Grandparents Day - A Time to be Thankful!

Grandparents are to be treasured. They give us the gift of their time, their love and their lessons learnt and work hard to guide their grandchildren to become people of good character and to reach their full potential.

A very special prayer reflection was held this morning with Year 7 students and their grandparents.  

2019 is a very special year for our College, as it marks our 60th Anniversary. Throughout the year we have been reflecting on our past, present and future journey from Canberra Catholic Girls’ High School in 1959, to Merici College in 2019 and beyond, with a special focus on our six Houses and the Founding Orders. Our College theme is Fidelitas, our College motto, directly translates to ‘faithfulness’. Fidelitas also means ‘loyalty’, and in our context, to our personal values and to each other. Family is the prime example of fidelitas, playing a critical role in the development of a young person, including their faith. Grandparents are to be treasured. They give us the gift of their time, their love and their lessons learnt and work hard to guide their grandchildren to become people of good character and to reach their full potential.

Grandparent’s Day 2019 is an important event in the life of our Merici College community. We want to strengthen the bonds that already exist between our students and their grandparents. In doing so, our students will be well on their way to becoming successful women who love God as they journey through life.

Throughout the reflection, grandparents and students shared the special memories they have experienced together. The Year 7 granddaughters also wrote cards to their grandparents as a symbol of their love and appreciation and presented them with a gift. Gabrielle Shoebridge, Year 7 student, presented a speech about the role of grandparents in our lives.

‘”In writing this, I thought about my grandparents and I talked with my mum & dad about theirs’. 

Grandparents help us to make connections through time. Sometimes they pass on clear physical likenesses and character traits. They also link us to our family histories by sharing memories with us which help us to understand life in a more profound way. And our time with them creates memories.  

One memory I share with my grandma here today is when she used to pick me up on a Wednesday after school. She would make hot chocolate and we would watch Looney Tunes. I loved those afternoons and I love the fact that Grandma is here today.  

My other grandmother lives in Queensland. This means I don’t get to see her as much as either of us would like. Although Nanny’s memory is deteriorating, she is always overjoyed to see me and my brother and sister when we come up to visit. When she talks with my mum on the phone, the first thing she asks is how we’re doing. I know that I am always in Nanny’s thoughts and in her heart. 

I feel blessed to have two grandmothers who love me. For me, both of my grandfathers died before I was born. I talked with my mum; she also grew up without knowing her grandfathers. We spoke about how we are sad about the relationships we didn’t have or have lost, but how this makes the relationships we do have even more important.  

Today is a day to nurture our relationships with grandparents, and to celebrate the memories they give us and the love that they share. Thank you! “ Gabrielle Shoebridge

  We were also very pleased to welcome Louise Fredericks, grandmother of Annabella McNamara grandmother and ex-students of Merici from the Class of 1973, who was invited to read a poem by Becky Netherland dedicated to our grandparents Our vocal group performed for our guests, singing ‘Standing on the Shoulders’ and at the conclusion of the reflection, grandparents were invited to the restaurant where they enjoyed a delicious Devonshire Tea. Students then escorted their grandparents on as tour of the school.

We would like to thank all our grandparents for coming along and celebrating this special occasion with our school community.

 

Full gallery: https://merici.news/view-galleries/grandparents-day-0

 

 

 

 

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