Music, dance, and prayer filled the Athletic Center April 4 as mothers and daughters gathered to celebrate the Mother-Daughter Liturgy. Father Paul Murphy of St. Thomas More Parish in Darien, Connecticut, celebrated the Mass. During this commemoration, the Madrigals, Bell Choirs, and Upper School Dancers inspired the attendees with their performances. Senior Kelsey Wilkens, along with her mother, Mrs. Francine Wilkens, offered reflections during the service, touching on their mother-daughter relationship. This cherished annual tradition honored the enduring bonds between mothers and daughters.
While the Liturgy is a long-standing Sacred Heart Greenwich observance, this was the first year that the Upper and Middle School united in celebrating the event. One distinctive tradition is that a mother-daughter pair gives a personal reflection. This year, Kelsey and her mother shared reflections focused on the empowering female role models in their lives. Kelsey touched on what this Sacred Heart tradition means to her.
“The Mother-Daughter Liturgy is so special to me because it is a day where I get to share my faith with my mother and reflect on the power of femininity as the roots of our lives,” Kelsey said. “My mother is a beautiful role model to me, and being able to pause our schedules and celebrate our relationship within the Sacred Heart community is so fulfilling.”
The various musical and performing arts groups of the Sacred Heart community were on display at the Liturgy, starting with a combined performance from the Upper School Dancers and the Madrigals. The Madrigals sang “Hail Mary, Gentle Woman” as the dancers swayed down the aisle. Seniors Ila David, Lindsay Taylor, Kelsey Wilkens, and Anna Oliver, eighth graders Ariel Duncan, Ella Calise, Chloe Clarke, Eleanor Kelleher, and Erin McCooey, and seventh grader Spenser Simmons cantored the Liturgy. During the presentation of the gifts, the Upper School Bell Choir performed “Spirit Seeking Light and Beauty.” The Middle School Bell Choir played “You Alone” as the communion meditation piece. The cantors closed the Mass singing “Above All” and “Go Out, Go Out.”
In her reflection, Kelsey touched on her faith journey and how female inspiration has shaped her throughout her life. Kelsey is a lifer at Sacred Heart, and she reflected on her experiences at the Mother-Daughter Liturgies and how the annual tradition embodies Sacred Heart’s mission and goals.
“Sacred Heart’s mission is to create educated and confident young women, and I feel as though the Mother-Daughter Liturgy is a culmination of that goal, which emphasizes our power as women who can impact the world through the leadership of our mothers and our educators,” Kelsey said.
Featured Image by Maggie Heffernan ’25
