ABOUT SFS
The Beginning
St. Francis de Sales Sr. Sec. School was started in Janakpuri on 10 April 1978, by the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, who are working in India since 1845. The school was Founded by Fr. Thomas Thoomkuzhy, msfs. The foundation stone for the building was laid on 09-07-1977 by Hon Shri Sikandar Bhakt, the then Union Minister for Works and Housing. The foundation stone was blessed by his Excellaency Rt. Rev. Dr. Luciano Storero the then Apostolic Pronuncio to india.
The Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales is a Religious Society of Fathers and Brothers founded by Father Peter Mermier in 1838 at Annecy, France. It was his desire to instruct the youth and lead them along the right path. For this purpose, he started preaching missions, conducting camps and running educational institutions. The Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales are spread today all over the world and are involved in different activities. In India they are running schools, technical institutes, hostels and social work centres, for the well-being of the people.
As a Catholic school, we are working not only for the intellectual, cultural and physical development of our children from the earliest stages but also for the formation of character by inculcating sound moral principles, so that they grow up as good children of God and responsible citizens of our country. Education of children is the joint responsibility of the school authorities and the parents. Hence your co-operation is required to ensure the progress of your child in studies. While helping the children to do their homework and supervising their studies, parents and guardians should remember that self help is the best help.
St. Francis de Sales Sr. Sec. School is an unaided Recognised Christian Minority Private Institution affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education.
The First Academic Year of the School commenced in April 1978. The school, when it started functioning on 10th April, had 117 students and had a humble beginning in tents. The high school (9-10) began in the year 1982-83 and the first batch of 61 students appeared for their 10th class Board exams in 1983 – 84. The school was upgraded to Senior Secondary (11-12) the same year. The school is running classes from I to XII. The curriculum of the school is of the Central Board of Secondary Education and the students are prepared for the All India Secondary and Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education. Hindi is taught as second language in all the classes. Every student from classes VI to VIII has to learn Sanskrit as the third language. Social Work and Vocational Guidance are recommended for all the students from classes VI onwards. Students are instructed to do their best for rural development, removal of poverty and to have a better understanding of the problems of the poorest of the poor.
The dynamic guidance has been provided by the pillars of strength
FR. AGNELO FERNANDES – 1978-1983
FR. JOSEPH POTTEMMEL – 1983-1985
FR. A.M SEBASTIAN – 10/04/1985 – 02/04/1991
FR. MATHEW THAYIL – 03/04/1991 – 02/04/1994
FR. JOSEPH T.P – 03/04/1994 – 30/04/2001
FR. JACOB KARAMAKUZHYIL – 01/05/2001 – 08/07/2008
FR. MELROY ALMEIDA – 09/07/2008 – 10/07/2012
FR. ANIL GEORGE – 11/07/2012 – 03/07/2018
FR. B. ANTHONY AMALADOSS – 04/07/2018 ONWARDS
VISION & MISSION
Aim and Purpose of the Institution
Besides achieving the aim of any good education to discover and develop to the full, the finest qualities in a human being, the institution tries its best to inculcate in every student the true spirit of social awareness. To serve humanity is to serve God. Every student therefore must cultivate respect for and interest in the welfare of the other. This is the true way of formation of character, discipline and individual personality according to the need of the time. The institution, therefore, will provide opportunities for the physical and spiritual growth of the child. Value Education is obligatory for all students, since the formation of a sound moral character is in the truest sense the worthy objective of education. Value education is an integral part of the time- table. Catechism and Scripture classes are obligatory for all Catholic students. It is the duty of everyone to cultivate the best values of life which will enable him/her to live a worthwhile life.
Upliftment of the poor and seeing to their welfare is another aim of the institution. The Gandhian vision of education which is a beautiful blending of Art, Craft and Education is proposed for the new system of education. The school integrates work and community services with studies.
A student today is no longer a passive recipient of knowledge but is actively involved in the learning process. Personalised education is therefore introduced in all the classes, where freedom is of prime importance for achieving personal relationship. To develop the right atmosphere, a student is taught to relate with others in a climate of freedom and ample of opportunities are given to learn by doing.
One of the most enlightened documents of human liberation is surely our Indian Constitution which guarantees every citizen social justice, equality, brotherhood and freedom. The Constitution makes special provision for the upliftment of the poor, the weak and the underprivileged sections of society. The Constitution foresees a social change, a change in our way of thinking, feeling, working and loving, so that we can move from the layered society of today's India to a more just and true integrated nation of tomorrow.
Fransalian Fathers & Brothers
The year 2023 marks the 185th Anniversary of the founding of the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales, also called Fransalians. This Religious Society of Fathers and Brothers is responsible for St. Francis de Sales Sr. Sec. School.
The Congregation was founded in 1838. The founder, Father Peter Mermier was born in France in the year 1790. As a child he experienced terrorism by some extremists of the French Revolution. His parents were farmers, and his mother was a wonderful woman from whom he learnt to have faith in God, to face troubles with courage and to help those made to suffer by the terrorists.
As a young man, Peter Mermier decided to become a priest and dedicate his life to the service of God and others. As a priest for sometime he was put in-charge of teaching and discipline, in a residential school for boys. But he soon realized that his mission was to go from place to place helping the young and old to live the ideals taught by Jesus and which St. Francis de Sales had practiced so well. Everyone should have faith in God who loves us and please Him by trying to live a life of gentleness, cheerfulness, kindness, patience, forgiveness and readiness to help people in any kind of need. It was to spread these ideals that the Fransalians were founded.
In reply to appeal made by the Pope, six Fransalians, four Priests and two Brothers, landed in India in 1845, just seven years after the founding of the Society. Over the years they were joined by other dedicated and courageous men.
The Fransalians were asked to work in Eastern and Central India. Beginning at Visakhapatnam, they opened centres in places as far as Cuttack, Aurangabad and Nagpur. They had to travel long distances on horseback or by bullock-cart. They took care of people affected by famine and suffering from various diseases. They started social service centres, dispensaries and orphanages. They gave special attention to education of the youth. They taught people to trust in God and to live in peace and joy. At present the Fransalians are working in 25 countries, running social service centres and schools, both academic and technical, in urban and rural areas. They help people to live happy lives founded on 'Faith in God' and 'Concern for the Welfare of others.' While respecting all religions and cultures, the Fransalians make it their mission to hold aloft the ideals taught by Jesus, which were an inspiration to Gandhiji and made specially attractive by St. Francis de Sales, leading Father Peter Mermier to found the Fransalian Society.
FOUNDER - SFS DELHI
His missionary zeal coupled with exceptional farsightedness and adeptness to imbibe the invariably transforming global scenario, not only gave St. Francis de Sales School a strong foundation but also proved instrumental in catapulting this first co-ed missionary school of Formal and Non-Formal education of the capital, to glorious heights in a very short span of time. Born on 8.7.1941, Fr Thomas completed his early education in the state of Kerala. After attaining his first profession with the missionaries of St. Francis De Sales (Fransalians) on 8.5.1963, he was ordained a priest on 15.03.1970.
The year 1975 brought him to the capital city of India to initiate the challenging task of establishing a missionary school. The task was uphill, the hurdles ever-surmounting, but the selfless dedication of this taskmaster of exceptional velour bore fruit when the glorious journey of this temple of ‘Knowledge, Service, Charity’ began on 9.7.1977.
Patron Saint - St. Francis de Sales
Let us be what we are,and let us be it well” – St. Francis de Sales.
St. Francis de Sales, a saint of the Catholic Church, born on 21st August 1567, at Thorens near Annecy, France, is the patron of Saint of the Congregation of fransalians. He was ordained a priest on the 18th of December 1593 and was consecrated as a Bishop in 1602. Francis was a pioneer missionary to publish the printed word of God. In 1608 , he published the “Introduction to devout life” and the “Treatise on the love of God” in 1616. He was beatified in 1661 and cannonised in 1665. Pope Pius IX proclaimed him Doctor of the Church in 1877.
He was a dynamic pastor, about a dozen missionary congregations hail the name of this spiritual genius by following his principles and practicing his virtues of patience, gentleness courage, spirit of poverty, self sacrifice etc.
Francis was a man of prayer and he conquered all by his gentle-manliness. Once St. Jane de Chantal asked whether he ever went for any length of time without actually and explicitly turning his mind to God and he said, “Sometimes for as long as about a quarter of an hour”. If we too could be like him!
FOUNDER - MSFS CONGREGATION
Fr. Peter Marie Mermier is the founder of the religious body of priests, and brothers (the Missionaries of St. Francis De Sales) who run St. Francis de Sales School at Janakpuri, New Delhi. Fr. Mermier was born on August 28, 1790 and baptized on the same day in the church of Chaumont, a village lying between Annecy & Geneva. He was extremely kind yet very firm,prudent but unusually bold, and intensely active. He led a deeply prayerful life with humility which comes only to those who possess divine strength. Through him the Lord was able to lay the foundation of 2 congregations – the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales of Annecy and the Daughters of the Cross of Chavanod. They are propagating his mission zealously with full conviction.
We do a lot by doing a little, if we do it for God and as he wills” (Fr. Peter Marie Mermier)
OBJECTIVE
Faith in God.’ ‘Concern for the welfare of others,’ and where education is concerned ‘Education of the Human Heart.’ These have formed the foundation upon which the Fransalian Mission has set its goals.Out of this came ‘knowledge, service, charity,’ which is not only the motto of this school but the firm goals it has set for itself.
For the students who enter the portals of St. Francis de Sales School, knowledge attained must develop a humane attitude in them. The skills acquired must not only spell success to them, but also lead them to offer their service for the betterment of the society. In this, they do charity to their fellow beings, leading to a communion with God.
The objective of the Education imparted must be such that it helps a child to know himself, to discover his talent, to accept his limitations and be creative in his own individual way.
This process must help a child to develop the ability to relate and reach out to others.
Keeping the spirit of the Indian Constitution in mind, the school aims to develop a secular attitude with a multicultural outlook and respect for all religions.
EDUCATION POLICY
The Fransalian Educational policy draws inspiration from the Gospels, teachings of the church, patron St. Francis de Sales and the founder Fr. Peter Marie Mermier. The Fransalians have also been guided by the report “A Pastoral plan for Catholic Schools”, and “The National Policy on Education”, visualizing the need of the hour and the changing modern trends in educational philosophy “The Preamble” on educational policy is formulated that emphasizes the following –
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To ensure proper co-ordination in the training of students at various stages.
To develop better understanding of the students needs.
To inculcate scientific temper, and an analytical mind, to analyse and evaluate one´s performance.
To strengthen the fundamental principles and gospel values in the educators.
To promote the forces of integration, secularism and democracy.
To uphold justice, liberty and fraternity despite all social economic and cultural differences prevailing in society.
To aim at developing an integrated all round personality of a child who is healthy in mind and sound in body, and possesses a strong moral character. The following aspects are to be integrated and emphasized by the Fransalians.
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Spiritual growth
Physical growth
Emotional growth
Pursuit of virtues
Develop creativity
Develop intellectual ability
SCHOOL ANTHEM
SCHOOL ANTHEM
We, students of S.F.S.
Stand for God and for our Nation.
Glad to be true to love and to serve;
To be one with all who suffer,
Bringing them God's healing love.
We have faith in God we respect one and all,
What we are matters more than what we have.
Ch:
Today is the day now is the time
To grow in goodness and light
Today is the day now is the time
To fight for the truth and the right,
To know to love and to serve (2)