4th Annual Fall Alumni Mass

It was a lovely celebration of past and present as alumni and members of the extended Mayfield community reunited with old friends and former classmates this past November for the 4th annual Fall Alumni Mass. Held on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, the mass and reception was a wonderful occasion for alumni to reconnect on campus, visit with teachers and meet new Mayfield headmaster, Joseph Gill.

Guests were greeted by Brigid Fitzpatrick Brahos ’78, current chair of the Alumni Council, who welcomed Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J., Executive Director of Homeboy Industries, as presider. Fr. Greg, a graduate of Loyola High School, is an acknowledged expert on gangs and intervention approaches. He is a nationally renowned speaker and has given commencement addresses at several prestigious universities, as well as spoken at conferences for teachers, social workers, criminal justice workers including a panel on youth service and government agencies at the White House.

Following Fr. Greg’s homily, students from the Class of 2005, now seniors in high school, were invited to stand together to receive a special blessing. The assembly joined in the blessing extending their hands over the young alumni as Fr. Greg encouraged them to keep the Mayfield motto, “Actions not words” in their hearts and asked God to protect them and give them wisdom as they journey out into the world.

After the mass, guests gathered in the Primary Center Courtyard for a delicious supper, courtesy of fellow alum Jacqueline Girardi Lira ’80, an accomplished chef and now current Mayfield parent. Guests lingered as old friends gathered for photos or visited a few old haunts on campus. With the enthusiastic leadership of chairs, Jane Bucklin Mackinnon ’74, Mary Ann Lanchantin Smith ’75 and Jacqueline Girardi Lira ’80 and the hard work of the Fall Alumni Mass committee the celebration was one to remember!