By Katie Vasquez
A memorial for a former alumnus, Fontbonne Hall Academy in Bay ridge, unveiling this new mural for Sister Ita Ford on Monday.
“We lost Ita so young, so, so full of purpose and courage and, which is a real loss to us,” said Sister Ann Hayden of the Maryknoll Sisters.
Sister Ita was helping the poor in El Salvador during the bloody civil war when she was murdered along with three other sisters by members of the military on December 2nd, 1980.
Sister Ann Hayden met Sister Ita when they were both in formation back in 1971 and remembers the woman who would become a martyr.
“She was a delightful, joyful person. but she also seemed more sophisticated than I would be. and, so I was a little in awe of her,” said Sister Hayden.
Before she joined the Maryknoll Sisters, Ita Ford was just a girl from Brooklyn attending Visitation Academy and later Fontbonne. Despite her life in service to Christ, not many students at her alma mater knew about her, so Fontbonne set out to change that.
“We thought to ourselves, well, this is the Ita Ford building and the students are still asking, who is Ita Ford?” said Fontbonne Hall Academy principal, Rocco Gentile.
For the past year, illustrator Aaron Padin created the concept of this graphic photographic mural which includes a timeline of her life and personal quotes.
“Tons of research and really wanting to figure out a way to tell her authentic story, something that would resonate now and forever with the students that will come through these hallways,” said illustrator Aaron Padin of Padín/Visual Math.
The all-girls school hopes having a role model like Sister Ita will influence the young women walking their halls.
“She inspires me to be a better person, to be more religious, and, you know, really look forward to helping people and doing what’s right in the world,” said Fontbonne Hall Academy senior, Abegael Mullaney.
“She is the ideal role model to follow in terms of perseverance and commitment and dedication,” said Fontbonne Hall Academy senior, Venetiana Garyfallos.