Fall 2025

Dear Alumni Crusaders,

I hope you are enjoying the changing weather, no matter where you call home! Here in Pensacola, it is starting to get a little bit cooler with a noticeable reduction in humidity. There is definitely a sense of Fall in the air!

The Alumni Committee has helped me put together a Newsletter that we plan to send out quarterly. We are interested in your ideas and information to share with your fellow alumni. We are quite a diverse group, ranging in age from your 90's to those of us who just graduated and are between 18 and 20! Some of us went to school downtown at the corner of Garden and Baylen Streets, while most of us attended at the W. Scott Street campus. We are now spread out across the nation, with some of us even living or studying abroad.

I know there are endless ways in which you are impacting the communities in which you live through your professions and/or volunteerism! No matter how different we are, I know there are at least two things that we have in common. First and foremost, we are all God's children, and we are so grateful for that! And second, we are Catholic High School Crusaders!

We truly hope you enjoy the information you find here and are inspired to share your memories and ideas to contribute to future newsletters. Some email systems do not support the initial viewing of the entire newsletter, but you should have the option available in the lower left-hand side of the email to 'View entire message.'

Many blessings,

Director of Advancement

rlay@pensacolacsh.org

850-436-6400 x103

Fr. Gordon Milsted from the Class of 1955 is our next “subject” in the new CHS Alumni Committee article series. One of Father Milsted’s fondest memories of his time at Catholic High was the class retreats, now referred to as Days of Recollection. He remembers that it was in his sophomore year when he saw a pamphlet with the picture of Our Lord that planted the seed of interest for the priesthood. From that point on, he would grow in his faith and seek guidance on entering the seminary.

After graduation, Father Milsted attended St. Mary’s Seminary in Kentucky and then Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Toolen at St. Michael’s Basilica in the Diocese of Pensacola-Mobile in 1963. Fr. Milsted was sent to Montgomery, Alabama, to teach at Montgomery Catholic High School following his ordination. After a brief assignment in Brewton, he returned to Montgomery in 1977, where he was the founding pastor of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church and served there for 11 years.

Father Milsted served actively in his ministry for over 51 years, and his assignments were varied, including an assignment as pastor at Saint Lawrence Catholic Church in Fairhope, Alabama, where he was instrumental in building the Family of Life Center during his 11 years there. He lived and served in Atmore from 2006 to 2014. It was in 2014 that he officially retired. He currently lives in Pensacola, Florida, near family.

Fr. Milsted comes from a long line of four generations of Crusaders from as early as 1945 when his sisters and brothers walked the halls of CHS, through the next generation, into the 70’s, and on through today as Anderson Edler 2027, Rockne Webb, 2028, and Graham Edler 2029 are the next “Milsted” Crusader graduates in line with even more to follow in the Milsted legacy.

The best advice Father Milsted has for the current students at Catholic High is that he hopes they understand their faith, grow in it, and practice it through the Sacraments on a regular basis.

Thank you, Nina Webb Blay '78, for interviewing Father Gordon for this article.

If you have a suggestion for the next 'Senior Alumni Spotlight', please email MaryAnn Humphreys Bickerstaff, Alumni Committee Chairperson, at mbickerstaff@arc-gateway.org. We also welcome any Alumni interested in joining the Alumni Committee to email MaryAnn as well!

Alumni Help with Annual

Make a Difference Day

On Saturday, September 27, CHS held its 31st Annual Make a Difference Day project during which students and adult volunteers spread out into the community to 'Make a Difference.' Over 450 volunteers participated this year in over 26 projects. Adult volunteers included 24 alumni! Some are current parents or grandparents, but others help because they love the experience! Let us know if you are interested in getting involved next year! Alumni involved this year:

Veterans Day Special Project

The CHS Wounded Warriors Club and the History Club are collaborating on a special project and would like to know if you or your spouse has served or is currently serving in our country's military. Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey linked below. If you have previously told us about your service, there is no need to complete the survey.  Thank you for your service!

pensacolachs.org/served

Class of 1985 Celebrates 40th Reunion

The Pensacola Catholic High School Class of 1985 marked a milestone 40th Reunion the weekend of August 29–30, 2025. Classmates traveled from near and far to reconnect, reminisce, and celebrate four decades since their time at Catholic High.

Festivities kicked off Friday night with a lively meet-up at Rosie O’Grady’s in downtown Pensacola, where laughter and memories filled the air. On Saturday, the celebration continued at The District, providing a perfect venue for conversation and catching up on the journey since graduation. A heartfelt thank you goes to Tiffani Toth Heldman and Buck Mitchell for their incredible efforts in organizing and hosting this memorable event. Their dedication ensured a wonderful weekend of fellowship and fun for the Class of ’85.

20th Reunion for the Class of 2005

The Class of 2005 recently celebrated its milestone 20th reunion during the weekend of October 3-5. They had a great time visiting and reminesing about their time at Catholic

Class of 1972 Gathers

The Class of 1972 gets together about every 3 months or so to have lunch and catch-up with one another. They met on September 19 and Susan Banfell Haines sent this picture to share - Thank you!

Reunion Plans

The Class of 1975 will hold its 50th Reunion this weekend, on October 11, at the Pensacola Yacht Club. Contact Tina Ruggerio Ramsey at tinaramsey@gmail.com for further information! Y'all have fun and send us the pictures we can publish;-)

Plans are underway for the 50th Reunion for the CHS Class of 1976. The initial dates are May 15, 16, and 17, 2026. Please contact Kelley Harris at kleharris@gmail.com for additional information. 

Planning Your Reunion or Looking for Reunion Plans?

If you are planning your reunion, send us information to post on your class's website. If you are looking for information about your class reunion, visit the Alumni Class pages at pensacolachs.org/class-reunion-information/. If you need assistance in starting the plans for your class reunion, contact Rita Lay at rlay@pensacolachs.org or 850-436-6400 x103.

The following section is meant to stir those memories! 'Then' photos come from any period in CHS history, but the 'Now' photos come from the past 2-3 years. If you would like to share your thoughts on the question prompts or if you have ideas for future newsletters, please email Rita Lay at rlay@pensacolachs.org.

What do these two pictures have in common? In what year was each one taken? Do you have a memory to share related to these pictures?

Do you know who this is? When did she graduate? What is she doing now?

And these two photos - What do they have in common? In what year was each one taken? Do you have a memory to share related to these pictures?

Open House/Placement Test

Catholic High will be hosting an Open House for any middle school parents who are thinking about sending their child to CHS on Sunday, Oct. 19, at 1:30 p.m. Please help us spread the word to any potential future CHS families.

We are also administering our Placement Test for current 8th grade students on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 8:00 a.m. It is highly recommended that anyone wishing to enroll as a 9th grader next school year, or anyone who is thinking about enrolling, take this placement test. This will most likely be the only placement test that we offer for the upcoming school year. For anyone who is unable to take the test on 10/25, we are offering one make-up date and it is on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 8:00 a.m. Test takers should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the test and bring two #2 pencils, the $20 test fee, and the completed CHS Placement Test Application Form. Questions? Please contact Nina Blay at nblay@pensacolachs.org or (850) 436-6400 ext. 683.

Changes To Ordering CHS Transcripts

Beginning Wednesday, September 17, Catholic High School modified the manner by which CHS transcripts are requested and delivered. We are now utilizing Parchment, a secure online platform that streamlines transcript ordering and delivery.

This change is not just local—the Florida Catholic Conference (FCC) has mandated that all Catholic schools in the state of Florida adopt Parchment for transcript services.

With this change:

• All transcript requests will be submitted directly through Parchment.
• Parchment charges a $5 fee per transcript for current CHS students, which is collected and retained entirely by Parchment (not Catholic High School). Alumni and all other requesting parties will be charged $10 per transcript.
• This new system allows for fast, reliable service and electronic delivery to colleges, universities, and other institutions.

The link to Parchment with instructions for its use is now live. We encourage alumni and underclassmen to also create a Parchment account and use it for all transcript requests moving forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How much does it cost to order a transcript?

A: Each transcript ordered by current students through Parchment costs $5, which is collected and retained entirely by Parchment. Catholic High School does not receive any portion of this fee. The fee for alumni and any other requesting parties is $10.

Q: How will current seniors be set up with Parchment?

A: Ms. Kyte has already met with the Seniors to assist them in creating their Parchment account.

Q: What about alumni or underclassmen?

A: Alumni and underclassmen must create their own Parchment account. A direct link to Parchment and instructions are available on the school website.

Q: Can transcripts still be mailed or only sent electronically?

A: Parchment allows transcripts to be sent electronically to colleges, universities, and other institutions. In addition, printed transcripts can also be mailed to other organizations, if needed.

Help Us Build Our Field Sports Complex

We are ready to move forward with the much-needed Athletic Fields Project that will provide three additional fields to be used by our PE classes and all of our field sports: Football, Boys & Girls Lacrosse, and Boys & Girls Soccer, as well as by the CYSL teams and the students at Mother Clelia Morning Star High School. This includes a total of 10–15 teams that need practice space when you consider JV and Freshman teams. With the addition of these fields, the Track, Baseball, and Softball teams will also be able to reclaim their own facilities when preparing for meets and games.

We are excited to be breaking ground in the next few weeks, and we anticipate the fields being constructed by late Spring. The first phase of this project will include the addition of three fields with land clearing, installation of irrigation, grass, gravel access roads, lighting, and fencing around the complex. Additional phases will bring restrooms, seating for a competition field, a scoreboard, a fieldhouse with concession stand, and paving of the gravel roads.

Great Gift with a Dual Purpose

The next few months have several occasions for gift-giving such as a birthday, anniversary, Valentine's Day, Alumni Fish Fry, Easter, etc. Why not consider the gift of a CHS Commemorative Brick that will be placed at the outside entrance to the CHS Gym? These bricks are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate family milestones and honor or memorialize loved ones. Buy a brick engraved with the year you graduated, when your parent(s) or child(ren) graduated, in honor of your favorite teacher, in memory of fallen classmates, a special person in your life, etc.

Looking for the perfect holiday, birthday, or anniversary gift? A commemorative Catholic High brick might be just the thing to create a unique and lasting memory visible for you and your family to admire for a lifetime. The clay bricks are 8" X 8" and will accommodate engraving of up to 6 lines with a maximum of 21 characters per line. Use the link pensacolachs.org/bricks to access the web form to order and pay for your commemorative brick(s). Once we have an order for five or more bricks we will place the order with the brick company. All proceeds from the sales will go to the Building on Faith, Family & Tradition Capital Campaign.

That's all, folks! Let us know how you liked the newsletter, and

send us your ideas for the next one!