The Rev. Tom McCarthy, who serves as St. Rita High School’s Director of Community Relations and Shrine Chapel Director, was elected Prior Provincial of the Midwest Augustinians in December.

BEVERLY — A longtime priest with strong ties to Beverly — and to Pope Leo XIV — was recently elected to lead the Midwest Augustinians. The Rev. Tom McCarthy, director of community relations and Shrine Chapel director of St. Rita High School, was elected to serve as Prior Provincial of the Midwest Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Council. McCarthy was chosen on Dec. 22 during an election in which each Augustinian friar had an equal vote. Now considered provincial-elect, McCarthy will be installed as the leader of the Midwest Augustinians in June and will serve a four-year term. McCarthy, who grew up in Marquette Park, is a 1983 graduate of St. Rita. After graduating from Villanova University, he entered the Midwest Province of the Augustinian Order and made his solemn vows as an Augustinian Friar in 1993 before being ordained a priest one year later. Over the years, McCarthy has served at his high school alma mater in a variety of roles including as a teacher, campus minister, principal, president and chairman. As prior provincial, McCarthy will oversee all activities of the Augustinians, an order of Catholic religious men and women, in the Midwestern United States, Canada and Northern Peru. “The way I look at the provincial, it’s not that it’s a power thing or that I’m over people. It’s really bringing people together, working together, and how can we serve God and the people of God, to the best of our ability as Augustinians,” McCarthy said. The Rev. Tom McCarthy graduated from St. Rita in 1983 and has worked at the school in a variety of roles over the years. Credit: Provided While McCarthy will oversee a large area, he said the new position should keep him closer to St. Rita and the South Side as he works out of the Midwest Augustinian’s office in Beverly. “I’ll probably be around more,” McCarthy said. “I still plan on being involved at St. Rita. It fits right into this role.” For many years, McCarthy has often spent his weekends in the neighborhood celebrating Mass at a number of churches, including St. Barnabas, St. Cajetan, St. John Fisher and St Christina. For over three decades, he has hosted seventh and eighth grade leadership retreats for elementary school students in the neighborhood — seeing over 1,000 students a year. McCarthy said he plans to continue those retreats in his new position. “Those are the things I enjoy,” McCarthy said of his leadership retreats with young people. “That all fits into this role.” The Rev. Tom McCarthy holds a St. Rita High School shirt with Pope Leo XIV during a visit to the Vatican in October. Pope Leo served as Prior Provincial of the Midwest Augustinians in the early 2000s. Credit: Provided McCarthy will succeed the Rev. Anthony Pizzo as prior provincial. Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, served in the position in the late 1990s before being named prior general in the early 2000s. Prevost appointed McCarthy as president of St. Rita in 2002. The two have known each other for many years, and McCarthy said he considers the first American Pope a close friend. “Some people are saying, ‘Oh, you’re following in Pope Leo’s footsteps,’ I would say ‘No, I am not,’” McCarthy said with a laugh. With over 30 years of experience as an Augustinian, McCarthy said he is ready to take on his new position. “I have seen where we have been. I see our possibilities of where we go. Now I get to use my leadership skills and my ideas to work for the province, to be creative,” he said. McCarthy said Augustinians have been deeply rooted in the South Side since 1905, not just through St. Rita and Mendel High School, but also with priests out each weekend celebrating Mass. “The Augustinians are rooted in the South Side. Most people can say the Augustinians have served us. My role is to make sure that we keep doing that,” McCarthy said. * * * **Support Local News!** **Subscribe to Block Club Chicago, **an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods. Already subscribe? **Click here to gift a subscription** , or you can**support Block Club with atax-deductible donation.** **Listen to the Block Club Chicago podcast:** Listen OnApple PodcastsListen OnSpotify As Crime Rates Fall, Domestic Homicides Are Surging In Chicago. Why? Episode play icon As Crime Rates Fall, Domestic Homicides Are Surging In Chicago. Why? Episode play icon Bears. Packers. Grate night? Or Does The Pack Still Own Da Bears? UPDATE: DAAAAAAAAA BEARS Episode play icon In 2025, Chicago Recorded Its Fewest Murders In 60 Years. Why? Episode play icon The Stories We Loved In 2025! Episode play icon Chicago Under Siege — How Operation Midway Blitz Changed Our City Load More Search Results placeholder Previous Episode Show Episodes List Next Episode Show Podcast Information

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