| History
of Colegio de Santa Rosa de Lima
The Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) came to Macau in 1903
to take charge of Colegio de Santa Rosa de Lima, Portuguese Section,
Rua de Santa Clara. In 1910, all religious were obliged to leave
Macau, and the FMMs took charge of a school in Shiu Hing, China.
In 1932, they returned to the territory to continue direction of
the Portuguese Section, and to answer the need for education through
the medium of English by opening the English Section.
 
The
Chinese Section was added in 1933 and all three sections functioned
together in the same building until 1975. By then, the enrolment
had greatly increased, making it more difficult for the three groups
to work at their most efficient capacity. It was then decided that
the dwindling number of students in Escola Stella Matutina on Dr
Rodrigo Rodrigues Avenue should be amalgamated with those of the
Chinese Section. The English Primary occupied the building to the
right of the steps leading to the Chinese Section until 1996.
When
the lower Primary had been phased out, the upper classes were transferred
to the English Secondary. The building, which was by then forty
years in existence, and having been somewhat, damaged by the piling
for a multi-storey construction next door, was not sufficiently
large for the demand for Primary classes, nor sufficiently solid
for expansion, giving rise to the idea of a completely new edifice.
This
idea gradually became a reality and with alternative accommodation
acquired, we vacated the old building with some nostalgia in July
1998.

The
old school building was quickly demolished. In October, the ground-breaking
ceremony took place and, as we accustomed ourselves to our temporary
arrangements, we watched our new school take shape by leaps and
bounds.
At
the end of the 1999 school year, it was possible to move back the
equipment in use and all that had been stored away. School reopened
as scheduled on September 4th 1999. All students were taken on a
conducted tour to familiarize themselves with their new building.
 
By
November, with the classrooms and corridors artistically and imaginatively
decorated by students and teachers, the time had come for the grand
opening. After the Mass took place in the Hall, followed by the
unveiling of the commemorative plaque by His Lordship, Bishop Domingos
Lam and General Vasco Rocha Vieira, Governor of Macau. For the remainder
of the day the exhibition and premises were open to visitors, parents,
past students and many friends.
Our
deepest gratitude to all who helped make Colegio de Santa Rosa de
Lima English Section the flourishing academy it is today with its
unchanging motto, AD CARITATEM PER VERITATEM, To Love Through Truth.
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