The Academy of the Sacred Heart celebrated the Feast of Mater Admirabilis on October 20, 2022, with an all-school Mass and live tableau. The Mater liturgy was held in the school’s Nims Center and included students, faculty, staff, alumnae, and friends of the school.
Continuing one of the most beloved traditions at Sacred Heart, the senior class selected a peer who most embodies the qualities of Mary for the honor of portraying Mater in the live tableau. This year’s senior class chose Elise Hieger '23. The process of selecting a student to portray Mater is not only an honor for the student chosen and her family, but also a meaningful tradition that invites each member of the class to reflect on how each one can emulate Mary’s strength, faith and grace.
Sacred Heart schools around the world celebrated Mater’s Feast in their respective cities. Images of the ‘Mater Admirabilis,’ painted in 1844, by Pauline Perdreau, a religious of the Sacred Heart, are found in every Sacred Heart school around the world. The beloved painting, whose name translates into “Mother Most Admirable,” is a representation of Mary, the Mother of Jesus at a young age, surrounded by symbols of her strength, faith, grace, industry and modesty, which is especially poignant to the young women of Sacred Heart schools.
Making this year’s Mater’s Feast Day more special, alum Maters were asked back to be a part of our celebration.
We were blessed to welcome back: Karen Backer Dippel '74, Arsed Joseph '02, Caroline Tomeny Monteverde '04, Mimi Barry Richard '76, Kathryn McMahon Talbot '78, Margaret Grenier d'Hemecourt '69, and Celeste Melancon Rosamond '82.