One hundred years of life, of experience and of virtue

One hundred years of educational life in two historic districts of Barcelona: Sants and Les Corts; there have been many years and many people for sowing in the furrows of the life of this school.

One understands more easily their insertion and their centenary activity from their social setting and from the Marist plan of schools for Barcelona.

The Marist school of Sants started with the difficulties of any truly fruitful beginning. It integrated into the district of Sants and in its neighbour of Corts and it stayed there, established itself there and developed there. The vicissitudes of the Tragic Week passed by; the trial of the World War of 1917 passed by and it paid a bloody tribute in the civil war of 1936, with seven martyrs among the eleven members who composed the Marist community.

But as the grain of martyrs and its testimony are always fruitful, Sants was reborn from its ashes. Sants increased in size after the forties, until needing to enlarge itself and divide into two in the neighbouring district.

The Marist school of Sants tried to face the new challenges proposed by the current society; it developed appropriate pedagogical, organisational and structural initiatives that culminated, in 1994, in the merging of the educational centres under the same direction, forming one group of teachers for the same entity. In order to obtain an integrated evolution at all educational levels, from the infants school, from the primary school, passing by the ESO and the Bachillerato, one can arrive at university following one same system.

For a Marist school to celebrate a centenary is an auspicious occasion to return to the sources; to remember the origins; to relive the initial charism of the Founder Saint Marcellin Champagnat and the first Marists who lavished their effort and knowledge in these places.

To celebrate a centenary is to take account of the legacy of one hundred years of life, of hope and of virtue that gives us the security of following in the steps of determined people who lived with the value of a Marist style of education.

To celebrate a centenary is a unique occasion to thank God and Mary who have been our protectors at all times and in every difficulty; to bring to mind so many educators: laypeople, religious, fathers, mothers, monitors and all the other members of the Marist educational community who have given their time, their work and sometimes their entire life for education.

We are already looking towards the future with the shared dream of the one who hopes and counts on continuing the journey towards the second centenary.