by Isaac Mays, Sports Editor

On Sunday, the St. John Bosco Braves student body was provided with a unique social event they could experience with their fathers. A special Mass, breakfast and car show were organized to celebrate the father figures in the Bosco community.

The morning began with a mass celebration in the chapel, which was led by Spiritual Director Father Ted Montemayor. Father Ted led the fifth Sunday of Lent with the story of Lazarus and his resurrection, an inspiring parable about hope for all in attendance.

Soon after Mass concluded, the Braves and their fathers poured outside to begin their breakfast. During the event, vendors sold Bosco-affiliated gear for guests to purchase. Many sports teams and clubs at school also prepared baskets of items for auction.

Meanwhile, residents of the Bellflower area were encouraged to bring their luxury and classic cars to put on display. The car show brought many families together, as a voting process was implemented to determine winners for each car style. Many event patrons appreciated how welcoming and friendly the car owners were, even though they maintained some exceptional higher-end cars.

“My dad and I both got to see some pretty rare cars. We bond over cars, so it was nice to have that at our school,” said senior Ryan Cirrincione. “The Red Chevy Impala was our personal favorite.”

Many boys were happy to share their love of cars with their fathers. An entire fleet of Mustangs were present along with the infamous Jeep Trackhawk mentioned in Lil Baby’s “Life Goes On.” Many of sportier vehicles were fan favorites.

Perhaps the highlight of the event was the tug of war match between fathers and sons. The tug of war concluded with another win for the fathers, marking the third year in a row that they achieved victory over their sons. Many seniors commented how fun this activity was, as they faced off head-to-head against the undefeated “dad strength.”

“It was so fun to compete against my dad,” said senior Eiian Reyes. “My Baba has a lot more strength than I had initially assumed; he ended up being a major player on the parents’ side.”

Overall, the event fostered many relationships that most high school students don’t typically have the opportunity to cultivate, as the morning allowed students to interact with each other’s families.

“My friends and I are close, but I feel like our dads don’t know each other. The Father-Son Mass lets all of us meet and get to know each other better. I wish I could come back next year,” said senior Andrew Rivera.

This father-son tradition is one of many instances that help separate St. John Bosco from other high schools. Bosco tries to emphasize the family component of our community, and experiences like these help make the student body be more mature young men. All students and important male figures in their lives are welcome next year to continue this great tradition.