Mail : fsagedu@gmail.com
Tel: +91 (413) 2335431
Mail : fsagedu@gmail.com
Tel: +91 (413) 2335431
The Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of St Aloysius Gonzaga, Puducherry a Catholic registered charitable entity committed to the cause of education and social transformation of the less privileged humanity, and women in particular in a rural environment was founded by Rev. Fr. Michael Ansaldo, SJ in 1775 at Puducherry. The austere life, the magnanimity of character and simplicity of Fr. Michael ANSALDO inspired many young women to give him helping hands and assist him in his special ministry for the abandoned. When Fr. Michael ANSALDO noticed that many young women were more than willing to dedicate their whole life for the sake of the service of the abandoned, he realized that his plans were beginning to bear the expected fruits. He utilized every opportunity to explain the love of God for humanity and especially for the sick and the poor, the abandoned and those who were marginalized in the society and expressed his desire to establish a congregation of sisters.
Sisters in formation have imbued the Ignatian spirituality through month long retreat and examination of conscience. Sisters are working in different parts of the world in India and abroad catering services in the field of Evangelization, Education, Social work, Social action and Health care with the special charism to –to the poor orphan girls and afflicted women in the society. This FSAG has stood the test of time and has been serving the Church, in India, Myanmar, Italy, Germany, Austria and Israel. It has now a little over 1000 members at every level, dedicatedly serving through many educational and philanthropic centres in India and abroad all people, irrespective of caste, creed and race
THE LIFE-SKETCH OF ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA SJ (09.03.1568 – 21.06.1591)
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, SJ is an Italian aristocrat who joined the Society of Jesus, whose members are called Jesuits. He was born as the eldest of seven children of Ferrante Gonzaga (1544–1586), and Marta Tana di Santena, in northern Italy. At the age of 8, he was sent to Florence to serve at the court and to receive education. When he fell ill, he started reading prayerfully about the saints.
Despite several of his family-members placing obstacles to his desire to become a priest, he joined the Jesuit Order, on 25 November 1585. As a young Jesuit, he suffered from the malfunctioning of his kidney, chronic headaches and insomnia etc. Yet, he volunteered to assist especially the victims of plague that broke out in Italy in 1591. He begged for alms for the victims, he worked with the sick, carrying the dying from the streets into hospitals. He admitted that he worked hard in spite of his physical repulsion. While engaged in such a mission, he himself grew ill and was bedridden by March 3, 1591. Aloysius Gonzaga died on June 21, 1591 with the name of Jesus on his lips. Purity was his notable virtue. And on 31.12.1726, Pope Benedict XIII made him a Saint. In 1729, Pope Benedict XIII declared Aloysius to be the patron saint of young students. Aloysius Gonzaga has become the patron both of AIDS sufferers and their care-givers.
Fr. Michael Ansaldo SJ was born on 29th September 1739 in the city of Messina in Italy in a very pious family. He completed his primary studies in a school run by Missionaries of the Society of Jesus. The contact with the missionaries inspired in the young mind and heart of Michael Ansaldo the first spark of listening to the call of God and to respond to it by becoming a missionary himself. He spent his life for few years as a teacher of literature in one of the Jesuit colleges. Later on, he was incardinated as Jesuit missionary at Pondicherry (India) from 1771 to 1805 and again at Madras (India) from1805 to 1806. Fr. Michael ANSALDO is a very good example for a Christian, a religious, and an apostle. He is an enlightened man endowed with a magnanimous soul, highly empowered intellect, deep spirituality and a strong conviction of sacrifice.
The vision of Gonzaga Educational Apostolate is to reach out to the rural children and women impart quality education for academic excellence, selfless leadership, environmental sensitivity and communal harmony in the context of our Gospel values and make them ‘other centred’ students.
The mission of Gonzaga Educational Apostolate is to reach out the rural, dalit and tribal children and women offer quality education, communication skills and life skills for holistic formation through curricular and co-curricular activities to face the challenges of life with courage and confidence. It is also envisaged to make them imbibe moral, spiritual and social values and play their role in social transformation as potential leaders of the future.
1. Accessibility of education to all those in need especially the dalits and the poor
2. Constant accompaniment of the children with commitment to make them succeed in school education
3. Imparting integral formation of the students
4. Inculcating spiritual values and strengthening their faith in God
5. Moulding them as environmentally sensitive stewards to take care of the common home namely our planet the earth
6. Make them learn the values of Indian Constitution and Democracy
7. Teaching value education that enables them to promote equality, human rights, communal harmony with respect for divergent cultures and gender sensitivity.
8. Forming staff and other collaborators to become agents of social change and influence the young students towards a Holistic formation.
9. Involving all the stakeholders such as students, teachers, parents, and experts in the educational process.