Sister Joan Rigney, SHCJ (Mother Mary Martin SHCJ)

It was hard to believe that 50 years had passed since the opening of Assumption School. Being present at the beautiful liturgy on the evening of May 17th made this reality come alive in a most rewarding way. Mass was followed by a delicious dinner and an opportunity to celebrate with parents, friends and alumni. Mar Jo Wynne, the Principal, as well as faculty and parents spent hours preparing the hall and arranging entertainment (including a video of the earlier days at Assumption). Past principals and teachers were presented with gifts including a large statue of Our Lady. Indeed all the plans were successfully carried out to see that the day was the special celebration it should be. From the beginning, as I walked down the aisle with Pat Bonacci, until the final goodbyes, my heart was filled with joy and gratitude. The happiest days of my years in ministry were the ones when I served as Principal at Assumption. I pray each day that the Holy Child Spirit in the school may continue to grow in the minds and hearts of the students. Thank you again for inviting me to this Jubilee celebration.

I return to New York with a grateful heart filled with happy memories. My memories have not faded during these pat 50 years, the most vivid are: Father Crean knocking on my classroom door, asking if I could squeeze in one more first grade child because he could say “no” to a family who had just moved into the parish, and I could not say no to Father Crean (I ended up with 65 first graders that year); Billy Kelly, (the handyman), and how he loved to tease, Mother Anna Marie’s wonderful relationship with parents and students; the mothers and fathers, giving of their time and energy to help the school in any way they could; our dedicated lay teachers; and something that was new for me – the beautiful foothills which never ceased to thrill me. My memory now is full of many blessings I have received during my fifty-five years as a s Sister of the Holy Child. Among them I treasure 1952-56, the four years I spent at Assumption of the B.V.M. School on East Orange Grove Avenue in Pasadena.