Ten sisters joined 15 students from different grade levels for tea, fruit, pastry, and conversation as the school celebrated the feast day of its patroness, St. Brigid of Ireland.

“We feel privileged to receive this invitation,” says Sister Mary George O’Toole, RSM. “I think this is wonderful that they’ve started to have this.”

“It was special. It was nice to share the time with the sisters,” says Amelia, a kindergarten student.

“It made me happy to meet the sisters and make new friends,” says Paisley, a second grader.

Before it closed, Catherine McAuley High School in Portland held a tea for the sisters, and now St. Brigid is embracing the custom.

“I think it’s important to connect with the devout vocation of the sisters and to connect the children with their spiritual vocation in being dedicated to our faith and to create a relationship between our younger students and our sisters,” says Sarah Varney, a parent of four children at St. Brigid, who helped organize the tea, along with fellow parent Diane Salvaggio.

The Sisters of Mercy have a long connection with St. Brigid School. In fact, of the 10 sisters who attended the tea, 6 were former teachers.

“I taught here for 19 years. I taught with another third-grade teacher for one year and then kindergarten for 18 years. So, I have a special place in my heart for St. Brigid School, which was St. Joseph’s before,” says Sister Rosemary Harrison, RSM.

“It’s very important for me because I taught for so many years, and I loved every single minute of what I taught, so this really brings back wonderful memories,” says Sister Mary Fasulo, RSM.

“This school was first staffed by the Sisters of Mercy at one time, and the school has continued that connection with Catherine McAuley. So, it’s lovely for them to remember the sisters,” says Sister Mary Morey, RSM.

For the Sisters of Mercy, the custom of getting together for a “comfortable cup of tea” dates to 1841 in Ireland. As Catherine McAuley, the congregation’s foundress, was dying, she offered words of encouragement to the sisters gathered at her bedside, including the suggestion that they get together for a good cup of tea.

“It was the sense that she was thinking of others, even when she was dying,” says Sister Mary Morey. “We don’t know if she said a ‘comfortable cup of tea,’ but it generated into that. So, for us, a comfortable cup of tea brings back that idea of hospitality. It’s become a symbol of hospitality, of thinking of others.”

In addition to sitting down for tea, the students and sisters made St. Brigid crosses, which are traditionally woven on her feast day.

“It was fun being around people who follow in God’s footsteps and make me [want to] follow in God’s footsteps more than I already do,” says McKenna, a fifth grader. “It was fun learning about how many people that they taught that I actually know. I like that they are friends with my old teacher Mrs. [Cindy] Halpin. It was also fun making crosses and helping them if they needed it.”

“It was cool to have tea with the Sisters of Mercy because they taught at St. Joseph’s when my dad was at this school,” says Cole, also a fifth grader. “It was cool to see what it was like back when the sisters were teaching.”

The sisters were also treated to a dance performance by third graders.