Fontbonne Hall Academy unveiled a mural Dec. 2 honoring Sister Ita Ford on the 44th anniversary of her martyrdom.
Ford graduated from the school in 1957. She later joined the Maryknoll Sisters, a community of women who serve poor, sick and marginalized people around the world. She and three other women went to El Salvador during its Civil War to help refugees. They were killed by the El Salvadoran army on Dec. 2, 1980.
“The mural serves as a powerful reminder of Ita Ford’s courage, faith, and dedication to justice,”
said Fontbonne Principal Rocco Gentile. “For our students, it stands as an inspiration to lead lives of service and compassion, rooted in the Gospel values that Ita so beautifully exemplified. It’s a visual call to action, encouraging them to be changemakers in their communities and beyond.”
The dedication ceremony included speeches by Maryknoll Sisters Ann Hayden, Helene O’Sullivan and Bernice Kita.
The mural includes a timeline of Ford’s accomplishments, words from a letter sent to her niece, and several photos of her along with quotes.
“You can be who you are – and become more,” one of her quotes reads. “I know this is true because it happened to me.”
Artist Aaron Padin, who worked on the mural, said it was important to translate Ford’s history for the project.
“The opportunity came up to be able to tell Ita Ford’s story through a mural and we worked on it with Maryknoll Sisters and Sisters of Saint Joseph to put what you see here today,” Padin said. “It was a long process. We really wanted to make sure it was accurate and really told a story that would inspire the students now and for the future.”
Ita Ford is not the first martyr in her family. Her cousin, Bishop Francis Xavier Ford, was a member of the Maryknoll Missionaries and was murdered in a Communist Chinese prison in 1952.
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