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Friday, March 29, 2024
The Observer

Moms visit Saint Mary’s campus for tours, blessing

Junior Moms 2
Photo courtesey of Nicole O'Toole | The Observer
Photo courtesey of Nicole O'Toole | The Observer
Approximately 240 mothers traveled to Saint Mary’s this past weekend to celebrate the annual Junior Mom’s Weekend (JMW) on campus. Junior class president Nicole O’Toole said the weekend kicked off Friday with a wine and cheese reception in the Student Center Lounge. O’Toole said JMW is a great opportunity to bring the junior class together. “It’s great to meet everybody’s moms and it’s a special opportunity for students to show their mothers just exactly what Saint Mary’s means to them,” O’Toole said. Junior Emmi Hazen said JMW is a great way to honor the special women in our lives. “I think it’s a great way for all of the amazing young women at Saint Mary’s to pay tribute to some of our greatest role models, whether that be our mom, grandmother, sister, aunt, or close family friend,” Hazen said. “They have all helped shape our lives and lead us to Saint Mary’s in one way or another.” Hazen said the weekend is such a special time for the daughters, but also the mothers who have always supported them. “I know my mom was looking forward to coming to this weekend because, although she was not a Saint Mary’s grad herself, she knows how important it has been to me these past three years,” Hazen said. O’Toole said 237 juniors registered for the weekend’s events, amassing the total number of participants at 480. On Saturday afternoon, O’Toole said, there were tours of Reidinger House and Heritage Room and Mass in the Church of Our Lady of Loretto at 5 pm. O’Toole said she read the blessing over the class of 2015 at Mass and it was a unique moment in her time at Saint Mary’s. “I loved getting to read the blessing I wrote for my mom to our entire class,” O’Toole said. “She was crying, I almost started crying, and it was really special for me.” The blessing over the class rings, traditionally scheduled during JMW, has been recently switched to a Senior Week activity, O’Toole said. “[The ring blessing] has been a tradition to be saved for senior week because most girls do not order their rings until JMW so they can pick it out with their moms,” O’Toole said. “Doing it during Senior Week ensures that everybody has their rings for the blessing.” Saturday evening’s cocktail hour and dinner with College President Carol Ann Mooney were followed by a silent auction that raised over $6,000 for the junior class, O’Toole said.