• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Bishop Robert Barron
          • George Weigel
          • Question Corner
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Suzanna Molino Singleton
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Paul McMullen
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Father T. Austin Murphy Jr.
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • Advertising
  • CR Radio
  • Printing
  • Subscribe
St. Frances Academy in East Baltimore removed the name of its "Drs. Camille and Bill Cosby Community Center" April 26. (CR File)

St. Frances Academy removes Cosby name from building

Emily Rosenthal Alster April 27, 2018
By Emily Rosenthal Alster
Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Schools

Bill and Camille Cosby are shown at the April 20, 2012, dedication of the “Drs. Camille and Bill Cosby Community Center.” (CR File)

St. Frances Academy in Baltimore has removed the name of its “Drs. Camille and Bill Cosby Community Center” after Bill Cosby was convicted April 26 on three counts of aggravated indecent assault for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman. The letters on the building came down the same day.

“We removed the name immediately,” Deacon B. Curtis Turner, principal, said. “We felt it was the right thing to do, given the conviction.”

The decision came from conversations with the board of directors and the Oblate Sisters of Providence, who operate the school, Deacon Turner said.

The administrator noted that the Cosbys were originally honored in 2012 in recognition of the strong support of St. Frances Academy from Camille Cosby, who was educated by the Oblate Sisters at her parish elementary school in Washington, D.C. Her husband’s name was added as a courtesy, Deacon Turner said.

According to a 2005 article in the Catholic Review, Camille Cosby donated $2 million to St. Frances Academy in 2005 and had made significant prior donations to the school. In making her $2 million gift, she called the school an outstanding institution that deserves more recognition. The money was used help establish 16 annual full-tuition scholarships.

“If we are looking for solutions to the failure of our schools to educate our children,” she said in 2005, “we would be well served by studying and replicating what St. Frances Academy is doing.”

Following revelations against Bill Cosby in 2015, St. Frances Academy decided to keep the name on the building. At that time there were no criminal convictions against the much-loved comedian and actor.

Now that the name has been removed, there are no immediate plans to rename the building. Prior to being named in honor of the Cosbys, the structure was known as the St. Frances Community Center before its rededication in 2012, according to Deacon Turner. He said that removing the name has little impact on the school community, as the building was colloquially referred to by its original name, or simply “the new building” or “the gym.”

Over the last 20 years, Bill Cosby has made several visits to Catholic institutions in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He attended the naming ceremony for the St. Frances building in 2012. Four years earlier, he gave an hour-long speech at St. Ambrose in Park Heights during a summer block party, emphasizing self improvement and community pride.

Deacon Turner said the news buzz on Bill Cosby’s conviction has not affected St. Frances Academy students more than any other story, as their generation is not as connected to the comedian and his well-loved series, “The Cosby Show,” as those previous.

Except for Jesus, Deacon Turner said, the only other person to “permeate the culture” of St. Frances Academy is the school’s founder and the founder of the Oblate Sisters of Providence, Mother Mary Lange.

George P. Matysek Jr. contributed to this story.

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Emily Rosenthal Alster

Emily Rosenthal Alster

Emily Rosenthal Alster, a former staff writer for the Catholic Review, is a contributing writer. She is a lifelong resident of Maryland and a parishioner of St. John in Westminster.

Emily is a graduate of Delone Catholic High School in McSherrystown, Pa. She holds a bachelor's degree in business communication from Stevenson University.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

Latest Local News

Social Ministry honoree brings Latin America experience to migrant issues

One year in: Families, institutions adjust to ongoing pandemic

Our daily bread: Irish tradition enjoyed on more than St. Patrick’s Day

RADIO INTERVIEW: How to pick a Bible translation

Homebound, Operation CRS Rice Bowl nonetheless raises awareness of hunger

Latest World News

Bishop Rhoades: Latest COVID-19 vaccine can be used in good conscience

Movie Review: ‘Tom & Jerry ‘

‘Finally,’ pope says he will be able to make pilgrimage to Iraq

Pope taps Newark cardinal as member of Congregation for Bishops

Retired pope talks about his resignation, Pope Francis’ trip to Iraq

Catholic Review Radio

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Bishop Rhoades: Latest COVID-19 vaccine can be used in good conscience
  • Burial in non-Catholic cemetery/ Anxious as death draws near
  • Social Ministry honoree brings Latin America experience to migrant issues
  • Movie Review: ‘Tom & Jerry ‘
  • Doing the impossible
  • ‘Finally,’ pope says he will be able to make pilgrimage to Iraq
  • Pope taps Newark cardinal as member of Congregation for Bishops
  • The fish-stick dilemma
  • Washing dishes for Lent
  • Retired pope talks about his resignation, Pope Francis’ trip to Iraq

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2021 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED