Sacred Heart Greenwich students, mothers, alumnae, faculty, and staff gathered together Friday, October 13 for the annual Mother-Daughter Liturgy. Society of the Sacred Heart Schools around the world celebrate maternal relationships through a variety of special events in order to foster a community of strong women.

The liturgy comes at a significant time, as October is the month of Mary and contains the feast of Mater Admirabilis, which is October 20. In the Christian faith, Mary is the Blessed Mother of Jesus; thus, she represents the unique bond between a mother and child.
Celebrating maternal bonds at Sacred Heart has been a tradition throughout the school’s history. Although the service has changed with time, the meaning of the event has remained the same. 

During the Mother-Daughter Liturgy, the sophomore class received their mater medals, senior Sofia Piriz and her mother Mrs. Maria Piriz read personal reflections, and the Bell Choir and Madrigals performed. 

“I loved spending time with my mom at the liturgy,” sophomore Olivia Gasvoda said. “The speeches were so touching and made me realize just how much I appreciate my own mom.”

Mother-daughter events are not just a custom of Sacred Heart Greenwich, but also of Sacred Heart schools around the world. For example, the Kincoppal-Rose Bay School in Sydney, Australia celebrates the bond between mothers and daughters with a lunch every year around Mother’s Day.

The lunch, although not mandatory, is something that most students choose to attend because they value the opportunity to spend time with their mothers.

“You have a lunch with your mom, take a few photos, and hear speeches from the principal of the school about their mother,” Australian exchange student Chloe McGrath said. “It’s a great way to spend time with my mom right before Mother’s Day.”

Alumna and mother Mrs. Yvette Quinson attended the Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart in Miami, Florida. While Mrs. Quinson attended the Carrollton School, they did not have an annual formal liturgy, however, they did have mother-daughter events such as mother-daughter fashion shows and an alumnae pin ceremony which still continues today. 

“The event wasn’t as formal as it is now where it was every single year,” Mrs. Quinson said. “It was a little more flexible. We did some stuff with our moms, but we didn’t necessarily do something on a yearly basis. It’s really nice that this is an annual tradition at Sacred Heart Greenwich.”