Poignant moments mark Cornelia Connelly Day of Service
They hammered at Habitat for Humanity. They packed groceries at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Others gardened and tilled soil at Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center. Some served the hungry at the Fred Jordan Mission downtown.
Lots of physical labor, these hours of community service.
Amber Allen ’19 said she spent the morning sorting through bins, boxes and shelves packing bag after bag of groceries for the needy at Foothill Unity Center.
Then in one poignant moment, labor turned to love.
“I helped a mom and her kids load the groceries in the car. I could see she was so happy and so reassured that she would have food for the week,” Amber said. “And I suddenly felt really grateful and thankful that I could actually help her if only for this moment.”
The exchange unfolded during Mayfield’s annual Cornelia Connelly Day of Service, our way of honoring our beloved foundress, who established the Society of the Holy Child Jesus in October 1846. Our 330 students fanned out to 12 non-profit organizations throughout the area, and performed about 1,000 hours of service.
Scores of children were tutored and tended to at Rosebud Academy, South Central LAMP and the Boys and Girls Club. Students assisted developmentally challenged youths at Club 21, spruced up the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift shop and helped families at the Ronald McDonald House.
“Cornelia and the society of sisters she founded have a mission to help people feel, understand and believe that God is present in our lives,” Head of School Kate Morin told students at a morning assembly and prayer service. “The lives you touch today is how we honor her Holy Child mission.”
Two senior choir members decided they would share the gift of music with the elderly at Alhambra Wellness and Health Center.
But it wasn’t their singing that made a impact. The enduring memory will be their conversations with the elderly residents.
“It was talking to this one man for a long time and the human interaction, the sharing of love,” that Nick Jakowec ’19 will remember.
The day also included an inspiring talk by alumna Catherine Rose Grimes ’11, whose young career is distinguished through her service to the underprivileged and marginalized in El Salvador and the Philippines, and to vulnerable youths throughout Los Angeles. She currently serves as the Director of Strategic Alliances and Innovation for the Human Trafficking Legal Network and the Violence Intervention Program’s Community Mental Health Center.
Catherine Rose, who earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Santa Clara University and a Master of Social Work from USC, urged students to find their best selves through service that brings them joy and challenges, and to know they are never alone because God is always with them.
The students’ day ended in with class reflection, when many spoke about how they hope their small tasks as individual contributed to a greater whole.
“I helped one teacher by grading fourth-grade tests,” said one senior. “But what I really hope is that I was able to free a teacher up to help a child learn.”
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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.
