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St. Joseph's Prep (Pa.) receiving $74-million donation to help fund new athletic complex

IMG_8358by: Andy Villamarzo04/17/26Andy_Villamarzo

The largest donation to a United States catholic high school in history was announced on Friday, according to multiple reports.

St. Joseph’s Prep School (Pa.) is set to receive a $74-million donation from Class of 1970 billionaire graduate Nick Howley, his wide Lorie and The Howley Foundation, with a portion of the funds going towards a new on-campus athletic complex. The school will see the biggest upgrades it has ever seen in the over 160 years St. Joseph’s Prep has been in existence.

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“This is a transformative gift,” St. Joseph’s Prep School president John Marinacci on Friday in a report by The Inquirer. “This allows us to sustain and grow our mission. We had 35 different home fields for practices and games. Every time we played a field sport, we got on a bus or in a car.”

Nobody’s been displaced — we haven’t seized land, or grabbed, or moved anybody who didn’t want to sell. We’ve always been very proud of where we are, and the fact that we’ve remained in the city, and we want to do this the right way.”

Among the new amenities the school will have from the donation by the Howley family is the athletic complex that feature athletic fields for rugby, Ultimate Frisbee, lacrosse and more.

The Hawks last season ended up finishing with a 5-5 record and as the No. 2 ranked team in the state, according to the final Pennsylvania 2025 High School Football Massey Rankings.

More about St. Joseph’s Prep School

St. Joseph’s Prep, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a renowned Catholic college preparatory school known for its rigorous academics, strong athletics, and commitment to spiritual development. Offering a range of AP and honors courses, the school prepares students for higher education and future careers. Its athletic teams are competitive, often achieving significant success. Emphasizing leadership, community service, and personal growth, St. Joseph’s Prep cultivates well-rounded, future-ready students.

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