Dear Families,
“Mom, why does the man have to sit here?”
I was standing in the aisle of a crowded airplane. I had a ticket in my hand for a window seat that was occupied by a four-year-old boy. I informed him and his mother that the boy was in my assigned seat. At that point, I asked his mother if there was a potential seat assignment mistake since her son was in my spot.
His mother, with an exasperated look on her face, moved her eyes from the boy to me. In her lap, there was a sleeping infant that she was jostling around to place a comfortable position. The only empty seat in my row was the one closest to me, an aisle seat that already was occupied by a diaper bag and baby-related accessories.
I continued to stand there with my window seat ticket in my hand. This was my first international flight, and I intentionally booked a window seat for my comfort. I was not happy to find that my seat had been taken by a four-year-old challenger. We continued to stare at each other while the young mother glanced back and forth waiting to see who would be the first to relent. Finally… the mother made the first move.
“You can sit here,” she said, pointing to the aisle seat. She quickly grabbed the baby accessories. I surrendered and sat down. Score for the four-year-old!
Once in the air, the infant commenced to a bout of loud crying. The mother did her best, but the child could not to be consoled. If baby tears could be translated into words, the young child would have been saying, “Why does the man have to sit here?”
Eventually, the baby fell asleep. I also began to doze, trying to recover from my unsuccessful power struggle. Suddenly, there was a slap on my knee and I was jolted awake. The four-year-old boy was standing next to me, glaring. At first I was confused, but then I realized he was trying to get past me. I assumed he needed to use the restroom.
I stood up and he sprang past me. For a moment, I considered leaping over the young mother to grab my rightful window seat - but then I reconsidered and sat back down in the aisle seat.
“I can’t go. I am afraid.” The boy returned from an unsuccessful trip to the bathroom. He climbed back into the row and talked to his mother who was looking at me. Meanwhile, the boy started fidgeting, letting us know that a decision had to be made soon. “Will you take him?” asked the young mother.
She explained to me that her son was afraid of the loud hissing noise the airplane toilet made when it flushed. After a pep talk and some negotiating, her son and I came to an agreement. The boy would go in the bathroom alone and I would stand right outside the door in case the toilet decided to hiss. After he finished his business, it was my job to go in and flush the toilet for him. He liked the agreement so much that we repeated the arrangement several times on the way to Europe.
As much as I would like to say that I struck up a friendship with this young man or that he returned the favor by giving me back the window seat, that didn’t happen. His mother thanked me after each trip to the restroom, but that was the only other interaction I had with either of them. Yet, something changed during the flight.
I was angry when I didn’t get my window seat and had to sit next to a crying baby. I felt as if I deserved better. However, once I experienced the young boy's fragility and decided to serve him and his mother, my attitude changed. During the flight, I transformed from being focused on myself to being focused on the young family. My desire for a window seat and personal comfort was lost when it came time to help. This is the power of serving others. We place ourselves where our Lord wants us to be, allowing us to become the people He desires.
Philippians 2:1-5
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.
Thank you for your support,
John Thornburg
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Monday, March 13
Day B
Tuesday, March 14
Day A
Wednesday, March 15
Day H
Praying of the Rosary - 7:25 AM
Winter Sports Awards Night - 6 PM
Thursday, March 16
Day G
St. Patrick's & St. Joseph's Mass - 1 PM (Mass attire required)
Friday, March 17
No School - Faculty/Staff Professional Development Day
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We are providing the MC weekly dining menu in the President's Update to make it easier for students to plan lunch throughout the week. The menu is also available through the Malden Catholic Mobile App along with easy access to the online portal for adding money to student lunch accounts. Search for "Malden Catholic" in the app store on your phone. |
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School and College Counseling - Naviance Reminder |
MC’s School and College Counseling department would like to remind Grade 12 students to contact their school counselor, as well as update their Naviance account with all college decisions (acceptances, deferred, wait listed and denied). Please reach out to Mrs. DelGenio with any questions at [email protected].
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Spirit Week - 3.13 to 3.17 |
Malden Catholic Student Council is sponsoring Spirit Week to celebrate the feast days of both St. Patrick and St. Joseph.
Monday, March 13
- Bikers vs. Surfers Day - Students may wear either biking or surfing themed clothing
Tuesday, March 14
- Jersey Day - Students may wear the jersey of their favorite team or an MC jersey
Wednesday, March 15
- Dress Down Day - Students may wear green for St. Patrick's Day
Thursday, March 16
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Mass celebrating the Feast Day of St. Patrick and the Feast Day of St. Joseph - 1:00 PM (Mass attire required)
Friday, March 17
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No School - Faculty/Staff Professional Development Day
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Student Council's 3V3 Basketball Tournament - Date to be Announced |
Be sure to sign up for Student Council's 3V3 complementary Basketball Tournament during lunch periods on Monday, March 13. Additional details including the day and time of the tournament will be announced on Monday. |
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Easter Basket Drive - 3.20 to 4.3 |
Starting on March 20, Campus Ministry will be putting together Easter Baskets for families in need at parishes and shelters throughout East Boston and Lynn. Items that are needed for the Easter Baskets include chocolate bunnies, all kinds of candy, easter grass, and small toys. All donations can be placed in the Easter Basket in homerooms, in the front lobby, or in the Campus Ministry Center. The Easter Basket Drive will end with a basket filling party on April 3. Please see Mrs. Connolly or Br. Puccio with any questions. |
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Women's Day of Recollection - 3.26 at 11 AM |
Join us for the Women's Day of Recollection on Sunday, March 26 from 11 AM - 3 PM which is dedicated to the moms and women of Malden Catholic. A time for friendship, reflection and community, this event will include a Mass, luncheon, raffle and speaker. Our speaker this year is the Honorable Regina Quinlan Doherty, a retired Massachusetts Superior Court Justice and a very close friend of the MC community. She will share her life's journey through her reflection, "A Future Shaped Like a Question Mark." Tickets for the Women's Day of Recollection are $35 and can be purchased through the following Eventbrite link.
The Women's Day of Recollection Committee is seeking parent volunteers to put together raffle baskets, prepare and set up for the event, check in guests, participate in Mass, and help clean up after the event. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up through the following SignUpGenius link.
Raffle Basket Donations
As part of the Women's Day of Recollection, raffle baskets are a very special part of the event, and proceeds help to cover expenses. If you are interested in donating a raffle basket or gift card, it would be greatly appreciated! In the past, sports teams have donated a themed basket which the committee can help put together. Baskets or donations can be dropped off at MC's main office for the Women's Day Committee.
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Save the Date for MC's First Culture Night - 3.30 |
Come celebrate the ethnic cultures that make up the Malden Catholic school community at MC's first annual Culture Night on Thursday, March 30! A potluck dinner with will be included and parents are asked to bring a showcase cultural dish to share with others. A detailed schedule of events will be provided soon.
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College Fair - 4.4 at 6 PM |
Malden Catholic School and College Counseling will host the MC College Fair on Tuesday, April 4 from 6 - 7:30 PM in the gymnasium. Representatives from a host of colleges and universities will attend the event. All students and their parents are encouraged to attend.
This event provides an opportunity for students to make direct connections with college representatives and gather information for the college planning process. Please see Mrs. Parker or Mrs. DelGenio with any questions.
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Save the Date for MC's Annual Gala - 5.4 at 6 PM |
Please mark your calendar for Malden Catholic's 17th Annual Gala which will be held on Thursday, May 4 at 6 PM in the Doherty Gymnasium. This amazing evening will include a Plus Ultra Award presentation, dinner and dancing to the sounds of the band, Soul City!
In this tradition, we are delighted to celebrate our Plus Ultra Honorees who personify these pillars - Dick ’64 and Lolli Sumberg.
Tickets will go on sale on March 20. If you are interested in donating items, services or experiences valued at $500 or more to the Gala online auction, please contact Sarah Hamilton at [email protected]. We greatly appreciate your support!
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Grade 11 Prom - Parent Volunteers Needed |
Student Council is looking for parent volunteers to assist with setting up of the Grade 11 Prom on Friday, March 24 from 5:30 - 6:15 PM at Spinelli's in Lynnfield. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up through the following SignUpGenius link.
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As we prepare to celebrate our Class of 2023 at the Malden Catholic Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 20, we have emailed important information including content, resources and updates. This information can also be found on the Senior page of the Malden Catholic website. Please note, the date for the Senior Prom has moved from Friday, May 12 to Saturday, May 13. |
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What's Happening Around MC? |
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Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony |
Congratulations to all of our 2022 Hall of Fame Inductees! At the event, our Inductees made heart-felt presentations regarding their experiences at Malden Catholic and phenomenal athletic careers! Check out the live presentations on MC's YouTube channel.
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Chris Herren Presentation |
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Catholic Schools Foundation
Celebration of Excellence
Laura Dal-Toe '23 and Sarah Duffaut '23
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Mock Trial Advances to the Federal Court! |
Congratulations to the 2022-2023 Mock Trial Team who had an amazing season that advanced to the MASSBAR Mock Trial state tournament quarterfinal/semifinal rounds which were held at the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse this past Wednesday in Boston.
Defense attorneys who performed in the closely scored final round at the Federal Courthouse included Yasmin Saroufim '26, Isaac Toscano '23, Dia Bachawati '24, Ben Hurley '25 and Ashley Reardon '23. Witnesses performing for the Defense included Sophia Barchard '23, Jayden Castano '23 and Ashlin Boyle '25. Michaela Marchant '26 served as timekeeper.
Although the team fell short of advancing to the state championship round, all of the team members had outstanding performances!
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Mock Trial Senior Captains Sophia Barchard '23, Ashley Reardon '23, Isaac Toscano '23, and Matthew Zubricki '23 gather with members of the 2022-2023 MC Mock Trial Team at the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse |
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At the 2023 Drama Fest Production last weekend, MC's Drama Club performed an outstanding performance of "Nirvana," an original piece based on cyberbullying. The all-star cast won awards for acting and movie production. |
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Region IV Science Fair at Tufts University |
Congratulations to Chengxiang Lou '23 and Ye Yu '24 who received the Region IV Science Fair Outstanding Cross-Disciplinary Project Award which was presented at Tufts University last weekend. These students and four other MC student projects were selected to compete at the MIT Science and Engineering Fair in May. Outstanding work! |
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Malden Catholic 2023 Summer Internship Program |
Malden Catholic's Center for Leadership provides competitive opportunities for a limited number of students to participate in real-world Leadership experiences in Business, STEM and the Arts over the Summer. In addition to invaluable benefits which include networking and resume-building, the goals for this program are to: 1) expose our students to potential future career paths, 2) provide opportunities for students to investigate areas for future college course concentration and 3) develop strong professional experiences that will enhance MC students’ college applications.
The application process will be opening soon to the students. If your company is interested in participating by hosting one or more interns, please reach out to Jeannine R. Reardon, Esq. at [email protected].
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Congratulations to both the Boys and Girls Basketball teams for advancing into the next round of the MIAA Winter Tournament! |
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Winter Sports Awards Night
The Winter Sports Awards Night will be held on Wednesday, March 15 at 6 PM in the Doherty Gymnasium followed by team award breakout rooms.
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Senior Banners may be purchased from Dracut Threads through this link. Banners will require a two-week turnaround, so please order soon! The banners will be hung for the winter season and then hung outside with the senior banners from all the seasons. Seniors will then be able to take their banners home following graduation.
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February Athletes of the Month |
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Ronan Sanzone '26
Varsity Swimming
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Ronan Sanzone '26 had an incredibly successful February for the Boys Varsity Swim team as a freshman. This past month, Ronan qualified for the North Sectionals in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:07.02. On this same day, he also qualified for the MIAA Division 1 State Meet with a time of 1:05.02. At the State Meet, Ronan had a personal best breaking the 1:05 mark with an extremely impressive 1:04.98 time and was a important contributor to the 200 Medley Relay who qualified for the North Sectionals. Coach Gaff said, “Ronan’s work ethic and commitment is why he was able to improve his times by 9.7% during the season and will be a player to keep an eye on.” Congratulations, Ronan! |
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Kaylee Fiore '23
Varsity Cheer
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Kaylee has demonstrated excellent leadership skills and has been a key part of the Malden Catholic cheer programs success this season. Coach Richardson said, “She is motivating and encouraging to all of her teammates and is a fantastic role model both on and off the mat.” Kaylee is committed to her first choice Assumption College and recently made the Fall 2023 game and competition cheer teams. We couldn’t be prouder of this athlete and all of her accomplishments. Congratulations, Kaylee! |
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Registration for Malden Catholic spring sports is now open. All parents/guardians must register students through Family ID at https://hello.familyid.com/ by March 13 and tryouts will begin on March 20.
Physicals
In order to participate in spring sports, all students must have a current physical on file in their FamilyID account or must have completed one in the last 13 months. All physicals must include the date of exam, an indication of clearing for activity/sports, and a doctor's signature. Physicals may be given to the Nurse’s Office or Athletic Trainer. Please do not give copies of physicals to any athletic coaches.
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