“As I sat with all the other smiling graduates, I realized that I was in a room surrounded by trailblazers.”
~ Anne MacDonald '88
It was a special 70th StFX Homecoming this past October for Cathy (MacDougall) MacDonald ’54, age 93, who returned to campus to celebrate with her daughter Anne MacDonald ’88 and son Ken MacDonald ’88.
In a note to the StFX Alumni Affairs Office, Anne says her mother was the first female in her community of Judique, Cape Breton to receive post-secondary education. Cathy earned both a BA and a B.Ed., and she and her husband Alex MacDonald ’49 (who holds three StFX degrees) returned with their five children to Antigonish for two summers to complete masters’ degrees.
“My brothers and I didn’t realize as we were growing up how lucky we were to have the parents we had but we realize it now. As parents, they modeled these good values to us, and as educators, teachers and principals, influenced thousands of others to do the same. As I sat with all the other smiling graduates, I realized that I was in a room surrounded by trailblazers, disciplined and determined, who have lifetimes of achievements, persevering with family, work, and communities,” Anne writes.
“Fr. Stanley MacDonald ’54, seated next to me, told me that he had an opportunity to run his father’s bakery in Glace Bay, but Fr. Nash on campus inspired him to become a priest and be an influence on young people, and that he has achieved. My daughter Julia White ’16 enjoyed Fr. Stanley MacDonald’s zest for life and X, as all other students do. Fr. Norman MacPhee ’54, also seated with us, at the age of 90 is pastor and still managing parishes in Glace Bay.”
So many alumni return for homecoming, Anne writes, as this community feels like home and homecoming is truly coming home. “I am truly grateful to be part of the StFX community. We are all so blessed.”
