As another year at Jesuit High School begins to rush by, so do all of the annual events that go along with it.

Luckily there are still events to look forward to, like the Mother-Son Mass on Sunday Oct. 30. This long-standing event is a testament to how Jesuit values the ideals of strong family relationships.

The Mother-Son Mass started 27 years ago. Along with the mass, the original program also included a reception with guest speakers and brunch, all of which was hosted off campus. But the original event cost $25-$30 per ticket.

“Mother-Son (tickets) always sold out, so there were people who wouldn’t be able to go,” said the Director of Campus Ministry Mr. Paul LeBoeuf. “And [because] it cost money, it was restricted.”

Over the years, however, the focus of the mass shifted when the coordinators asked themselves what the purpose of the mass should be.

“We wanted [the focus] to be mass,” Mr. LeBoeuf said. “[We wanted] mothers and sons to come and celebrate this bond.”  

The event was brought back to Jesuit’s campus and became free and open to everyone. Instead of having a brunch as part of the event, students and mothers are now encouraged to go with their friends to different restaurants off campus.

“Hopefully it becomes a day that [mothers and sons] spend together,”  Mr. Leboeuf said.

Although the Mother-Son Mass has changed its form over the years, the message is still the same: it is an invitation to students and their mothers to deepen their relationships through prayer and companionship, to simply spend more quality time together.