Quick Facts State:  NY City:  Uniondale Name:  St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary District:  Diocese of Rockville Centre Year Opened:  1958 Year Closed:  1984

We are Christ's, Not Our Own

In 1957, the Diocese of Rockville Centre was created and placed under the stewardship of Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg. The area felt that it had been neglected in receiving support for both worship and educational facilities. The combination of the post-war economy and the enthusiasm of Long Island Catholics allowed the Diocese to set about rectifying things quickly.

Within a year, St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary was opened in temporary quarters in a former Greek Orthodox church in Hempstead. Originally, it was a 6-year school; four years of high school and two years of college coursework. In the first five years of the Diocese's existence, seven new parishes were established, 28 new elementary schools were opened and additions were added to 27 other schools.

St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary moved to 1220 Front Street in Uniondale in its third or fourth year. The two-year college program was discontinued shortly after Cathedral College moved from Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights section to Douglaston in 1967.

By the early 1980's, the baby boom had run its course and school districts all over the country were feeling the pain of consolidating and closing schools. St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary's position as one of the smallest high schools made it a target for cost-cutting and it was closed for good at the end of the 1984 school year.

The St. Pius X Alumni Association website contains reunion news, memories and alumni contact info.

---- Miscellaneous Notes ----

As late as 2008, the former high school building was still being used. A portion of it provided housing for retired Diocesan priests, part of it was being used by a health care clinic and Mass in the Extraordinary Form was still being offered in the chapel (see photos). However, the retirees were all being moved to Dominican Village and the clinic was asked to leave, so the current fate of the building is unknown to us. (Please let us know if you have any info about the current situation with the building.)

As of this writing, there were only 2 copies of Richly Blessed: The Diocese of Rockville Centre, 1957-1990 available at Amazon.com. The book was written by Sister Joan de Lourdes Leonard.

Click here to visit the Google Street View of 1220 Front Street, Uniondale, NY.

A Long Island Catholic blog contains several interesting articles in its archives that mention St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary, including its history and past & future reunions.

The obituary of Monsignor John J. Wiest contains some historical tidbits about St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary.

Our St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary Alumni Apparel would make a great gift. Or be the coolest person at the next reunion by wearing a St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary Alumni shirt or jacket.

Please, send us your St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary memories. We may post them on this page for your classmates to enjoy.

If your St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary class has a reunion committee, please send them a link to this page and ask them to "get the word out".

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