Article by Phoenix writer Grace Garcia ’23:
On Friday, December 2nd, 2022, the mothers and daughters of the Kellenberg family gathered to celebrate the Magnificat. Each year, Kellenberg sponsors the Magnificat Dinner and Dance as a way for the Kellenberg girls and the special women in their lives to spend time together and honor the special bond that they share.
The night began with a prayer service led by Father Dan, before leading into the main speaker of this event. The keynote speaker and founder of Hempstead Caring Hearts, Candace Holley, emphasized the importance of the bond between mothers and daughters and spoke about how honoring and appreciating this gift is a reflection and a representation of the spiritual connection and devotion to God in everyday life.
The mothers and daughters were then served dinner, before joining DJ OB on the dance floor. Mr. O’Brien played classic songs such as “Chicken Fried”, “God’s Great
Dance Floor”, “Piano Man”, and “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”. Afterwards, they made their way to the dessert tables, which had a wide selection of delicious sweets.
Throughout the evening, attendants could purchase tickets for the many raffle baskets, some of which included a summer camp voucher, wine glasses, a gift certificate for 2 for a hot stone spa treatment, and Christmas ornaments. Many photos were taken to commemorate the event and capture the enthusiasm and fun had by all. The night was a faith-filled evening that gave daughters a chance to thank their moms for all of their selfless support they offer each and every day.
Pope Francis once said, “Mary’s life shows that great deeds are accomplished through those that are most humble.” This evening did just that by giving daughters the opportunity to honor the humble deeds that mothers perform every day and remind them that their mothers, as well as Mary, are with them each and every day.
Micaela Maywald’23 said, “As a senior, I’m so glad I was able to enjoy my last Magnificat with my mom, my closest friends, and their moms too.” The Magnificat is a memory all of the mothers and daughters who went will remember forever.