CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

A lifetime of teaching is being honored with the recent creation of the Bro. Martin McMurtrey, SM English Department Chair. Bro. Martin McMurtrey, better known as Brother Mac, retired in 2000 after teaching 56 years in Catholic schools—the last 49 years at Central Catholic where it is estimated that he touched the lives of 6,000 students who have gone on to leadership positions in business, medicine, education, government and the military.

During his career at Central Catholic, Brother Mac taught English, Math and Drafting. He also coached football; authored several books and worked with the disadvantaged in San Antonio parishes.

He set up a scholarship that is currently funded at $250,000 and through which more than $ 121,000 in scholarships have been awarded to Central Catholic students.

Brother Mac professed his first vows in the Society of Mary in 1939. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in English from the University of Dayton in 1942 and a master’s of education degree in English from St. Louis University in 1949. He first entered the classroom in 1943 and taught in Society of Mary schools in Chicago; Belleville, Illinois; and St. Louis before coming to Central Catholic in 1951.

Brother Mac spent 22 years volunteering after school as a CCD teacher and a worker with the Presentation Nuns assisting the impoverished at St. Agnes Parish in San Antonio. He organized the Guardian Angels at Central Catholic which channeled student collections of food, toys and clothing to underprivileged persons throughout the city.

Pledges are now being accepted towards the Bro. Martin McMurtrey, SM English Department Chair. For information, please contact: Mary Kay Martinez, Relations & Development director, at (210) 226-7166, Ext. 3 (or mkmartinez@cchs-satx.org).