Marist Kicks Off 50th Anniversary With Visit From Cardinal George

Marist High School will mark the 50th anniversary of its opening with a visit from Francis Cardinal George.

Marist opened its doors as a Catholic boys high school on the Chicago’s Southwest Side on Sept. 9, 1963, under the leadership of the Marist Brothers. The school, now a co-educational institution, will mark the momentous day with an outdoor mass served by Cardinal George.

The cardinal will lead hundreds of Marist students, faculty, alumni, parents, religious leaders and Marist community friends for a special mass at 9 a.m. Sept. 9, in the school’s outdoor Red and White Stadium east of the main school building at 4200 W. 115h St., Chicago.

For the past five decades, the school has developed an innovative and demanding college preparatory curriculum that serves Chicago-area and suburban students at all academic levels, while promoting a legacy of faith, family and service, school officials said.

“While this mass honors our rich past, it even more distinctly starts our path for the next fifty years,” said Br. Patrick McNamara, fms, and president of Marist.  “As a school and faith community, we are committed to serving the families of the Southwest Side well into the 21st century, and we are working everyday to secure all of the resources that are required to complete this mission.”

The mass highlighting the school’s rich history and traditions kicks off a year-long 50th anniversary celebration. Marist boasts more than 18,000 current alumni. Last year, 98-percent of Marist graduates went on to college.