Did You Know?

• The first graduation exercise of any school ever held in the Cathedral was Hendricken's Class of 1976, on June 11, 1976. It was also the ninetieth anniversary of the first Mass held there, Bishop Hendricken's funeral Mass, on June 11, 1886
• When he was an underclassman, Ron Mosca '73 organized the first BHHS Fashion Show (1971) in McNally Gym.
• On June 11, 1886 Bishop Hendricken died at the age of 59. His Funeral Mass was the first Mass celebrated in the unfinished Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul. He is interred there today.
• For 120 years, Thomas F. Hendricken was entombed in a dusty crypt in the basement of the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul. During renovations, the basement crypt was removed, and Bishop Thomas F. Hendricken was re-entombed on December 8, 2006. He rests in a custom-built green sarcophagus located on the main floor, facing the high altar of the great cathedral he built.
• In 2008 Sports Illustrated rated Bishop Hendricken High School as the #1 athletic program in the state of Rhode Island.
• The Hendricken Hawks baseball team tallied their 15th state championship in Division 1 play as they defeated LaSalle Academy to win the 2009 RI State Championship.
• Hendricken has won seven straight Division 1 state basketball championships as of March of 2010. One reason for the fine success over the past 7 years is in their coach Jamal Gomes’ 91 who is considered to be the best Rhode Island high school basketball coach.
• Bishop Hendricken High School currently holds 147 State Championships in all Division 1 athletic events. This includes football, soccer, cross-country, basketball, wrestling, indoor track, outdoor track, hockey, swimming, baseball tennis golf, lacrosse and volleyball.
• Hendricken Lacrosse, largely known as the best lacrosse program in the state of Rhode Island, is a division 1 lacrosse team. They have won state championships in 2001, 2004, 2005, and 2007. They currently hold more state titles than any other team in Rhode Island.
• Hendricken has won 16 Indoor Track state championships from 1994 to 2010 and have won a total of 21 Indoor Track state championships.
• In 2006 Bishop Hendricken High School installed state of the art artificial turf onto the Hawk football field, which at the time was the first high school in the state of Rhode Island to have artificial turf on the football field.
• Built in 2006, Bishop Hendricken High School has a state of the art 30,000 square feet theater that seats 350 patrons. In 2008, it was named the Dr. Daniel S. Harrop Theater.
• In May, 1993, Bishop Hendricken High School was named a "Blue Ribbon School of Excellence" by the U.S. Department of Education.
• According to several witnesses, Bishop Thomas F. Hendricken’s last words on his deathbed were: “Thy will be done.”
• Bishop Thomas F. Hendricken spent more than a decade planning and raising money for a cathedral in Providence. In 1878 the cornerstone was laid for present Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul.
• Bishop Thomas Francis Hendricken (May 5 1827 - June 11 1886) was born in Kilkenny, Ireland. He studied in St. Kiernan's College and Maynooth where he met Bishop Bernard O'Reilly who ordained him for Hartford in 1853. In 1872 he was appointed the first Bishop of Providence, Rhode Island. At that time it included all of Rhode Island and today's Diocese of Fall River with some 125,000 parishioners, 43 churches, 9 parish schools and 1 orphan asylum.
• In February of 1872, the Providence diocese was established, and the Most Rev. Thomas F. Hendricken, was consecrated as the first Bishop.
• Bishop Hendricken High School received the 2007-08 Siemens Award for Advanced Placement , which honors the success of students, teachers and high schools that excel in the College Board’s Advanced Placement Program® math and science exams. BHHS, one of 50 schools nationally to win this award, represents the state of RI.
• The Bishop Hendricken High School Swim Team captured their 21tst consecutive RI State Championship in 2010.
• Each year, our graduating seniors average over one million dollars in tuition aid from the various colleges of their choice.