These words of St. Magdalene of Canossa, foundress of the Canossian Daughters of Charity, inspired Mother General M. Antoinetta Novello to seek new mission in the Philippines after the Missionaries in China were driven out of the country during the take-over of the communist government. The Canossians were forced to leave their flourishing mission: the schools, hospital and orphanages. However, charity is a fire that cannot be smothered by adversities; the embers would burn again with the love of Christ in the hearts of the Missionaries.
Early in 1954 M. General sent M. Vittoria Garre’, the Delegate Provincial of Hongkong to Manila to talk with the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, His Eminence, Monsignor Egidio Vagnozzi, to find possibility of having a foundation in the Philippines. At once the good Monsignor exclaimed, “Come, come Canossians. I welcome you with open arms.”
It did not take long for M. Garre’ and a companion to come back to the Philippines to look for a place for the new foundation which for their criteria should not be far from Manila, a second class municipality with possibilities to work for the poor. They went to the province of Laguna and as they passed the arc of Sta. Rosa, they said “This is the place”. The first thing they did was to visit the Church and get introduced to the Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Gregorio Torres, who accompanied them to the Bishop of the Diocese, Monsignor Alejandro Olalia.
The kind Bishop immediately agreed to have the Canossian Sisters in the Diocese. He entrusted to them the charity school (YLAC) of about 200 students to administer and the old Dominican Convent which was very dilapidated having been abandoned for two years and used partly as the priest’s convent and the school.
Having done these preliminary arrangements, Rev. M. Garre’ and her companion returned to Hongkong for the urgent preparations for the opening of classes in June, 1954.
On July 10, M. Cecilia Pereira and M. Teresina Cantu arrived by boat from Hongkong. They brought with them tables, chairs, beds, and other things necessary for them and the convent. They completed the first group of Canossian Sisters in the Philippines. This first community was composed of:
M. Carolina Colombo, the Superior, M. Anna Bautista, M. Miriam Tavecchio, the school principal, M. Cecilia Pereira, M. Zita Bereta, M. Teresina Cantu, the kindergarten teacher.
The high school department of the school opened after the summer vacation on June 12 with Ms. Ida Tiongco, Ms. Eufrocina Custodio, Salome Sanchez, Dolores Rodriguez and Mrs. Agulto.
By May 1955 the upper floor was almost finished and also the repairs in the school. On May 12 the Sisters’ Cloister was finished and blessed by Bishop Monsignor Olalia. On May 25 the bishop celebrated Mass for the community.When the classes opened in June, the school enrolment increased and so with the boarders.
The first five years were for the pioneers’ years of intense dedication to the apostolate and untold sacrifices in adapting themselves to the experiences of poverty and the culture of the people. Gradually CanossaSchool was attracting students from the neighboring towns of Biñan, San Pedro, Muntinlupa and Canlubang.
In 1980, the 25th anniversary of its foundation the HighSchoolBuilding was constructed. It was named in honor of M. Ana Bautista, the first Filipina member of the first Sta. Rosa Community. The Kindergarten extension was also built for free kindergarten schooling to the financially poor but deserving students. Facilities had been continuously improved to meet the growing needs of students, and maintain quality education. The religious clubs organized in the school extended services to the community like teaching Catechism in the public schools, and outreach to the poor in the barrios. The Sister in-charge of Pastoral Work collaborated with the Parish Priest whenever help was needed. The Canossian lay Association was activated as the long arm of the Canossian Sisters to serve the Church and the community.
By the School Year 1987-1988 the Canossian School Community saw the inadequacy of the school premises for the ever growing school population. On February 10, 1987 the School Administrative Board presented to M. Provincial M. Mary Asti a proposal to have a satellite branch in a nearby place to solve the problem of the congestion and limited playground and school facilities.
On September 7, 1989 the Project Directress, M. Laura informed the community that the purchase of the land in Kanluran for the new school site was settled. Thanks to the donation of Mother General and her Council.
The blessing of the cornerstone and ground breaking officiated by Fr. J.P. Villanueva in the presence of the new M. Provincial, M. Estela Cordero, her Council, sisters, some benefactors, teachers and students was done on December 15, 1990.
In June 1991 the building was completed with the required facilities and was ready for occupancy. The High School Department was transferred on June 10, 1991, the start of the new apostolic year. On November 24 of the same year the HighSchoolBuilding was blessed by His Excellency, Bishop Bantigue. The said occasion was graced by the presence of Mother General M. Elide Testa and her Councilor, M. Ita Fernandez.
From 1994 to 1996 there was a steady growth in the enrolment of the school. In June 1996 the enrolment for the High School was 756, and for the Grade School was 1254.
In 1997 the community was receiving strong feelers from the Bishop through the Parish Priest that the school buildings and premises be returned to the Diocese. The School Administrative Board with Sr. Glecy Manuyag as the Superior wrote a letter to the Provincial Council for the construction of the Primary Building. This request was granted and on April 1997 the construction started.
In November 15, 2007, the newest building was constructed to accommodate the Grades 4, 5, and 6 pupils who were the last occupants of the old Canossa School building.
In Nov. 10, 2008, with a simple rite in the presence of Msgr. Alex Amante, representing Bishop Leo Drona, D.D. and Sr. Gliceria Manuyag, FdCC, the Vicar Provincial of Canossian sisters, the buildings were turned over to the Diocese. Since then, the entire population of Canossa School occupied the present site in Barangay Kanluran.