Parents and other guests joined the Woodlands Academy community on Oct. 17 for the Mater Mass, which honors the school’s sophomores and brings them to a deeper understanding of the heritage and traditions of a Sacred Heart education.
This Woodlands Academy tradition marks a student's transition from a time as a child to an emergence as a young woman who recognizes that receiving a Sacred Heart education is a blessing in her life to be treasured. During the ceremony, each sophomore receives a medal depicting the image of Mater (another name for Mary, Mother of God). It symbolizes the student's transformation and calls on her to be a resilient, innovative young woman who bases her life on the values of the Sacred Heart.
The story behind the Mater Mass is an interesting one: A young nun, Pauline Perdrau of the Trinita convent in Rome, painted a portrait of Our Lady on the convent's corridor wall. She created a picture of Mary seated with a Bible, a distaff and a lily with an open cloister in the background. However, when the fresco was finished, the colors seemed harsh and jarring. All agreed that the painting should be hidden behind a tapestry.
Two years later, on Oct. 20, 1846, the pope visited the convent. He noticed the tapestry and asked to see the fresco. When the tapestry was removed, the pope exclaimed, 'Mater Admirabilis!' which means 'Mother Most Admirable'. The harsh colors had mellowed, transforming the fresco into a magnificent portrait of Our Lady.
Mary is portrayed wearing a pink gown rather than the traditional blue associated with her. A statue of Mater graces the vestibule of Woodlands Academy's 400 wing. Its history in this country can be traced to Society of the Sacred Heart founder St. Madeline Sophie Barat.
The statue was sent to the United States from France in 1853 as a gift from Barat to the Sacred Heart school in St. Joseph, Missouri. When that school closed, the statue was sent to Woodlands Academy in 1960 for the opening of its building in 1961.
Mater also is the patroness of Woodlands (in the Sacred Heart tradition, all schools are dedicated to a holy person). Because Mater is so special to Woodlands, school officials chose the annual Feast of Mater Admirabilis to bestow special recognition on its sophomores.
The program also featured some spoken and musical reflections from Woodlands Academy students. Among them were the thoughts of sophomore Kate Marlowe: “When I think about the story of how (the Mater) painting was created, it reminds me that our faiths often take time to grow and develop. We learn from our mistakes and are always striving to change for the better. I am incredibly fortunate that Woodlands has given me the opportunity to grow and thrive academically, and I am so grateful to be standing next to these girls here today.”
Another personal reflection was offered by sophomore Nicole Waldman: “My freshman year was my first time attending a religious school. I had never really known religion outside of family traditions, but coming here has bloomed my faith in a way I never saw coming, learning about the founding mothers, exploring different ways of worship during world religions, being able to reflect on our spirituality during retreats and even the independent research from my curiosity has grown my faith in more ways than I can explain right now.”
A reception for members of the sophomore class and their parents was held following the ceremony.
Pictured: sophomores (L-R) Jackie De la Fuente, Cristina Choucino Orgaz and Laura Joya Machado with the flowers they received following the ceremony. (Photo credit: James Vitullo)