SJCPOS celebrates 190 years

By Lara Pickford-Gordon

snrwriter.camsel@catholictt.org

The visionary and pioneering spirit of the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny, and of successive principals, has enabled St Joseph’s Convent, Port of Spain (SJCPOS) to anticipate students’ needs while remaining rooted and responsive to the times.

This was the view of Principal Maritza Ramphal in an interview with The Catholic News at the Pembroke Street school on April 21, as the school celebrates its 190th anniversary.

“We started science labs in a girls’ school, which was not usual at that time. We also developed multimedia rooms, which again was ahead of the times back then, and now we have multimedia facilities in every classroom. That is because of nothing other than the generosity of our past pupils, our parents, our benefactors, and stakeholders,” she said.

SJCPOS was established on April 5, 1836, and is the oldest continuous secondary school in Trinidad and Tobago. Ramphal said that from the beginning, the founders and the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny had a mission to educate children of all races.

She added that they were guided by a pedagogy of inclusion and compassion, reflected in the school’s values of justice, love, excellence, service, and integrity. She said these values have been consistent for 190 years and will continue, while the school’s policies and procedures are geared toward developing each child’s talents.

The theme chosen for the anniversary celebration is Bloom Where You Are Planted. Ramphal explained that the school environment supports each child “to develop their unique talents and gifts to be used for the common good.”

At SJCPOS, numerous trophies and prizes on display attest to students’ success in many fields. The Hall of Excellence spotlights alumni who have made their mark locally and internationally.

Ramphal said, “They have contributed to society in a wide range of areas. We have someone who helped develop the COVID-19 vaccine, we have the head of Arrive Alive, and we have women who have pioneered in business and entrepreneurship.”

She underscored that the school seeks to instil the value of service to others. “So, when they go out into society, they use their God-given talents to develop the country and beyond,” Ramphal said.

Laurel Lezama, chair of the Parent Support Group, said the school’s stakeholder committee has planned a year of activities from April this year to May next year. The anniversary date, April 5, fell on Easter Sunday, so a “soft” launch took place online.

From April 17–20, SJCPOS “turned blue”. “We lit the façade [of the school] on Pembroke Street with blue lights; there was a beautiful short ceremony,” Lezama said. For April, stakeholders were asked to offer up Masses in their parishes for the SJC community.

The school received a plenary indulgence from Pope Leo XIV last October for the 75th anniversary of the beatification of Blessed Anne-Marie Javouhey, which has been incorporated into the anniversary celebrations.

On May 3, the school hosts its annual walkathon and an inaugural 5K at the Queen’s Park Savannah. Lezama said the medal was designed to incorporate the image of the stained-glass window in the school’s chapel featuring Blessed Anne-Marie.

On May 17, there will be the Annual Reunion Mass and a Convent Courtyard artisan fair.

Lezama said the plenary indulgence will conclude with Masses on October 11 and 15. November is “Convent pride month…we celebrate all things SJC”.

The 12th Parang in a Pot is on November 14, when the school’s six houses compete to win a trophy. “Each year group also has stalls; families come by—it is a huge fiesta in the courtyard…then we have guest entertainers, so we’re making it special because it’s tied into the 190th anniversary,” she said. Blessed Anne-Marie’s birthday will also be commemorated in November. In April 2027, the school’s Centenary Hall will be 120 years old. Lezama noted that the Cluny Sisters will be celebrating 220 years; the hall was built for the 100th anniversary of their foundation.

Lezama said the activities hosted by SJCPOS are intended to instil a sense of belonging—identifying as a “Convent girl”—and a love for the school that lasts even after students leave. “When they go out into society, they remember to come back because this is the foundation that was laid for them,” she said.