St Bernards High School - Bernardian Yearbook (Fitchburg, MA)

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The books of the Old Testament recount the period of salvation history during which the coming of Christ into the world was slowly prepared for. Mary is prophetically foreshadowed inthatvictory ofthe serpent which was promised to our first parents after their fall into sin. Likewise, she is the Virgin, who is to conceive and bear a Son, whose name will be called Emmanuel. Adorned from the first instant of her conception with the splendors of an entirely unique holiness, the Virgin of Nazareth is greeted by an angel as ‘“‘full of grace.”’ To the heavenly messenger, she replies, ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word.’’ Comparing Mary with Eve, the early Fathers call her ‘‘the mother of the living’’ and still more often they say: “death through Eve, life through Mary.” This union of the Mother with Son in the work of salvation was manifested from the time of Christ’s virginal conception up to His death. It is shown when Mary was greeted by Elizabeth as blessed and when the Mother of God joyfully showed her first born Son to the shepherds and Magi. When she presented Him to the Lord in the temple, she heard Simeon foretelling that a sword would pierce the mother’s soul. When the Child was lost and they had sought Him sorrowing, they found Him in the temple, taken up with the things whichwere His Father’s business. When moved by pity at the marriage feast of Cana, her intercession brought about the beginning of miracles by Jesus. At the footofthe cross, Mary suffered grievously with her only- begotten Son and heard Him give her as a mother to the disciple. The apostles before the day of Pentecost were continuing with one mind in prayer with the women and Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Finally, Mary was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory upon the completion of her earthly sojourn. But Mary still cares for us who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and difficulties. By invoking her as our Mediatrix, we do not detract from Christ, the one Mediator — ‘‘For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all.” (Tim. 2:3-6) As the Mother of God was, after her Son, exalted by divine grace above all angels and men, the Church honors her with special reverence. In all perils and needs, the faithful have fled prayerfully to her protection. Devotions honoring Christ’s Mother cause her Son to be rightly known, loved, and glorified. Mary shines forth on earth as a sign of pure hope and solace for the pilgrim People of God. The Document of Vatican II on The Role of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, in the Mystery of Christ and the Church concludes with these words: “Let the entire body of the faithful pour forth persevering prayer to the Mother of God and Mother of men. Let them implore that she who aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers intercede with her Son...until all the peoples of the human family...are happily gathered together in peace and harmony into the one People of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity.”

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Dedication It is with pleasure that we dedicate our 1967 Bernardian to Sister Mary Jean, our principal. As former French teacher at SBHS, Sister is no stranger to any of us and we are sure that her new administrative position will bring her even closer to us than before. We know that she will always have the same kind, understanding, and genuinely warm personality which has been the hallmark of her years of devoted service at St. Bernard’s.