Province of St. Mark

St. Augustine's College and the Augustinian Presence in Pieta'

On his nomination as a Provincial, Fr. Gejtanu Pace Forno OSA started thinking of how he could be of help and honour for the Province and for the poor Maltese people. He wished to open a free-of-charge school in the priory in Valletta and at the same time, apart from pastoral work, provide enough work for the religious. This proposal was accepted by General Fr. Angelucci, as well as by the Provincial Council. On 23rd October 1848, St. Augustine’s primary school was opened to the great happiness of the poor Maltese people. This remarkable objective of the Provincial, which was both intellectual and moral, had to make up for the void, felt by society, that of defending the poor and lifting them up from their misery. In fact, this Provincial was chosen as the first rector of the school and remained in charge for nine years, until 1857, when he was called to Rome to be consecrated Bishop. This school, which didn’t charge any fees, was the first set up by the male religious orders. The teaching used to take place throughout the whole week, except on Sunday and on feast days. The subjects included Religion, Latin, Italian, English, Maltese as a means of teaching, Calligraphy, Geography, Sacred and Profane History, Arithmetic and Technical Design. On Sunday, Catechism, music and singing were taught. Later on, Mental Calculations, Practical Geometry and History of England were included. Apart from that, this school was very popular and important, as since its erection, it had the best teachers and rectors, who were prepared and enriched with the best moral and intellectual education. In fact, in 1855, we find that around 200 students attended this school. Two important activities, which took place almost every year, until the Second World War were the exams and Prize Days.

In fact, on 15th January 1941, the friars closed the school with the hope that they would open it again after the war ended and continue with the teaching, for which they were and still are renowned. In 1948, the school was supposed to mark the first centenary, since its foundation but until that day, there was still no hope for the school to reopen. For this reason, Provincial Fr. Wenz Agius thought of marking the occasion of the first centenary of the school by reopening the school for those children, who in the future wanted to embrace the Augustinian Order or else wanted to continue studying. After making the necessary preparations, on 13th October 1948, a mass was celebrated and the school started once again. This time, however, it didn’t open as an elementary school but as a secondary one, named “St. Augustine’s College”. For this to take place, the Provincial had to improve the level of the school and for this reason, he included other subjects, together with those which were already offered, so that he would be in conformity with the requirements, requested by the Department of Education. The Augustinian Province celebrated the centenary on 6th November 1948, in St. Augustine’s Church, Valletta. They gave thanks to God for making the school successful and for protecting the children, who had attended the school throughout its first hundred years.

As the number of the children in the new college increased, the need of a bigger place, with more facilities to help in the development of teaching and discipline, was felt. For this reason, as soon as all of St. Louis’ Oratory passed into the hands of the Provincial, he instantly thought of transferring St. Augustine’ College from Valletta to Hal Tarxien. This new location had to be furnished with several amenities, including more classes due to the increase in the number of children, a hall and a large ground. In the beginning of October 1954, after mass was heard and prayers were said in the chapel, 130 children started being taught in this new college. The chapel, situated between the college and the priory, was also used to celebrate mass on the first Friday of the month and for Lenten exercises. Above this chapel, the hall was built to be used for recreational purposes, so that children could watch educational and recreational films. Moreover, it was also used when meetings with the parents, to discuss how their children were progressing, had to take place.

On 17th June 1965, an advert appeared in the Times of Malta. Three villas, a mezzanine and a large garden, situated in Gwardamangia Hill, Pieta’ were being sold. As soon as Provincial Fr. Ugolin Gatt OSA got to know, he convened his Council on 22nd June and together they discussed whether the Province had to obtain this property. This proposal was accepted by the Council, by Archbishop Michael Gonzi and by the Archipiscopal Curia. On January 1966, the necessary repairs were started on the villa, where the school had to be situated, and on the mezzanine, where the friars of the college had to live. As soon as the repairs were completed, the new community was chosen on 10th March 1966. On 14th April 1966, the decrees from General Fr. Wistin Trape’ and the Sacred Congregation for the Religious arrived and two days later, the college was inaugurated during a mass, which took place in the new college hall. On the 28th of the same month, the religious house, named “St. Thomas of Villanova” was canonically established. The college continued working on the same lines of those in Hal Tarxien. Through its effors and those of the teachers, both religious and secular, the college continued increasing its good name, so much that in less than six years, it was once again felt that the space had to be extended and halls had to be built, as demanded by modern needs. On 1st October 1973, the new college at Pieta’ was inaugurated and a commemoration to mark the hundred years since the death of the founder of St. Augustine’s College, Mons. Gejtanu Pace Forno OSA, Augustinian Bishop of Malta, was held. In 1998, a third storey was added to St. Augustine’ College so that it could give a better education to all those students who attended.

Nowadays, St. Augustine’s College looks to the future with a commitment to continue serving its educational mission, kindled by a long story and with the help of dedicated teachers. While giving a good academic education, the community of St. Thomas of Villanova priory, which are assigned to serve in the college, with the help some religious, from other communities, makes sure to instil Christian values in the children and youths, who attend this college.