Rev. Anthony B. Pizzo, O.S.A., Prior Provincial, Announces Josh Blaszak ’02 as New President of St. Rita

April 17, 2026

A message from Deacon John Donahue J.D., Ed.D., President of St. Rita of Cascia High School:

I am pleased to announce that the Very Rev. Anthony B. Pizzo, O.S.A., Prior Provincial, and the Provincial Council of the Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel, have appointed Mr. Josh Blaszak ’02 to succeed me as President of St. Rita of Cascia High School upon my retirement on June 30, 2026.

Mr. Blaszak will be the seventh President of St. Rita High School. Mr. Blaszak began teaching at St. Rita in 2007 and since 2013 has also been an administrator. He currently serves as Principal since being appointed by me in 2022. After graduating from St. Rita, Mr. Blaszak attended Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts, one of only two Augustinian universities in the United States, earning his Bachelor’s in Mathematics. He also holds a Master’s in Educational Leadership, awarded in 2012 from the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois. Mr. Blaszak is an Affiliate of the Augustinians, and this upcoming school year will be his 29th year part of Augustinian education as a student, teacher, or administrator.

I am very pleased that I will be followed by Josh as there is no one better qualified to lead St. Rita and continue the positive momentum taking place at this time. I have worked very closely with Josh over the last four years and have every confidence that he will take St. Rita to new heights of success. Together over the last four years, we have led St. Rita to increase student enrollment by over 25%, establish a Strategic Plan and a Master Facility Plan to guide the school into the future, complete over two million dollars of capital improvements, strengthen our academic and athletic programs, and re-ignite a culture firmly rooted in the Augustinian values of Truth, Unity, and Love. St. Rita has a firm foundation on which to build a tremendous future.  Mr. Blaszak will be announcing appointments to his leadership team over the next few weeks.

Finally, I would like to tell you all that it has been the honor of my professional life to have served as the president of such a storied institution as St. Rita of Cascia High School. St. Rita gave me the opportunity to exercise my ministry as an ordained deacon of the Catholic Church in a way that few others could do. Please keep me in your prayers as I will continue to pray for the St. Rita family, students, alumni, parents, donors, and friends.

St. Rita of Cascia, Pray for us!

Deacon John Donahue, J.D., Ed.D.
President