The Campaign for Catholic Schools, a change agent for rebuilding Greater Boston’s urban Catholic schools, is pleased to announce that longtime trustee, Gerald V. “Jerry” Sheehan, has been elected the organizations’ first Lifetime Trustee in appreciation of his extraordinary leadership and philanthropic support of the Campaign. Mr. Sheehan first became involved with the Campaign for Catholic Schools in 2010 shortly after its founding. Since that time, he and his wife, Maureen, have been an integral part of CCS’ growth, ensuring that countless young people from Greater Boston’s most at-risk neighborhoods, especially Brockton and Dorchester, receive a top-notch Catholic education in a safe, caring environment.
Bob Atchinson, Managing Director of Adage Capital Management and Chair of the Board for the Campaign for Catholic Schools, notes, “Jerry decided to help rebuild Greater Boston’s urban Catholic schools, and he has quietly done it all without any fanfare; he just decided it was going to happen. He believed in the vision of our co-founder, the late Jack Connors, Jr., and he’s been a thoughtful and valued leader every step of the way. His tremendous commitment to providing opportunities to underserved children through an excellent Catholic education is exemplary. This is really a case of we couldn’t have built this organization without him, and we are delighted to appoint Jerry as our first Lifetime Trustee for his tireless efforts to rebuild Greater Boston’s urban Catholic schools.”
Travis Rhodes, President of Abrams Capital and Vice Chair of CCS’ Board comments, “We stand on the shoulders of giants, and our promise to Jerry is that we will continue to do his work and will aspire to make a difference – the kind of difference he and his family have made for many decades, especially in the great city of Brockton. On behalf of so many kids and families, thank you.”
A recipient and ardent supporter of Catholic education who grew up in Jersey City, NJ, Mr. Sheehan attended Our Lady of Victories Grammar School and is a 1948 graduate of St. Peter’s Prep (NJ). He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1952. At St. Peter’s and Holy Cross, Mr. Sheehan has been a “beyond the bricks and mortar” lead benefactor, establishing major scholarship programs that provide full tuition for deserving students based on their academic merit and good moral standing. The Sheehans are also deeply committed to environmental causes and have funded efforts that have led to over 10,000 acres in Southeastern Massachusetts being designated as protected conservation land.
For over 60 years, Mr. Sheehan served as president of L. Knife & Son, a fifth-generation family-owned company located in Kingston, MA. Founded in 1898, the company is a national leader in beverage distribution, currently serving customers throughout Massachusetts, New York, Wisconsin, and Virginia. Under Mr. Sheehan’s leadership, the company grew to become one of the largest Anheuser-Busch and craft beer distributors in the United States and was consistently recognized for both business and philanthropic achievements.
Mr. Sheehan and his wife Maureen, who have been married for 67 years, have eight children and 20 grandchildren. They reside in Duxbury.
Founded in 2007, the Campaign for Catholic Schools (CCS) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on improving Catholic education in underserved urban communities in Greater Boston. It aims to create sustainable change through a new model that includes school consolidation/renovation, lay governance, strong academics, effective school management, and innovative teacher support. CCS currently co-sponsors and works closely with two large regional academies it created, Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy (Dorchester) and Trinity Catholic Academy (Brockton), which educate 1500 PreK-Gr 8 students, most children of color from low- to moderate-income families. CCS continues to work in targeted ways with other Greater Boston Catholic schools as well.

Boston is a city known to be rich in history, so it is only fitting that the Massachusetts State House has served as the backdrop to events ranging from the creation of the gerrymander to the crusade against the “Red Menace” and the theft of the Sacred Cod.  Former State Representative and author Josh Cutler dives into these stories and more, connecting them in his latest offering, Under the Golden Dome:  Historic Talks and Tales from the Massachusetts State House, which was published by Clipper Press and released last month.
From the stirring oratory of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the inspiring words of Helen Keller, to the fiery rhetoric of Theodore Roosevelt and the fearless advocacy of Angela Grimké and Dorothea Dix, Cutler offers a vivid portrait of historic personalities as well as moments, spanning two centuries within the historic walls of the Massachusetts State House.  Even the unexpected appearance of Jackie Gleason, the daring flights of Amelia Earhart, and the machinations of Richard Nixon find their place in the rich tapestry of history, politics, and human drama that has unfolded Under the Golden Dome.
Under the Golden Dome is the third book authored by Cutler.  Previously, he examined the role of a young Federalist editor in the War of 1812 in Mobtown Massacre:  Alexander Hanson and the Baltimore Newspaper War of 1812, published by The History Press in 2019 and winner of the 2020 Baltimore History Prize.  Cutler also wrote about the abolitionist movement in Boston in the 1830s in The Boston Gentlemen’s Mob:  Maria Chapman and the Abolition Riot of 1835, also published by The History Press in 2021.
“From my time serving under the golden dome, I’ve been intrigued by all that has transpired in the Massachusetts State House,” said Cutler.  “Researching its history and sharing its stories has been a true labor of love.”
Before being elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he represented the sixth Plymouth district for 11 years, Cutler was a publisher and editor of the Duxbury Clipper.
Under the Golden Dome is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org.  For more information, please visit https://joshscutler.com.