Congratulations are in order for the Cathedral School family. Last weekend, parents, faculty, students and friends helped furnish the newly constructed Cathedral Middle School building.

The 14,500-square-foot building was made possible through generous donations and determined fundraising efforts made as part of the school’s capital campaign titled “Our Children, Our Tradition, Our Future.”

Much work goes on behind the scenes of such a capital campaign, and we’re certain many of the school’s heroes may go unnoticed.

But the sum of what is being accomplished is truly impressive. For the school’s family to raise significant amounts of funds in the middle of a still sluggish local economy is just downright impressive.

Cathedral has a long history in Natchez, one in which all of Natchez should take pride.

It’s rare for an institution to stay open for more than 165 years. For the same institution to not only survive, but also thrive, is a testament to the quality of the people behind the school.

Those rare people are the ones whose legacy will continue well into the future thanks to the efforts of the successful fundraising campaign and building and renovation project.

Here’s to the next 165-plus years of helping to educate some of Natchez’s youth.