Patron Saint
The saint and the founder whose spirit of gentleness and devotion continue to guide our school community.
St. Francis De Sales
1567 – 1622
Patron of the Fransalians (M.S.F.S.)
St. Francis De Sales
Known as the “The Gentleman Saint”
St. Francis De Sales was born in an aristocratic family on the 21st of August 1567 at Savoy in France. His father was Monsieur De Boisy. He received the best type of education of that time and took a doctorate in Civil and Canon Law from the University of Padua in Italy. After his formal education, his parents wanted him to join the legal profession in the Senate of Savoy, but he was determined to become a Priest. In spite of many obstacles, he fulfilled his desire and was ordained a priest in December 1593. He was made the Bishop of Geneva in 1602.
Francis De Sales, known as the "Gentleman Saint," was an able Pastor and Teacher: as a Bishop he preached frequently, visited his diocese often, advised and guided his priests and people with a paternal care, and reformed many monasteries. He was a spiritual director to many people of all classes of society through his personal interviews and numerous letters. He became one of the greatest masters of spiritual life through his world-famous writings: "The Introduction to the Devout Life," "The Treatise on the Love of God," and "The Spiritual Conferences." He died in Lyon on 28th December 1622, at the age of 55.
Pope Alexander VII canonized Francis De Sales a saint of the Church in 1661. He was declared "Doctor of the Church" (a Great Teacher) in 1877 by Pope Pius IX, and Patron of Catholic Journalists and Writers by Pius XI in 1923.
Founder of the M.S.F.S.
Rev. Fr. Peter Mermier
Rev. Fr. Peter Mermier was born on 28th August 1790 at Savoy in France. His father was Francois Mermier and his mother, Antoinette Bastion. He grew up dedicated and hardworking, endowed with a calm character, an alert mind, bright intelligence, and genuine piety. He did excellently well in his studies and was a model and an inspiration to the rest of the students.
From a young age, he manifested his desire to become a Priest and serve people. He was ordained a Priest on 21st March 1813, at only twenty-two and a half years old. He then worked as a teacher at Melan, where he formulated his own philosophy of education. He founded the Congregation of the Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod for the education of poor peasant girls, and initiated the educational apostolate of the Missionaries by undertaking the management of the secondary schools of Melan and Evian in France. After an eventful life, leaving behind a heritage of dazzling holiness, heroic courage, and faith, Fr. Mermier breathed his last on 30th September 1862.
Optimism, fidelity, gentleness, hospitality, kindness, cordiality and positive regard for others were some of the shades of his saintly personality.
Fr. Mermier firmly believed that education is a work of love, and that it is incomplete without religious formation. He envisaged an educational programme marked by respect for children, advising his teacher-confreres to love their pupils — to be a mother to them by their tenderness, and a father by their prudence. "True education," according to him, "is opening the heart rather than the mind." He expected three things from his pupils: knowledge, wisdom, and discipline.
Rev. Fr. Peter Mermier
1790 – 1862
Since 1838
Fransalians (M.S.F.S.) Since 1838
The congregation (M.S.F.S.) was founded in 1838, more than two centuries after the death of St. Francis De Sales, our Patron. Our founder, Father Peter Mermier, was born in 1790 and as a child experienced the turmoil unleashed by some extremities 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 in life with courage, and to help those who were made to suffer by the unrest of the times.
As a young man, Peter Mermier decided to dedicate his life to the service of God and others as a Priest. For some time 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 young and old to live the ideals taught by Jesus, which St. Francis De Sales had practiced so well: everyone should have faith in God, who loves us. Kindness, patience, forgiveness, and readiness to help people in any kind of need, whether material or spiritual, were the objectives of the Fransalians.
In reply to an appeal made by the Pope, six Fransalians — four Priests and two Brothers — landed in India in 1845, only seven years after the foundation of the society, a testament to their missionary commitment. Over the years they were joined by other dedicated and courageous men. These Missionaries of St. Francis De Sales are a congregation of Fathers and Brothers founded by Father Peter Mermier in 1838 at Annecy, France, out of a desire to instruct the youth and lead them along the right path — through preaching missions, conducting camps, and running educational institutions. The members of the M.S.F.S. have served in the educational field in India for over 160 years, running 115 educational institutions across the country, engaged in schools, technical and sociological institutes, hostels, orphanages, and homes for the aged and mentally challenged, besides catering to the spiritual needs of the people.