Santa Maria of Chincha School celebrates its 30th Anniversary

Chincha, 09/10/13 (Sodalit News – Peru).  Santa Maria of Chincha School celebrated 30 years since its founding with a mass celebrated by the Bishop of Ica, Mons. Hector Vera.

The mass was held in the school’s chapel where students, teachers and staff were accompanied by families and friends as well as many members of the Sodalit Family. They celebrated the Vigil of the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace. Before the mass, the rosary was prayed in communion with the Day of Peace requested by Pope Francis.

Alessandro Moroni, the Superior General of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, along with Fernando Vidal, the Vicar General, and the Regional Superior in Peru, Rafael Ismodes, were present at the mass. The previous school principals were present as well, alongside current school principal, Andres Solimano. The Regional President of Ica, Alonso Navarro Cabanillas, alumnus of the school, was also present and manifested his gratitude to the school for the path his life has taken.

In his homily, Mons. Vera pointed to Mary as, “she who has given her entire life to the service of God” and invited those present to follow her marvelous example.  In reference to the difficulties that can appear, he exhorted listeners “to accept the challenge.” “We cannot hold ourselves back,” he explained, “We must create a positive system that can offer something better.”  He finished by especially thanking the Sodalit Family “for having responded to this divine call. Thank you for forming generations of student in Chincha.”

After the mass, in a ceremony of celebration that began with the words of the school’s principal and was finalized with those of the Superior General of the Sodalitium, past principals, teachers and staff of the school were honored. The recognition of the founding families of the school, represented by the Novelli family, was very moving.

The Santa Maria of Chincha School was founded on the 5th of July, 1982, and began classes in 1983. A group of families from Chincha that wanted to offer a quality catholic education to their children organized the school, which, in 1986, was given over to the care of the Sodalitium Christianae Vitae. The first members of the school’s council from the Sodalitium where Emilio Garreaud Indacochea and Ricardo Treneman Young. The school, which was the first educational project of the Sodalit Family, is now a member of the Sodalit Family’s educational network which includes many institutions from Colombia to Chile.