« We carry Tui in our hearts »
Emotion overcame him in his speech during the official presentation to the Marist Brothers of the Gold Medal of the « Concello de Tui ». « We carry Tui in our hearts », said the Provincial Superior, Primitivo Mendoza González ? departing briefly from the text ? before the full Municipal Council, teachers, Marist family and public.
Primitivo Mendoza alluded to the links which bind the Brothers with the other institutions of Tui, « as teachers in the minor seminary, in the High School and the public schools, in the collaboration and direction of the school hostel « Fray Rosendo Salvado » and with the neighbouring parishes. These bonds have become still closer in the last twelve years, since we opened our house and classes to the city of Tui and its inhabitants, in order to contribute to the formation of some 325 pupils of the locality and its surroundings. We have agreed to an extremely important economic investment for them, so as to provide the school with the best material and pedagogical equipment.» And Primitivo Mendoza added: « this was our response to a request of the town of Tui, our willingness to remain here; a response of gratitude to those who welcomed us with so much affection a hundred years ago.»
Primitivo Mendoza then referred to the history of the establishment, since its foundation, and to the numerous young people formed there. He referred equally to the future: « our hope and our educational stake is to continue to work for the education of the children and youth of Tui. Education which includes two essential aspects: instruction and formation in ethical, moral and Christian values.»
The Mayor, Antonio F. Fernández Rocha, emphasized in a very brilliant way the educational work achieved among the youth. He also highlighted the formation of new missionary Marists and Brothers in Brasil, the foundation of the « Escuela de Magisterio Luis Vives » (Normal School), where many young people of Tui have done their studies, the formation provided in the house of « A Lagoa » and in the « Escuela San José », situated in San Telmo Street and, finally, the creation, in 1996, of the present « Colegio Santa María ».Mr. Antonio F. Fernández Rocha recalled the words of Saint Marcellin Champagnat: « Our aim is not limited to being catechists, it is more than that: we wish to educate ». The music for the occasion, from beginning to end, was to the credit of the sisters Raquel and Sara Areal Martínez, very young virtuosi of the violin.