Rosary Day is a special tradition celebrating Our Lady of the Rosary’s feast day. It’s also the ceremony marking the junior class as official upperclasswomen, and each junior receives a ring as a symbol of her responsibilities as a Royal. While the day holds special value for all Rosary families, it is especially memorable for Rosary alumnae who get to present their junior daughters with their class ring.

Rosary Mom Jennifer Harita ’90, shared, “Rosary Day reminds me of the sisterhood to which I belong. Sharing this day with my daughter is a privilege I don’t take for granted this year. I am beyond grateful we can celebrate this day safely in the midst of a pandemic. Presenting my only daughter with her class ring will be a moment I will never forget.”

Mrs. Harita also recalled her very own Rosary Day: “My memories of Rosary Day include being nervous before reading during mass. I believe I received my ring from the principal at the time, Sister Katherine Hennigan. Going to Disneyland and taking a photo in front of the castle and enjoying a free day with my Rosary sisters was a highlight.”

Elizabeth Harita ’22, added, “I feel I have been waiting for my mom to give me my ring ever since I was little. My mother showed me her ring when I was in 8th grade and let me wear it after I was accepted to Rosary. This tradition is very special for us and I am very excited to be able to share this day with my mother.”

Regina LeVecke ’95 said the day held extra special meaning since her daughter Evelyn is the 22nd member (you read that right) to be part of Rosary day: “Presenting my daughters their rings was a bit surreal. It was a honor to be a part of such a special tradition again, but this time as a mother to welcome her as an upperclass woman. Evelyn is #22 in our family to be a part of Rosary Day. This tradition is one like no other, it’s one of the many special traditions that sets Rosary a part from other schools.

Liz Martinez ’22 and her mom share a special bond as Rosary mother and daughter and Liz has been excited to celebrate this tradition for years: “Ever since I was little, my mom always expressed to me how much fun in high school she had while attending Rosary. She developed a bond with some girls she met there and is still close with them to this day. After hearing this, I admired the thought of having lifelong friends and knew that I wanted to keep the tradition alive.”

Liz’s mother, Colleen, a 1982 graduate, called the experience of presenting her daughter with her ring “beautiful.” She also shared a memory from her days as a junior at Rosary: “When I was a junior in 1981, I remember walking the halls that are pretty much the same as they are today. My friends and I spent a lot of time sharing lunch together on the grass with the rest of the school. While some seniors sat at a few tables that were there. Also the beautiful Karcher Center that you have today was not part of the school yet. Even though the exterior changed, today there is still so much comradery with faith and morals of Rosary.

Another Rosary Mom, Stephanie Martins ’97, was able to present her daughter Kat with her ring on this special day. Mrs. Martins shared, “Presenting Kat with her Rosary Day ring was like gifting my daughter with a rite of passage into young woman adulthood. Rosary Day celebrates Kat’s commitment to her Catholic faith, lifelong learning, and service to the community.

When asked how the school has changed since her time as a student, Mrs. Martins answered, “Rosary has changed dramatically since I graduated 23 years ago. It went from Rosary to Rosary Academy. I feel it is more academically focused, offering many other classes and electives as compared to when I was a student. Scholastically, there has been a positive change, which is evidenced by the amount of intellectual and emotional growth I have seen in Kat over the last 3 years [since Kat started cross country training in June 2018].”

Junior Abigail Tice had a different Rosary Day experience. While her mom, Rosary graduate Maryanne Tice ’89, looked on, Abigail’s sister Emma ’13 presented her with her ring. Abigail shared, “Since this year is so different, I could only choose one person to present me with my ring. I had a conversation with both my mom and my sister, Emma, and came to the conclusion that I wanted Emma to give me my ring. Having my sister give me my ring made the day more personal to me because I spend almost every day with her.”

Mrs. Tice agreed with Abigail’s decision: “Once we received the email explaining how the presentation would work, it was a no-brainer for us especially under these circumstances. Rather than have Abby feel the pressure of having to choose, I explained to her that as a mother, nothing would give me more joy than seeing both of our Royal daughters up there together sharing in such a sweet and memorable tradition. Emma represented not only myself, but all of their Royal aunts and cousins near and far who were watching on the livestream. For me, it was an extraordinary treat to witness Emma and Abby continue our proud Royal legacy.”

Rosary Day may have looked slightly different this year with juniors and their families in COVID-19 masks, but this could not diminish the joy shared between families, especially mothers, daughters, and sisters.