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s2smodern

The École de Provence in Marseille has celebrated its 100th anniversary. It was actually a second centenary, that of the establishment of the school (founded in 1873) in the current district of Saint-Giniez in 1921. Chaplain of the École de Provence, Fr. Charles Hervieux sj tells us about the celebration.

The festivities actually started as early as May 20. The entire school, students, staff and teachers, were asked to dress in the fashion of 100 years ago. I had to wear the cassock! Everyone gladly played the game. Then on May 24, Fr. Dominique Salin sj gave a conference on “Pedagogy and Spirituality – the Jesuit synthesis”.

Lastly, on June 24, the great celebration took place: a mass was presided by Fr. François Boëdec sj, Provincial of French-speaking Western Europe, and concelebrated by a dozen Jesuits. We were an assembly of about 500 people, including the children. After the religious ceremony, primary school children gave a show, middle and high school students a musical entertainment.

100 years of history

In 1973, the École de Provence celebrated its 100th year of foundation. Fr. Léon Drujon sj, then rector, recalled the mission of this institution: to announce Jesus Christ and to promote a community of believers, young people and adults, who can bear witness to their faith.
May the celebration of today’s centenary remind us once again of this vocation, so that we dare, without being lukewarm, to announce Christ so he may be known, recognized, met. Nevertheless, in the context of a rigid conception of secularism, we might be tempted to water down the evangelical dimension, being satisfied with a few humanist values, however noble they may be. With no spirit of conquest, but with respect for other beliefs, École de Provence has room to implement one of the characteristics of any Jesuit school – “Pave the way for meeting the God of Jesus Christ, in complete freedom”.

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s2smodern