Grandparents Show Up for Grandparents Mass
April 19, 2024
Grandparents’ Mass, an annual Cretin-Derham Hall event that honors the significant role of grandparents in the lives of their grandchildren, was celebrated on April 16 with close to 700 people in attendance. It was organized by Campus Ministry and officiated by Father Pat Kennedy '69. This year's theme was "Grandparents Show Up!" and featured memorable contributions from student participants.
Hadley Beyerlein ‘25 and Miles Bollinger ’24 each shared beautiful reflections that they had prepared about the impact of their own grandparents in their lives. "For me," said Miles, "being able to speak at the grandparents mass was such a good opportunity to reflect on how important my grandparents are and allow myself to think about the little things they do that I take for granted."
Father Kennedy’s message about the importance of grandparents showing up for their grandchildren “really resonated with folks,” said Mark McGuire, Campus Minister & Religion Teacher. Some grandparents even come from out-of-state, or send their good wishes to their grandkids if they are not able to attend in person.
Maureen O'Shaughnessy Magnuson '61, grandparent of Molly Magnuson '24, has cherished the special bond shared with each of her four grandchildren through this annual tradition. "I enjoyed going to Grandparents’ Mass with each grandchild. It is a special bond I had with each one. I will always have wonderful memories being with my grandchildren at this special event."
For Finn Dougherty ‘24, Grandparents' Mass holds special meaning as a time to be with family and create lasting memories. “Grandparents' Mass means an incredible amount to our family. It’s a time when my Grandma and my sister, mother and I look forward to being able to connect with each other.”
Steve and Joanne Hayden, grandparents of Sonja Perry ‘26 and Charlotte Perry ‘24, expressed their gratitude for being included in their grandchildren's lives, highlighting the significance of the invitation to the Grandparents’ Mass at CDH. “The fact that they want us to be so much a part of their lives by attending their extracurricular activities and especially with an invitation to the Grandparent’s Mass is very endearing. We will cherish these moments forever and look forward to more as our grandkids move through CDH.”
Skylar McLeod ‘25 and Luna McLeod ‘24 delivered a touching musical performance of John Lennon's "Imagine," marking a special moment as it was their last school Mass together. Their grandmother was also in attendance for the occasion.
This Mass is a testament to the strong sense of community at CDH. In addition to the students and their grandparents celebrating the blessing of these family bonds, members of the faculty and staff joined in the worship. A group of parents from the Parents' Association also served refreshments after Mass.
Many grandparents also expressed interest in joining the Grandparents Association which offers grandparents the opportunity to get involved at CDH, through volunteering, prayer, and other ways to support the students. If you would like more information on getting involved in the Grandparents Association, please contact Rob Bollinger or see this article about the Grandparents' Association.