Grandparents Day at BSM is an annual tradition, bringing generations together for a morning of prayer, community, and memories. Over 600 grandparents joined their favorite Red Knights for Mass on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023 followed by a continental breakfast on campus.
President Danielle Hermanny ’03 welcomed grandparents to BSM, reflecting on her own time as a student, when she was able to share BSM with her grandmother. “Grandparents Day is such a beautiful reflection of what makes our community special,” said Hermanny, adding, “you could see pride and love in the eyes of both grandchildren and grandparents. Whether it was their first time celebrating with us or their seventeenth, we were blessed to welcome grandparents to campus to recognize what a special presence they are in the lives of their students and our whole community.”
Students gave mini tours to their grandparents, showing them classrooms and their lockers, and for some grandparents, the event was an opportunity to show their graduating photo from among the decades of photos from St. Margaret's Academy, Benilde High School, and Benilde-St. Margaret's.
For Rick DesLauriers, this was his first Grandparents Day, and he was excited to celebrate with his first Red Knight grandchild, who is following in the footsteps of Rick’s three children. “As grandparents we know the difference a Catholic education makes for our families,” DesLauriers said, “We have a special role – we can encourage our grandchildren with our prayers and attendance at events like this.”
Mass was celebrated by BSM’s chaplain, Father Tim Wozniak ’66 and accompanied by members of the BSM choir and orchestra. As members of the BSM community the grandparents received a special blessing from Fr Tim at the conclusion of Mass while the choir sang a hymn for them. The students stood by their side offering their own prayers for their grandparents in a special moment shared by all in attendance.
Following the conclusion of Mass, students and their grandparents shared a continental breakfast before farewell and the start of the school day. Events like Grandparents Day remind everyone of the strong bonds of community which exist at BSM.
Click on the arrows below to scroll through a gallery of photos from the 2023 Grandparents Day event at BSM.