Farnborough Hill Celebrates Founders’ Day

Today marked a very special day on our school calendar: our newly named Founders' Day (formerly Community Feast Day), the day when we celebrate the origin story of Farnborough Hill and give thanks to Abbé Louis Lafosse and the Religious of Christian Education (RCE) order he established 208 years ago. 

21 November 1817 (a date deliberately chosen as it is also the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Mother) was the day when four young women, led by Mother Marie-Anne Dutertre, took their vows in a quaint church in rural France. Little did they know that their dedication to God and their decision to become nuns would be the roots of the worldwide order, the Religious of Christian Education. The RCE Sisters founded Farnborough Hill (then Hillside) in 1889 and their legacy is honoured within our daily lives here at school, through our unwavering commitment to offer an education rooted in Catholic Social Teaching with respect, dignity and kindness at its heart. 

To honour this beautiful heritage, there was a poignant blessing of the Sisters' graves, followed by Mass, during which Sister Elizabeth McCormack RCE renewed her vows for the 59th time. After Mass, pupils enjoyed entertainment that brought to life the story of Abbé Louis Lafosse, from imprisonment and escape to covert teaching and the burgeoning RCE order. His message of living joyfully and wholeheartedly is one which the girls here truly embrace, as evidenced by the overarching joie de vivre which emulates from the Hill every day!

Although not part of the daily running of the school anymore, the Sisters of the RCE continue to pray for us and they marked this lovely day by gifting sweets and chocolates to the girls to share during the Founders' Day entertainment. In return, the girls sent colourful homemade cards to the Sisters near and far, reminding them that we are all grateful for their dedication to nurturing Farnborough Hill and all who are part of it.

Did you know, you can read the full story of the founding of the RCE, and later Farnborough Hill, in the House book?