Big Shoulders Fund Named Grand Marshal In 2025 South Side Irish Parade

CHICAGO — Led by a Chicago Stockyard Kilty piper and a parade of students from area Catholic schools, the South Side Irish Parade committee announced the grand marshal and honoree for the beloved parade that steps off next month.

Big Shoulders Fund, that provides Catholic schools with demonstrated need, which provide a quality, values-based education for Chicago and Northwest Indiana’s children, was named the 2025 Grand Marshal. The charitable organization will be leading the South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade through Beverly and Morgan Park Sunday, March 16.

The Mt. Sion program, a special education inclusion program designed to meet the unique needs of students with moderate cognitive disabilities or significant learning disabilities at Brother Rice High School, has been named the 2025 parade honoree.

“They are aligned with [the South Side Irish Parade’s] focus on faith, family and tradition,” said Marianne Rowan Leslie announced during a ceremony Wednesday morning at Brother Rice High School. “Both organizations support the education of children and share an unwavering commitment to inspire and support students so they thrive academically, emotionally and spiritually through their school communities and beyond.”

Josh Hale, president and CEO of Big Shoulders Fund was joined on stage by South side grammar school students representing St. Walter St. Benedict School, St. Margaret of Scotland School, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Annunciata, and St. John de LaSalle. The St. Francis de Sales High School student choir representing Big Shoulders Fund performed.

“We are in kinship with you,” Hale said. “We are honored that you invited us and celebrate our shared mission of making Chicago a better place for all of us to live. We look forward to marching and celebrating with you in the great South Side Irish Parade.”

Mount Sion Program, is the first special education inclusion program of its kind in a South Side Catholic high school, that pairs students with special learning needs with student peer mentors.

Based off the Notre Dame Burke Scholar program, Brother Rice special education director Mary Erdmann said the program has transformed the culture in the all-boys Catholic high school. The inaugural program introduced in the fall has four students in the program, with the hope of adding more.

“We’re hoping that it sets the footprint for other South Side Catholic schools,” Erdmann told Patch. “If they saw what this does to a school community and culture, it has been amazing the awareness and the acceptance this has had on our peer mentors. They’re not just helping them in class, they’re becoming friends.”

Inspired by Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, Big Shoulders Fund was founded as an independent charitable organization by a group of business and civic leaders in 1986. Big Shoulder ensures that children in Chicago’s most under-resourced communities can achieve their dreams through access to a quality, values-based education. The charitable program serves 25,000 students across 72 Catholic schools in the Chicago area, and expanded two years ago to 20 Catholic schools in Northwest Indiana. Since its inception, Big Shoulders Fund has raised $650 million.

The Mount Sion Program of Brother Rice High School is in its inaugural year at Brother Rice High School, 10001 S. Pulaski Road, Chicago. It is a way for students with forms of learning disabilities to experience high school with their classmates. Peer mentors take part of their school day to spend time with the students participating in the program. Participants attend classes like theology, social studies and other electives with other students. The name “Mount Sion” holds deep significance for Brother Rice. It is inspired by the first school founded by Blessed Edmund Rice in Waterford, Ireland, in 1802.

The pre-parade fundraiser will be held Saturday, Feb. 22, from 3 to 8 p.m. at 115 Bourbon Street, 3359 W. 115th St., Merrionette Park. Tickets are $50 and features a buffet dinner, draft beer, wine, and live music provided by Sean and Charlie and Whiskey Mick. The South Side Irish Parade Queen will be also be announced at the pre-parade fundraiser. Tickets are $50 and may be purchased at the door or in advance at may be purchased at the door or in advance online from the SSIP store.

The largest community-based St. Patrick’s Day Parade outside Ireland, the South Side Irish Parade steps off at noon Sunday, March 16 from 103rd Street and Western Avenue. The parade features over 100 entrants, including festive floats, bagpipe bands, schools, parishes, neighborhood businesses, youth sports teams, scouts and non-profit organizations.