Marist Brothers celebrates 70 years in Zambia
The Marists Brothers of Zambia, Province of Southern Africa, are celebrating this year the 70 anniversaries of presence in the country. Marist apostolate in Zambia dates to 1953 when the Marist Brothers came from the Canadian Marist Provinces of Quebec and Iberville to the District of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.
The Marist Brothers of Canada arrived in Zambia after accepting the invitation of Bishop Courtemauche to go to Chassa, in 1953. Brother Salvator was the Marist pioneer (29th March 1953). The White Fathers in the Diocese of Chipata, Eastern Province of Zambia, handed over Chassa Secondary School to the Marist Brothers, which is now considered the first Marist School in Zambia, after being founded in 1954.
70 years of the Chassa Secondary School
In 1953, after his arrival in Chassa from Nyasaland (Malawi), Br. Salvator assumed the responsibility of directing the upper primary school. And later was joined by Br. Leo Laflamme (15th February 1954) and Br. Peter Eugene and Br. Dominic (15th February 1955). In 1955, Bro. Dominic took over Br. Salvator who had to go to the hospital for an operation in Salisbury (Harare). On 1st July 1956 Br Peter Xavier arrived and took over from Br Dominic. A year later, the first group of the junior secondary school were admitted, so that by 1958 Chassa had three sections: Junior Secondary, Upper Primary and the Trades School with the total enrolment of 235.
In 1960, Bishop Courtemauche sold 300 hectares of land to the Marist Brothers, and then the Ministry of Education approved the building of a full secondary school on the campus. Br. J. C. Morin was appointed to make bricks for the new buildings. He, with the help of Brothers Odilo, Victor and Guston, managed to come up with about 550,000 burnt bricks using locally sourced material and labour. In 1960, Br. Odilo Martel laid the foundation of the first block of the senior secondary school.
The school hall was officially opened in 1965 by his Lordship Courtemauche. In 1967 a track for sports was finished under the direction of Fr. Becker, a Diocesan priest from the United States of America.
During the period of struggle for independence, Chassa school was closed twice, once in 1959 and again in 1963.
Subsequently, in the middle of 1973, Chassa Secondary School was switched on to the main electric line. In 1981 the brothers found a Zambian to take over the post of Bursar of the School, so that by 1982 the whole administration of the school was made up of Zambians.
Marist presence in Zambia
Nowadays, there are ten Marist Brothers working in Zambia. And there are three Secondary schools, one Primary school, and one Skills training school.
- Chassa Secondary School is in Sinda district, eastern province of Zambia
- St. Paul’s Secondary School is in Kapiri district, central province of Zambia together with St. Paul’s Primary School.
- St. Marcellin Secondary School is in Kalulushi district, copperbelt province of Zambia together with St. Marcellin Skills Training School.
There are three communities in Zambia: Chassa Community (3 Brothers), St. Paul’s Community (3 Brothers) and St. Marcellin Community (4 Brothers).
Zambia does not have lay movements per se, but they work with lay collaborators in schools like teachers and other auxiliary workers.