Holy Family College is 148 Years Old!

by Admin · March 23, 2023

Holy Family Sister Colette, Principal Mrs Ursula Collings, Archbishop Siegfried Mandla Jwara, Father Callistus Khathali OMI and Sister Thisidi cut the birthday cake after Mass.

Holy Family College in Durban celebrated its 148 Birthday commemorated with Mass on Friday, March 17. The main celebrant for the Mass was Archbishop Siegfried Mandla Jwara, concelebrated by Fr Callistus Khathali OMI, Chaplain and Counsellor, alongside staff, learners, invited guests, parents and past learners.

Learners and staff marked the occasion by assembling on their school field in rows to form the number 148.

Mrs Bernadette Stephenson (RE educator), Shadene Hayden (past pupil/Sycamore educator), Mr Louis Arde (past HFC Principal/Sycamore Principal), Mrs Ursula Collings (Principal) and Mr Stephen Sutherland (Deputy Principal).

Mrs Ursula Collings, the Principal: “It is a privilege and honour to be associated with a school that is unified through diversity. Historically, our school was an all-girls school called Convent Girls High and we were the first school in Southern Africa to open our doors to people of colour during the apartheid era. Living our mission, we are a community serving humanity. Some of our outreach programmes include Mandela 67 Blankets, Mandela Day, Clothes to Good, the Denis Hurley Centre Feeding Scheme, Blood Drive, visiting Orphanages and Old Age Homes, and community cleaning-up drives, to name a few.

Our keen focus is to provide holistic education, centred on traditional values and building our children to be confident leaders, who render service to humanity and strive for personal excellence. The values that underpin the character of Holy Family College Durban are family, faith, spirituality, integrity, compassion, commitment, creative and critical thinking, personal growth and excellence. At the heart of the education offered by Holy Family College Durban is the acknowledgement that each person is unique.

Altar Servers with Mr Andrew Sutherland (educator), Mrs Ursula Collings (Principal), Archbishop Siegfried Mandla Jwara, Father Callistus Khathali OMI and Mr Stephen Sutherland (Deputy Principal).

We see Holy Family College as a beacon of hope in today’s ever-changing society. We have a co-responsibility to promote harmonious unity in our communities and help to build a better future for all in our country and the world.”

Holy Family College in Durban is a Co-Ed Independent Catholic School. Our motto is Quid Retribuam, which means “What shall I render, whom may I serve”. Holy Family College is one of the oldest established educational institutions, with a proud history of 148 years of quality education in the KZN province and SA. Holy Family College is a school that lays educational and traditional family values and is an icon of Kwa Zulu Natal.

Principal, Mrs Ursula Collings pictured with Primary and High School learners, Holy Family Sisters Thisidi and Colette, Archbishop Siegfried Mandla Jwara and Father Callistus Khathali OMI, Mr Andrew Sutherland (educator), Altar Servers, Mrs Bernadette Stephenson (RE educator) and Mr Clive Williamson (educator).

The school is situated on top of the Ridge in the leafy suburb of Glenmore, across from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Easily accessible and situated on a busy bus route, the campus is located on a prime site, with panoramic views of Durban Harbour and the Indian Ocean.

Past learner comments:

Bernadette Matos
Congratulations for all the good work done over the years! I was a pupil there for twelve years and we took part in the inauguration of the new school in Glenmore. Did Matric in 1963 and became a nurse at Addington Hospital. Sending best wishes for staff and pupils!

Ann Irvine
Congratulations! I matriculation in 1960, the last matric class at the old campus in town. Wonderful to see the good work started by the Holy Family Sisters continues.

Kelly Guilfoyle
Congratulations! I often look at the pictures and see the halls, classrooms, fields and gardens. They played a pivotal part in my deepest fondest memories of growing up. I spent my entire education there from “class 1 to standard 10” and matriculated in 1984. It is so wonderful to see the school upholding the standard. Happy birthday