This scholastic year is a very special one for the Society of the Sacred Heart in Malta - it marks the centenary since its foundation.
Seven nuns of five nationalities landed on Malta's shores on August 12, 1903. The religious were welcomed by the "Blue Sisters" in their convent until they were able to settle at Villa Portelli in Sliema (at the top of Rue d'Argens).
A few weeks later, two schools were opened - a boarding school and a day school. Land was purchased nearby in 1904 for the building of a new school and convent. The move into the new premises was made the following year.
Committed to the society they represented and to its solid beliefs, the rationale of the nuns' visit to Malta was to spread the message of the love of Christ through their service of education. The society stressed the importance of formation of character and appreciation of the true and beautiful.
The Society of the Sacred Heart was founded in France by St Madeleine Sophie Barat in 1800. St Madeleine had lived her early years through the difficult times of the French Revolution. When the revolution was over she felt a need to re-evangelise France.
She believed that one way of doing this was by educating girls who would be the wives and mothers of the future. She believed that these girls would have an important role to play in the family and in civic society, bringing up a new generation with an active Christian vision of life.
"When the two schools were set up in Malta, the society had already spread its wings in numerous countries," District Superior Sr Carmela Deguara told The Sunday Times.
Schools were set up in Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand. There currently are about 200 schools and colleges forming part of the society's network worldwide. These schools aim to provide an education characterised by a deep concern for each student's total development, social responsibility, serious study and true faith.
"Although the society in Malta, like many other congregations, is facing the problem of a lack of vocations, the vision hasn't changed. Students are given the same values in a new context to prepare them for life," Sr Deguara said.
Speaking about today's society, Sr Deguara pointed out that many of the values prevalent in contemporary society are often not Christian in nature.
"Nowadays, society tends to focus more on a secularised life. Often one finds counter values in the outside world," Sr Deguara continued.
"The spirituality and educational vision of the Society of the Sacred Heart is also communicated to the school's members of staff. We aim to educate girls to become professional women with a Christian commitment.
"We focus on the formation of character, on the students' overall development, helping them fulfil their potential talents. We help them attain self-confidence, leaderships skills and a sense of social responsibility."