Founders' Day: Celebrating 169 Years of the RSHM

2/23/2018

On Friday, Feb. 23, Marymount celebrated Founders’ Day in an homage to the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM) and its 169-year history.

Before the tribute began, our school community gathered in Pavilion and solemnly recognized the victims of the Parkland, FL school shooting. Students and faculty read aloud names of the 17 individuals whose lives were lost at Stoneman Douglas High School. Subsequently, our community honored them with a minute of silence followed by prayers for those whose lives were taken, their families and all who are affected by school gun violence.

Marymount’s Head of School, Jacqueline L. Landry, noted that Marymount’s and the RSHM’s rich and deep traditions of peace and social justice are more relevant today than ever.

“In this time of tragedy, we look to our Founders’ examples of calls for peaceful action for social change,” Ms. Landry said.

Ms. Landry then introduced our visiting Sisters, Sr. Joan Tracey, RSHM, Sr. Eileen Tuohy, RSHM, Sr. Pat Conner, RSHM, Sr. Mary Leah Plante, RSHM, our own beloved Sr. Margaret McKenna, RSHM, and Sr. Gretchen Hailer, RSHM, who joined us for today’s assembly. Marymount graduate Sr. Gretchen, a leader in media literacy education for over 30 years and author of two books: Believing in a Media Culture and Media Mindfulness, was our special guest speaker.

With humor and wit, Sr. Gretchen spoke fondly of her time as a Marymount student, when Sailors were Marymount Marionettes. She held up a crooked finger, a souvenir of hard-won city volleyball championship.

“We had more fun than a barrel of monkeys,” Sr. Gretchen said as the room rippled with laughter.

When asked her favorite memory of Marymount, Sr. Gretchen answered, “everything.” She said her religious studies at Marymount ignited her passion for Scripture and theology and propelled her journey into the sisterhood.

As the annual tradition goes, our community was dismissed to cake in each courtyard to honor the work that the RSHM does globally. Our students continue to renew their appreciation of our Founding Order, the work that they do, and the impact they have in building a more compassionate society.

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