Head's Weekly Message — Jan. 10, 2020
Dear Mayfield Senior School Parents,
I hope you had the most wonderful Christmas and New Year filled with family, friends, and fun. For me, after all the busyness and excitement of the Advent and Christmas Seasons, it was so wonderful to have a little “down time” to relax and reflect. I took some of that time to prepare for the Feast of the Epiphany, which we celebrated at Mayfield on Sunday, Jan. 5 with a lovely liturgy and a ceremony honoring nine past Board Chairs: Marla Alders, Dan Banis, Joe Eisele, Victoria Howell Fuster de la Riva ‘69, Terre Osterkamp, Ed Roohan, Kevin Slattery, Peter Tamny, and Raymond Walsh, as well as former Trustee Msgr. Clem Connelly, by naming them Honorary Trustees.
It was very appropriate for us to choose the Feast of the Epiphany to honor these very special members of our community who have given so much to our school because, for our Founder, Cornelia Connelly, Epiphany was the “great feast” of the year. Back in the early days of her ministry, she began a tradition of keeping the Feast with a three-day retreat and writing a special Epiphany letter to her Sisters. Cornelia also chose the Feast of the Epiphany for the annual renewal of vows for members of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus—a tradition that we continued on Sunday with Sr. Susan Slater, SHCJ, Sr. France White, SHCJ, Mayfield Trustee Sr. Sheila McNiff ’56, SHCJ, and former Head of School Sr. Ann Durst, SHCJ.
Reflecting on the story of the Epiphany has really helped me understand why Cornelia cherished this Feast so much and how it is so connected to her own incarnational spirituality, which is central to the charism of all Holy Child ministries and especially our school.
In the story we see the Magi as they have completed an arduous journey in search of the Messiah, the newborn King of the Jews. When they found Him, they recognized God. They threw themselves on the ground, knowing that they and the world had been changed forever.
For Cornelia, that was the goal of her ministry—to recognize and to help others recognize, feel, and act upon the all-encompassing and exquisitely beautiful knowledge of God’s infinite love. A love so huge, so powerful, so wonderful, so awesome that He came to us as one of us, born in humble poverty a helpless tiny baby. God did this, He made this sacrifice to come among us, not just to serve as a model to help us understand and recognize what love is all about, but God also became human to help us understand and believe that He is always with us and in us—working through us.
The Magi saw and recognized this gift, and Cornelia challenges all of us, as she did herself, to recognize this gift every day. To seek this blessing beyond measure in ourselves so that we can share it, and to find it in others so that we can honor it.
Cornelia expressed this so beautifully in her prayer that she included in the Epiphany letter she wrote to her Sisters in 1854—166 years ago.
“Let us all be diligent in giving proofs of love this year, and as you step on through the muddy streets, love God with your feet; and when your hands toil love Him with your hands; and when you teach children, love Him with His little ones; and thus may you be blessed in your actions with an abundance of Divine Love, and purified and prepared in this world to enjoy an eternity of Love.”
Wishing you the happiest and healthiest 2020!
With Love and Gratitude,
Kate Morin
Established in 1931, Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, CA is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women grades 9-12. Noted for its rigorous academic program, which includes 28 Advanced Placement and Honors courses, Mayfield’s curriculum is underscored by a philosophy of educating the “whole child,” which also encourages commitment to and excellence in the arts, athletics, community service and spiritual growth. The nurturing environment at Mayfield Senior School allows each student to flourish in an atmosphere of personal attention.
