Our History
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On June 27, 1990, Father Danber was given the keys to the new campus at 7740 S. Western Ave. In 1993 a new President-Principal model was adopted for the school. Rev. Michael J. O’Connor, O.S.A. became the school’s first President. Rev. O’Connor appointed Mr. Joseph F. Bamberger as Principal. In the year 2000, Rev. Thomas R. McCarthy, O.S.A. was then named the second President and the first Alumni President of St. Rita of Cascia High School. After 43 years of service, nine as Principal, Mr. Joseph F. Bamberger, retired in 2002. Beginning in 2002, Father McCarthy became President/Principal. In 2007, Father McCarthy became President and Mrs. Sally E. Deenihan was named Principal, the first female Principal. Mrs. Deenihan retired in July 2010, after 25 years of service and Mr. Brendan J. Conroy succeeded her as Principal.
In 2012, Mr. Ernest J. Mrozek ’71 was named President. In 2016, a new leadership model began with Rev. Paul W. Galetto, O.S.A. being named the Head of School and Mr. Michael J. Zunica being named the school’s fourth President. Father Galetto and Mr. Zunica left St. Rita in the Summer of 2019 and St. Rita began its return to a President-Principal model. Dr. James J. Quaid, Ph.D. was named President in November of 2019 with Mr. Sante M. Iacovelli II named as Principal for the 2020-21 school year. In July of 2021, Dr. Quaid assumed the role of President/Principal. To begin the 2022-23 school year, Deacon John Donahue, J.D., ED.D. was named President and Mr. Josh Blaszak ‘02 was named Principal.
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St. Rita of Cascia High School was founded in 1905 by the Very Rev. James F. Green, O.S.A. Construction of what was Green Hall was the initial step in forming the original campus. Student enrollment mounted rapidly and in 1922, when the pressure of other duties necessitated Father Green’s retirement from scholastic work, St. Rita of Cascia High School had become established in Chicago as one of the leading secondary schools.
Successor to the founder was the Very Rev. William L. Egan, O.S.A., during whose incumbency the original Harris Gym and Egan Hall were completed. The Very Rev. Joseph B. Kepperling, O.S.A. followed Father Egan in 1926, but his splendid work was brought to an untimely close by his death on June 4, 1929. The Very Rev. John J. Harris, O.S.A. was selected as the next rector to direct St. Rita’s destiny.
In the summer of 1935, the Rev. Ruellan P. Fink, O.S.A. succeeded Father Harris. Father Fink was the motivating spirit of many noteworthy developments, of which the most important achievement was the installation of a technical course in 1936. Father Fink also began an extensive expansion program as evidenced by the erection of Mendel technical building, completed in June 1938, and the addition to Egan Hall, completed in August 1939. A stadium was built in 1946 and the new monastery was completed in May 1949.
Rev. John E. McLaughlin, O.S.A. succeeded Father Fink in 1956 as Principal. In 1962 Rev. Francis P. Crawford, O.S.A. became Principal. He was succeeded in 1968 by the Very Rev. Daniel B. Trusch, O.S.A. In 1971 Rev. LaVern J. Flach, O.S.A. became Principal; in 1979 Rev. David L. Brecht, O.S.A. became principal; in 1983 Rev. Patrick E. Murphy, O.S.A. became Principal; and in 1989 Rev. Bernard R. Danber, O.S.A. was appointed Principal. Both Father Murphy and Father Danber are graduates of St. Rita of Cascia High School.