Our senior Theology students visited the Illinois Holocaust Museum last week, engaging with powerful stories of survival and resilience. This immersive experience encouraged them to reflect on history, ask hard questions and carry forward lessons of empathy, respect and hope.

We are MIGHTY proud to congratulate five performing arts students who auditioned and performed in the Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA) District 1 Choir & Orchestra!

Wyndel Ellis '26 qualified for the Swim State Finals in the 100 freestyles and 200 freestyle races, and will represent the Mighty Macs this weekend! Wyndel was sent to state in true Mighty Mac style as MacNation celebrated this accomplishment with a cart ride during the fall pep rally!

We are MIGHTY proud of our senior athletes who signed letters of intent to play collegiate sports on Signing Day, November 12!

Mother McAuley and Brother Rice gathered together on November 11 for a meaningful Veterans Day Prayer Service. It was a powerful opportunity for our communities to express profound gratitude for the bravery, service, and dedication of our nation's veterans.

Did you know? 94% of McAuley girls participate in one of our 50+ clubs and organizations! Our Mighty Macs were busy this past month volunteering, experimenting, and participating in hands-on activities with their clubs!

Peer Ministers from Mother McAuley & Brother Rice partnered to lead a Confirmation retreat for the 8th graders at Our Lady of the Ridge/St. Linus Parish! It was an incredible opportunity for our students to live out their faith and put their ministerial skills into action while guiding younger students on their spiritual journey.

Macs with Merit is an award given to a student by a teacher or staff member on behalf of their honorable character, diligent work ethic, and notable contributions to the McAuley community. We are so proud to congratulate this semester's Macs with Merit!

There was a MIGHTY great energy on 99th Street as we welcomed prospective families to Mother McAuley for our Open House! Future Macs had the opportunity to tour the school, explore our 50+ clubs and organizations, meet our student athletes, learn more about our curriculum, and so much more. 

Congratulations to the lucky winners of the Mother McAuley Father's Club Tuition Raffle, The Stanley Family! 

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's raffle!

The Ella French Scholarship is awarded annually by the Chicago Police Foundation to honor the legacy of Officer Ella French, who tragically lost her life in the line of duty in 2021. The scholarship supports students who are children or dependents of Chicago Police officers or are involved in CPD youth programs.

Members of the National Art Honors Society hosted their annual pumpkin sale during lunch periods at the end of October for faculty, staff, and students. All proceeds from the sale benefit the Mercy Home for Boys & Girls - it's one of our favorite Fall traditions!

We had a SPOOKTACULAR time at Not So Haunted House on October 27! Our clubs and organizations facilitated fun activities including trick or treating, games, crafts and photo experiences for the more than 500 kids and their families who joined us for this event! Our students enjoyed welcoming alumnae and community members into our school and working with children to make them smile!

The Class of 2027 was celebrated at the Junior Leadership Prayer Service on October 21! Students and their parents / guardians were invited for breakfast followed by a prayer service and blessing of school rings and pins. It was a MIGHTY morning celebrating our junior class!

View the September - October issue of our student-run Inscape!

As part of our Mental Health Awareness week, students had the opportunity to visit with therapy dogs during their lunch periods! Thanks to all our furry friends who joined us!

Congratulations to Gaby Mendez '26, Kruz Smith '27, Maddie Bernard '27, and Abby Hilburger '28, who have been selected to attend the All State Show Choir!

We had a MAC-TASTIC time welcoming over 275 shadows to Mother McAuley today! 
Our Future Macs learned about our school, met our teachers, became a part of MacNation, and SO much more. Thanks to all who joined us on this MIGHTY fun day!

We hope to see you again soon at our upcoming events for Future Macs!

On October 10, our entire school community gathered together for a wonderful prayer service in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month organized by the Latinas Lead club. The service included prayers and petitions, student and faculty reflections, dances and musical performances.

Our Mariachi Club had the opportunity to play with the Latin Grammy nominated Mariachi Herencia de Mexico group! It was a great experience to celebrate the Hispanic culture and community.

In honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Month, our Macs LEAD (Leadership, Education, and Awareness of Disabilities) Club made trick-or-treat buckets for children at Gigi's Playhouse!

Special thanks to our Science National Honors Society for organizing the annual Macs Walk for a Cure to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Their efforts helped fundraise money for one of our own student's family members battling cancer. We are MIGHTY proud.

This past Wednesday, September 24th, we celebrated Mercy Day, joining a global celebration to commemorate the day Catherine McAuley opened the first House of Mercy in Dublin, Ireland in 1827. For the past several years, we have expanded our celebration of Mercy Day from one day, to a full Mercy Week!

Congratulations to four Mighty Macs who were recently named Commended Students in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program! We are MIGHTY proud of Magen Connolly '26, Maeve Emmons '26, Lucy Maloney '26, and Emily Mangin '26!

Congratulations to Emily Mangin '26 and Jamie Guardi '95, the recipients of the 2025 Catherine McAuley Award! These two women embody Catherine's spirit and live out her legacy of service, compassion, and hospitality. We are MIGHTY grateful to have them as part of the McAuley community.

McAuley's 2025 Homecoming Week celebrated the theme “MacNation Goes on Vacation.” Students, faculty and staff had the chance to dress down in the theme for each day and participate in some fun games and activities happening during lunch periods. The week ended with the homecoming dance, open to all ages: MacNation travels to New York City for a Dance on the Town!

On Thursday, September 11, Student Life held its first event with Mercy Circle. Nearly 25 students from various clubs and organizations visited Mercy Circle following the early dismissal to mingle with the residents and engage in a Catherine McAuley trivia game! Students also brought in nonperishable pantry items to donate to Pat’s Pantry in Mount Greenwood for this event.

One of our favorite McAuley traditions for more than 40 years - we were so excited to welcome the Misericordia Heartbreakers to our school on September 18! Their performance had every student on their feet and touched all of our hearts, as usual! After the performance, we celebrated on the turf field with snow cones, games, and fun!

Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School proudly announces the appointment of five dynamic individuals to their Board of Trustees: Kathy Burns ‘84, Lisa (Stephens) Janek ‘84, Kevin O’Connor, Marie Genevieve (LeConte) Pawlak ‘87 and Severo Pedroza.

We are incredibly proud of our Mighty Macs who participated in the Conference of Mercy Student Leaders at Saint Xavier University this summer! It was a powerful opportunity for McAuley students to deepen their leadership skills alongside other Mercy education students from around the globe.

We are MIGHTY proud to congratulate Phoebe Mueller '26 on being awarded the Michael Sullivan Family Foundation Scholarship for Excellence in Mathematics!

Congratulations to Georgia Martin '26 on receiving third place in the Alcohol/Drug Prevention Poster Contest sponsored by Illinois Churches in Action. We are MIGHTY proud!

We are MIGHTY proud to congratulate Ms. Ozana Paraga on receiving the Educator of the Year Award!

The Class of 2025 Commencement was filled with so many memorable moments, including four truly inspiring speeches from our students & faculty. 

It was a MIGHTY morning on 99th Street as we kicked off our school day with a MacNation Pep Rally! We celebrated the successful seasons of all of the spring sports teams AND introduced the new "M" for the 2025-2026 school year, Annie Sullivan '26!

On May 13, we held the International Thespian Society Induction and Theatre Awards Ceremony. Congratulations to all of the new inductees and award winners!

Our performing arts students had the opportunity to showcase their talents at our Choral, Strings, and Band concerts in May. We are grateful to all for their time and dedication, especially the members of the Class of 2025 as they participated in their final concert at McAuley.

We showcased the exceptional artwork that was created by our students in B-Wing throughout the school year during our annual Artapalooza! 

On May 7, we gathered together for our Honors Assembly to proudly celebrate our students' academic successes. Their outstanding achievements reflect the essence of Mother McAuley - a community devoted to excellence, mercy, faith, and the pursuit of knowledge.

We gathered together on May 5 for a very special Time & Eternity Mass. It was a beautiful service celebrating the legacy of our school and the end of another incredible school year on 99th Street.

Interior Designer, Kira Obermeier '04, visited our AP & Honors Studio Art classes the last week of April. Kira spoke with students about her career path in the interior design field and the process of opening her own full-service, luxury interior design studio with projects nationwide.

Amélie Villaseñor '25 is a nominee for Best Performer in an Actress Role for the 2025 Broadway in Chicago Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards (IHSMTA). She is one of 24 student nominees for best performer role.

Over break, 44 of our choir, orchestra and band students traveled to Ireland to bring their beautiful music overseas! 

Read about the trip in the Beverly Review!

Congratulations to the Professional ABC's Club on their second place finish in the State Championship Competition! Professional ABC's: Advice Beyond the Classroom is a club that provides opportunities for members to explore the soft skills needed in any professional career - including public speaking, networking, resume building, and more.

We are MIGHTY proud to congratulate Asha Horton '25 on being selected as a Posse Scholar! Asha is set to embark on her academic journey at Connecticut College next year with the prestigious four-year, full-tuition Posse Scholarship.

Our Spring Honors Night induction ceremonies were held on April 15! Congratulations to all of the newly inducted members of National Honors Society, Science National Honors Society, National English Honors Society, Spanish Honors Society, and French Honors Society!

Our entire school community gathered together for a Holy Week Prayer Service on April 15. Our peer ministers, theater students, and liturgical musicians made the story of the resurrection come to life. The service was moving, and helped our community reflect on the importance of Holy Week as we headed into Easter Sunday. 

Last week, the Class of 2026 attended their Junior Service Retreat! This year's retreat focused on addressing food insecurity, both locally and globally. Groups of students spent their morning packing meals at The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Catholic Charities Chicago, and Feed My Starving Children. It was a meaningful day full of service and reflection!

The Class of 2025 attended their senior prom on April 11. Students enjoyed dancing, dinner and fun at the Palmer House Hotel in downtown Chicago.

A special, MIGHTY thank you to the Mothers and Father's Clubs for sponsoring the buses for our students to and from prom.  

The Math Macs Team will be heading to the state competition on April 26. MacNation cheered them on with a cart ride through the Main Hall on April 10. We're MIGHTY proud of the entire Math Macs team and wishing them the best of luck at their competition!

A heartfelt thank you to alumna Melissa Svec '14 for presenting to three Psychology classes on April 9. Melissa, a school social worker at Chicago Jesuit Academy, shared valuable insights into careers in social work.

McAuley presented its spring play, I Never Saw Another Butterfly, on April 3 and 4, 2025. The cast and crew brought the story of survival, courage and hope to life through their strong acting, musical talents, and detailed set. 

Our Future Macs Preview Night was a great opportunity for junior high girls to learn more about Mother McAuley. With our supportive and dedicated faculty and staff on hand to welcome families and showcase our rigorous, college-prep curriculum; our more than 50+ clubs and organizations on display; our spring play hosting their opening night in the Auditorium; and so much more, the event was truly a MIGHTY showing of the McAuley educational experience.

Thank you to everyone who joined us! We can't wait to welcome you back to McAuley!

View Upcoming Events

Research findings "reveal a consistent portrait of girls' school graduates who are more engaged academically and socially than their coeducated peers." Thank you to the International Coalition of Girls' Schools (ICGS) and our fellow Chicagoland girls' schools for partnering with us throughout Women's History Month to highlight The Girls' School Advantage!

On March 18, we hosted a ceremony and breakfast for students and their families to celebrate this semester's Macs with Merit! Macs with Merit is an award given to a student by a teacher or staff member on behalf of their honorable character, diligent work ethic, and notable contributions to the McAuley community.

As part of our spring Spirit Week, students participated in our annual talent show, Macs Got Talent. The week ended with our Spring Formal.

We kicked off St. Patrick’s Day weekend celebrating with WGN Morning News at the St. Patrick’s Day Extravaganza! You may have spotted performances from our Mac Melody, A Cappella Choir, and BRMM Band!

View footage of the Brother Rice and Mother McAuley Band on WGN Morning News

View footage of the the chorus singing South Side Irish

Theatre Workshop I and II students took a field trip to see Waitress at the Paramount Theatre last week. The show was directed by an alumna of our very own performing arts program, Katie Spelman '05!

Mother McAuley students participated in Advocate Christ Medical Center's annual art contest to expand its permanent art collection. Students from Mother McAuley received various awards, and some of their artwork was even chosen for the hospital's permanent collection. Congratulations to our talented student artists!

Our very own faculty member, Jamie Portal Guardi '95, and her daughter, Kate Guardi '29, braved the shave at the St. Baldrick's Event at St. Catherine's parish this past weekend!

The Class of 2025 made wonderful memories at the Senior Father Daughter Dance on March 7!

Each month, students involved in our clubs or organizations gather with the residents at Mercy Circle and to complete an activity. This month, students in the Catherine McAuley Honors Scholars and Culinary Club worked with the Sisters of Mercy to decorate flower pots in preparation for spring!

Students, faculty and staff gathered together for our winter pep rally! With games and activities, a performance by the Mighty Mac cheerleaders, and more, it was a MIGHTY fun day!

Our entire school community gathered together to begin our Lenten journey with an Ash Wednesday Mass on March 5, led by Rev. Ritchie Ortiz, associate pastor from Queen of Martyrs Church.

Members of our Macs LEAD (Leadership, Education, and Awareness of Disabilities) club led the charge in organizing McAuley's participation in the Chicago Polar Plunge. They joined forces with Brother Rice as the Best of Both Worlds Team to raise over $15,000 for Special Olympics Chicago! Among the 23 the school teams that participated, Best of Both Worlds, came in second for fundraising.

Mother McAuley's Show Choir, Mac Melody, is having a MIGHTY great competition season!
Earlier this month, Mac Melody won Grand Champions in their division at their competition in Chesterton, Indiana, and their band won Best Band! Last weekend, they won 3rd Runner Up and Best Crew at their competition in El Paso/Gridley.
Congratulations Macs & Crusaders! We are MIGHTY proud!

For over 10 years, Mother McAuley Art Students have participated in the Memory Project, which invites high school students to create heartfelt portraits of children living in orphanages around the world.  AP Art & Design and Studio Honors students created this year's portraits that were recently delivered to children in India.

In honor of Black History Month, our Black Student Union and Alumnae Office have partnered to spotlight distinguished Black alumnae. Our fourth spotlight is Yolanda Petty '83.

Mother McAuley welcomed back our Black Alumnae on February 25 for an inspiring breakfast hosted by our Black Student Union. Thank you to all of our alumnae who joined us for a meaningful morning of keynote speakers, student reflections, roundtable discussions, and more. Special thanks to Michaela Foreman '16 and Ronia Linton '25 their impactful reflections!

We are MIGHTY proud to congratulate 11 of our talented young artists who were recently named 2025 Regional Scholastic Art and Writing Award recipients! These Mighty Macs were recognized by Columbia College for their Original Works.

In honor of Black History Month, our Black Student Union and Alumnae Office have partnered to spotlight distinguished Black alumnae. Our third spotlight is Simone Johnson '16.

The senior theater workshop students hosted their One Act Festival on February 19 in the auditorium! The cast, crew, and directors were thrilled to share their hard work. 

We had a great day welcoming 6th and 7th grade Future Macs to McAuley for a special shadow day on February 17. They had the chance to experience a day in the life of a Mighty Mac, visit a Club Fair, play games and activities, and so much more!

Every day is a shadow day at McAuley - register today!

In honor of Black History Month, our Black Student Union and Alumnae Office have partnered to spotlight distinguished Black alumnae. Our second spotlight is Kimberly Price '83.

We had a wonderful morning hosting our annual Donor Appreciation Breakfast at Mother McAuley on February 14. Our scholarship recipients had the opportunity to meet their generous donors and thank them for all they do to support our Mighty Mac community!

We are MIGHTY proud to congratulate our very own, Shantá Wheeler, recipient of the Archdiocese of Chicago's Thea Bowman Award for Teacher Leadership! Like Bowman, Shantá embodies faith, integrity, and a deep commitment to her students.

Our entire school community gathered together for our Black History Month Prayer Service on February 13. Thank you to our Black Student Union for hosting the beautiful service filled with community, prayer, reflection, music and stories of history makers!

On International Day of Women and Girls in Science, our Environmental Science classes were excited to welcome the Senior Lab Manager & Quality Assurance Officer for the Culligan Analytical Laboratory to learn more about the process of filtering and testing water. Special thanks to Maria Mozdzen, Liz Filmer, and Eileen Earley Ziesemer '01 for collaborating with us!

The Class of 2028 enjoyed their first Father/Daughter Dance on February 7! It was a fun night for our students and their special guests!

In honor of Black History Month, our Black Student Union and Alumnae Office have partnered to spotlight distinguished Black alumnae. Our first spotlight is Jazmyn C. Jefferson '10.

More than 80 alumnae and friends joined us for Career Day this morning. Students had the chance to learn more about a wide variety of careers, participate in activities, and learn more about the many opportunities available to them once they graduate from McAuley.

After just three years as a program, we are MIGHTY proud to congratulate the Mother McAuley Cheerleading Team on qualifying for the IHSA State Finals in the Large Team Division!
MacNation cheered them on with a cart ride through the halls before they head down state to compete this weekend! Wishing the best of luck to the entire team and our coaching staff, all of whom are Mother McAuley alumnae!

Students and faculty members ended Catholic Schools Week by attending the weekend-long Kairos retreat.

Congratulations to Quinn Arundel '26 and Taji Alexa '27 on being awarded the GCAC Red Division All Conference Honors for basketball. We are MIGHTY proud!

We are MIGHTY proud to congratulate Amelie Villasenor '25, Grace Sebby '27, Amar Tadros '25, and Amanda Schuler '25 for their participation in the ILMEA All-State Choir and Orchestra!

We are MIGHTY proud to announce that ALL of our Fall Sports Teams qualified for IHSA Team Academic Achievement Awards! Congratulations to our student athletes for maintaining excellent cumulative team grade point averages during the 2024 season. 

Happy Catholic Schools Week! Our entire school community gathered together this morning for a wonderful Mass to celebrate the theme of "United in Faith and Community."

Mother McAuley has earned the College Board AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles (CSP) for the fifth year in a row. Schools honored with an AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have expanded access to AP computer science courses for female students in their communities. 

We kicked off the new year with a retreat for our freshman students. This day-long event allows students to engage with their fellow classmates, dive deeper into their faith and Mercy values, and build on the sense of community that began during the three-day Empower: First Year Experience orientation in August.

Congratulations to our very own, Emily Guzman '25, who was selected to participate as a crew member in the Illinois All-State production of The Prom!

Peace Corp Volunteer, Elizabeth Burke '83, visited our Theology IV: Global Studies Class in December.

Mother McAuley's String Ensemble performed a selection of Christmas classics for the patients at Little Company of Mary Hospital the week before Christmas.

Thank you to those who joined us for our choral and orchestra/band Christmas Concerts on December 15!

We are MIGHTY proud to congratulate Egypt Drayton '25 on being awarded the QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship to The University of Chicago!

The Class of 2025 enjoyed breakfast before school on December 13! As part of their 12 Days of Christmas Songs dress down days, they got festive and wore their favorite Christmas pajamas! It was a fun way to celebrate the end of the first semester, and unwind before final exams!

We were grateful to celebrate the Christmas season with our Mother McAuley community at our first Holiday Harmony High Tea at The Drake Oak Brook! It was a wonderful event for mothers and daughters, friends, and family to gather together.

A mighty THANK YOU to the Future Macs who joined us on December 7 for the Entrance Exam at McAuley! Your Lifetime Advantage begins now. We can’t wait to welcome the Class of 2029 to 99th Street.

We were honored to have our A Cappella and Mac Melody Choirs spread holiday cheer at the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago's Christmas Luncheon on December 6 at the Grand Ballroom Hilton Chicago. They've also performed at the ILMEA District 1 Festival, to the Chriskindlmarket downtown, to Misericordia, Smith Village, and more!

As part of our Mental Health Matters week, students had the opportunity to visit with therapy dogs during their lunch periods on December 6.

Our production of Peter Pan had a sold-out weekend of magical performances over the weekend of November 21-24. 

From the science lab, to the gym, to the turf field - our summer campers brought a MIGHTY fun energy to our entire campus! Thanks for joining us on 99th Street this summer - we can't wait to see you again soon!