other, and to helping those whom they met along the way,” said Mrs. Gareau. “They often began each day by attending Mass, placing themselves in the presence of our Lord in order to fully prepare themselves for the mission ahead. And each and every day they answered the call to minister to those in need, and to use the gifts given them to help others.”

“The Grecols’ gift is truly a blessing,” said VASJ President Richard Osborne ’69. “Mr. and Mrs. Grecol exemplified Catholic values in the way they lived their lives, and their generosity will help us extend those values to future generations of students.”

For more information, please contact Richard Osborne at (216) 481-8414, ext. 280, or at rosborne@vasj.com.