Couple receives Magna Caritas award at Father McGivney Commencement

The Villhard family, from left, Douglas Paul, Danielle, Dia, Drew, Doug and Diane. (Randy Pierce photo)

By Randy Pierce • Because of their dedication to promoting the mission of Father McGivney Catholic High School and involvement in its creation, the parents of one of its 2026 graduates have been presented with the annual Magna Caritas award. 

The award, the name of which can be translated to “great love (or caring),” was given to Doug and Diane Villhard of Edwardsville as announced by the Very Reverend Jeffrey Goeckner, president of the FMCHS Board, at the graduation ceremony held last month.

The Villhards’ daughter, Dia, is the fourth member of this family to graduate from FMCHS, the others are Danielle, who was in its first class in 2016, Douglas Paul in 2019 and Drew in 2024.

Dia, being the couple’s fourth and final child to graduate, spoke during the commencement program, praising her parents for “how much of themselves they poured into this school from the very beginning.”

Referring to McGivney’s starting as “merely the prayer of a group of parents hoping to create a Catholic high school option in this area,” Dia said her mother and father were among those who saw its vision “rooted in faith, community and excellence and they helped build it from the ground up with their time, leadership, generosity and constant support.”

What made this effort so special, Dia continued, was not so much what they did but “how they did it, quietly, faithfully and always with love.”

Mentioning that she has cousins who also graduated from FMCHS, Dia said she has seen firsthand the “countless hours, the behind-the-scenes dedication and the genuine care” Mr. and Mrs. Villard have devoted to the school and the people in it, never seeking recognition for the past 20 years while all this took place.

“They simply showed up and gave their hearts to something they believed in,” Dia commented. “Because of them and people like them, Father McGivney has become more than just a school; it has become a family and a community that has shaped so many lives, including mine.”

After Dia had concluded her comments, the four children gathered on the graduation stage and formally presented the award to their parents.