Marcellin Champagnat in a mural in the Marist High School of Chicago
In August of 2019, in the Marist High School in Chicago, United States, the 2019-2020 school year was inaugurated with the opening of “Monastery Hall,” new ten lab science center and planetarium located in the former campus residence of the Marist Brothers, thus the name “Monastery Hall.”
People who visited the Marist High School prior to the mid-90’s will remember the mural that was once on the outside wall of the chapel. Designed by Marist College’s artist-in-residence, E. Rimai Fisher, the mural was composed on individual mosaic tiles.
Chicago’s extreme winter and summer temperatures were not kind to the mural, and it was moved as it was determined to be too expensive to repair.
As a result, the mural was removed and replaced with matching bricks and a simple cross.
The new mural was designed by Deacon Andy Neu in the spirit of the original but reflecting present day Marist High School. The work of making the design a reality was in the hands of Bill Van Bruggen of Van Bruggen Signs.
The new mural is a very appropriate compliment to our new science center at Monastery Hall. Hopefully people will continue to ask, “Why is this building called Monastery Hall?” and “Who is that depicted on the mural?” The extent to which we and those who follow us can answer those two questions will ensure that the “Marist” story of Marist High School will live on into the future.
The Marist High School in Chicago
Marist High School is a co-ed (boys and girls) high school on the far southwest side of the city of Chicago. It opened as an all-boys school in 1963 and went co-ed in 2002. The current student body of 1620 students is 12% Mexican-American, 11 % African-American, 2% Asian, 2% bi-racial, and 73% European ancestry. 58% of the students come from the surrounding suburbs, and 42% come from the city of Chicago. There is a faculty of 99 lay women and men and five Marist Brothers.
Our faculty, staff, and students are proud of their Marist heritage and equally articulate in what that means for them.
Brother Hank Hammer is the President of Marist High School, and Mr. Larry Tucker (Class of 1979) is the principal.
There are seven Marist Brothers from the Province of the United States living in Chicago in two residences not far from the school.