St Emilie Mass & Celebration

Thursday 2nd June was a very special day in the life of our school community as it was the first time, since June 2018, that we came together as a whole school once again –both the junior and the senior sections – to celebrate the feast of St Emilie. This celebration took place in Our Lady’s Yard which was never so full of people, and life, until before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world and made it impossible for us to hold whole-school celebrations.

Mass was celebrated by Fr Matthew Pulis who delivered a homily that helped the girls reflect and learn more both about St Emilie de Vialar as well as St Joseph, our school’s patron saint to whom she also consecrated her religious order. Music animation throughout mass was beautifully taken care of by the senior school choir, with girls from all forms who sang their hearts out during the various hymns that were sung. This choir was directed by a group of teachers who, apart from helping the students learn the songs, also took care of playing the piano, guitar and percussion.

All students, but especially the youngest ones, were particularly happy when they were invited to sing ‘I am a C’, a song that both juniors and seniors love and which brings back so many memories of this celebration. Sr Riches, who is the superior of the Sliema religious community of the sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition read the prayer of St Emilie and led the school in a moment of prayer and thanksgiving. Mass was concluded by the joyful hymn to St Emilie, and the whole school joined the choir both by singing and clapping to the rhythm of this song.

Following mass, the heads of both the Junior section and the Senior section of the school awarded the St Emilie Certificates, which rewarded students for Emilian values that they showed throughout the year.

Finally, especially being such a hot day, all students were given the much-awaited ice cream treat and they all enjoyed an extended break which saw students and educators together in the break areas for an informal moment.

We thank St Emilie, and the Sisters of St Joseph, for making it possible for us to be part of this wonderful community, and we hope that the beautiful spirit that was present during this celebration, especially after the difficult pandemic years, will remain with us for the months to come.

We would like to thank all those who made this celebration possible for their generosity and enthusiasm which was palpable all throughout the celebration as well as in the preparation leading to it.

Ms Mariella Catania

Spiritual Activities Coordinator