Catholic Schools Week: Five generations and counting attend The Divine Redeemer in Ford City

By Maria Guzzo
Contributing Writer

FORD CITY – When Jim Milligan and his wife were ready to start a family, they bought a home just a block away from Divine Redeemer Catholic School where five generations of his family have attended.

“We ended up living on the next street over from the school, which was purposeful because we knew when we had kids they would attend Divine Redeemer,” Milligan said.

The first to attend was Milligan’s great-grandmother whose parents settled in Ford City after immigrating from Austria. Her daughter, Milligan’s grandmother, attended next; followed by Milligan’s mother, Patricia, then Milligan. Milligan’s son graduated from Divine Redeemer and transitioned well to the public Armstrong High School, and his daughter is a Divine Redeemer sixth grader.

“The No. 1 reason is because of our Catholic faith” Milligan said of their choice. “We wanted to have our kids grow up in that atmosphere. I don’t know if we’d make the decision if the education wasn’t great, but the education is fantastic. There are small class sizes, activities, everyone knows my children and there’s such a sense of community.”

According to the school’s web site, the original school was St. Mary’s, built in 1891. It was razed in 1958 to construct the building in use today. In 1973, its name became Ford City Catholic, which is where Milligan attended. In 1997, it was renamed again as Divine Redeemer.

Divine Redeemer Principal John Giancola said it’s a testament to the strength of the school that the first generation attended and the legacy of Catholic education persists.

“The school has progressed and improved and they continue to send their children here,” Giancola said, noting that a third of current students have parents who attended Divine Redeemer.

Giancola, who had been a public school teacher and principal before becoming Divine Redeemer’s principal, said there is room for both public and private education, but there is a difference.

“Everybody here is vested,” he said of Divine Redeemer, “Everyone is all-in; parents, teachers all support all the efforts. That’s our strength.”

He also touted small class sizes, Title 1 reading support, guidance counseling, art, music, clubs, sports, and weekly Mass.

“We all live those Christian principles when we’re here and continue them our whole lives,” he said.

He said new funding sources encourage parents to send their children to Catholic schools.

Milligan said he values the school and the legacy it offers to future generations even as his grandmother, who has since moved to Punxsutawney, continues to return to see her great-granddaughter.

“When she is able, she comes back to attend chorus concerts and other events they have at the school,” he said. “It’s quite a heritage.”