Happy Mother’s Day! This year, we hope that everyone takes some time to give some gratitude to our moms, grandmas, and great-grandmas. It’s more important than ever to keep our connections strong and remember how much they have shaped our lives.

“Grandparents Day might be the most important day of the year. Because without the grandparents, we wouldn’t have our girls — and without our girls, we wouldn’t have Montrose!”

Two years ago, Father Dick shared this message during his homily to our school on Grandparents Day. Among the many traditions that we celebrate at Montrose, we’ve always kept this one especially close to our hearts. Every year, students invite their grandparents to spend the day with them at school and get to know Montrose on the inside. It’s a chance for us to grow closer with our grandparents and appreciate everything they’ve done for us.

This year, Grandparents Day has definitely been one for the books. For the first time, we celebrated the tradition without a homily from Father Dick. And of course, for the first time, we weren’t able to be in school for the occasion. The coronavirus pandemic has targeted our most vulnerable population — our grandparents and senior citizens. Isolation has tested us in many ways, but being physically separated from our grandparents during quarantine is especially difficult.

In light of these difficulties, Montrose found alternative ways to celebrate the tradition over the course of the past two weeks from Monday, April 27 to Friday, May 8. Students were invited by Ms Elysha Schickel to submit photos of themselves with their grandparents from before quarantine (found at the bottom of this article). We also sent cards and letters to our grandparents and to Thomas Upham House, the nursing home near Montrose in Medfield. In addition, we were encouraged to get creative by trying out different recipes from their grandparents and asking them to tell us about stories over the phone about their past. Our grandparents do so many little things for us, and during quarantine, we can find so many little things to do for them.

“What does Grandparents Day mean to you?” Read student responses below:

“One night, my family and I had a dinner party with my grandparents over Zoom! We got some family recipes and we all made the same meal. My little siblings also celebrated their Grandparents Day and performed poems and read books. Grandparents Day to me is a day when I get to introduce my grandparents to my friends and show them what we are learning. It is cool for them when I see them at other times of the year for them to have a picture of what the school looks like and some of my friends and teachers. Since three out of my four grandparents were teachers, it is really cool to show them my school.” — Josie Marcucci ‘25

“I visited my grandparents last Sunday (social distancing style) and gave them a card. I closed out the week with a phone call and asked my grandma to tell me a story. The story my grandma told me was from 1969 when my Grandpa was in the Vietnam War. He was gone for almost a year with little to no communication. My grandma had to take care of two young children (ages four and two). She had to juggle two young children, a job, and the fact that her husband could be hurt, and she wouldn’t know for days. She had to stay upbeat and happy, even when she had to drive my mom to the hospital to get stitches. My grandma overcame something I hope I never have to struggle through in the future, but it made her more independent, confident and thankful for her family. Thank you for the opportunity to share my grandma’s story!” — Julia Maiona ‘24

“My grandparents worked very hard to allow my dad to come to the US. I think my dad was the first one in our family to graduate college. So I’m thankful for their dedication and selflessness.” — Faith Chen ‘22

“Grandparents Day is a great day to connect with your grandparents. They get a little spotlight into our lives that they don’t usually see!” — Gabriella Bachiochi ‘21

“I love learning from my grandparents and how they encourage me to pray. They teach me about my heritage and where I come from.” — Catherine Bettinelli ‘21

“Grandparents Day means a lot to me. My grandmother is my best friend and getting to bring her to school with me and laugh and joke is one of my most favorite days of the year. This year my grandmother wasn’t going to be able to make it and she was so sad — the silver lining is that she won’t be missing it now!” — Kat Devaney ‘21

“My grandparents live in India, but every Grandparents Day at Montrose, I FaceTime them and take them to my classes. So, Grandparents Day gives me a happy excuse to call my grandparents and appreciate them!” — Neha Sunkara ‘21

“To me, Grandparents Day means cherishing all the things my grandparents gave me and holding them a little closer (just in spirit this year). At home, we’ve been cooking homemade Italian food and thinking of my Nonna in Connecticut.” — Celia Roberto ‘20

Even though I have never had the chance to bring my grandma or grandpa to school on Grandparents Day, the tradition has still always had a special place in my heart. There’s no one who sees you in a better light than your grandparents. It’s a right of passage — they always see the best in you, no matter what. Seeing your friends guide their grandparents around the school we all know and love reminds you to see the best in them, too. Last year, I took my CCD teacher from seventh grade who often comes to Mass in my hometown and at Montrose. I recently sent her a card in the mail, and it made me reflect upon how much our grandparents and elderly friends shape us into who we are.

During quarantine, we can find ways everyday to celebrate Grandparents Day. Holidays like Mother’s Day can also remind us to reach out and be present for our loved ones. From a simple phone call to sending a colorful card in the mail, it’s more important than ever before for us to be there for our grandparents and elderly friends. Usually, it can feel easy to tell ourselves that we’re too busy to make time for our grandparents or neighbors who are senior citizens. But now that we’re all at home, it’s time to take some time out of our day for gratitude and love. 

As a school, we hope that Montrose continues to pray for our grandparents and elderly friends, especially those who are sick with coronavirus or have passed. These are times of great suffering. Through prayer and small acts of service, we can learn to grow closer with our loved ones, even while apart.

Maevis Fahey, Editor-in-Chief

21mfahey@montroseschool.org