Saint George's College
Encyclopedia
Saint George’s College, founded in 1936 and run by the Congregation of Holy Cross
, is among the most exclusive and upper-class schools in Santiago, Chile
. According to Seminarium Head Hunting, fully one third of the CEO's of the top 200 companies in Chile are graduates of the school.
Three Holy Cross religious arrived in Santiago, Chile, on March 1, 1943, at the invitation of Cardinal José María Caro
, Archbishop of Santiago (Chile)
, to administer Saint George's College. Fathers Havey, Alfred Send, and Joseph Dougherty believed they were going to do university work. Little did they know that “college” in this context meant a school of first through 12th graders.
Today, Saint George’s College serves 2,650 students. Its history is rich and is closely tied with the history of Chile, including the 1970’s when the school was taken over by the military government and Holy Cross was ousted. St. George's was the only private school in Chile to be taken over by military authority following the September 1973, coup. The Congregation returned to the school in 1986. Strong faith formation and service have been a hallmark of Saint George's. Over the decades, the college has formed many influential leaders in Chilean society. Also Holy Cross’ first Chilean vocation, Fr. Jorge Canepa, was a 1946 graduate of the school.
Originally an all-boys school, Saint George’s College was made co-educational in 1973. First located in the then-exclusive Pedro de Valdivia
section of Providencia
, in 1970 it was relocated to Vitacura
.
Its traditional rival schools are Colegio del Verbo Divino
and Colegio San Ignacio, which were originally located near one another in the Pedro de Valdivia neighborhood of Providencia
. Its traditional sister school was Colegio Santa Úrsula ("Ursulinas"), which was originally next door to St. George's in Providencia
A splinter group of parents and teachers, dissatisfied with the Liberation Theology
measures imposed by Father Gerard Whelan (known locally as the Padre Gerardo) during the early 1970s, broke off in 1972 and formed Colegio Tabancura, an Opus Dei
-run boy's school. Since then, St. George's College has had a reputation for social and political activism, which is unusual among the group of exclusive schools of Santiago, and the generally conservative Chilean upper-class.
Among Saint George’s College's internationally renowned alumni are José Miguel Insulza
(Class of '61, Socialist politician, Secretary General of the Organization of American States
), Andrés Pascal Allende
(Class of '62, Marxist revolutionary), Amante Eledin Parrguez (teacher, poet and writer, who wrote Tres años para nacer, book that inspired the production of the film Machuca
), Andrés Wood (Class of '83, film director/producer, who directed the film Machuca
, a fictionalized account of Saint George's College around the time of the military coup of '73), Gonzalo Lira
(Class of '85, author, film director), Marco Enríquez-Ominami
(Class of '90, leftist presidential candidate).
Congregation of Holy Cross
The Congregation of Holy Cross or Congregatio a Sancta Cruce is a Catholic congregation of priests and brothers founded in 1837 by Blessed Father Basil Anthony-Marie Moreau, CSC, in Le Mans, France....
, is among the most exclusive and upper-class schools in Santiago, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
. According to Seminarium Head Hunting, fully one third of the CEO's of the top 200 companies in Chile are graduates of the school.
Three Holy Cross religious arrived in Santiago, Chile, on March 1, 1943, at the invitation of Cardinal José María Caro
José María Caro
José María Caro Rodríguez was a Chilean Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Santiago from 1939 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1946 by Pope Pius XII....
, Archbishop of Santiago (Chile)
Archbishop of Santiago (Chile)
The Archbishop of Santiago de Chile is a Roman Catholic title given to the archbishop of the church in the Diocese of Santiago de Chile. From 1561 to 1840 the title was a bishop but since 1840 with Manuel Vicuña Larraín it was elevated to archbishop status....
, to administer Saint George's College. Fathers Havey, Alfred Send, and Joseph Dougherty believed they were going to do university work. Little did they know that “college” in this context meant a school of first through 12th graders.
Today, Saint George’s College serves 2,650 students. Its history is rich and is closely tied with the history of Chile, including the 1970’s when the school was taken over by the military government and Holy Cross was ousted. St. George's was the only private school in Chile to be taken over by military authority following the September 1973, coup. The Congregation returned to the school in 1986. Strong faith formation and service have been a hallmark of Saint George's. Over the decades, the college has formed many influential leaders in Chilean society. Also Holy Cross’ first Chilean vocation, Fr. Jorge Canepa, was a 1946 graduate of the school.
Originally an all-boys school, Saint George’s College was made co-educational in 1973. First located in the then-exclusive Pedro de Valdivia
Pedro de Valdivia
Pedro Gutiérrez de Valdivia or Valdiva was a Spanish conquistador and the first royal governor of Chile. After serving with the Spanish army in Italy and Flanders, he was sent to South America in 1534, where he served as lieutenant under Francisco Pizarro in Peru, acting as his second in command...
section of Providencia
Providencia
Providencia may refer to:* Providencia, Chile* Providencia District in Amazonas, Peru* Providencia Island, part of the San Andrés y Providencia Department district of Colombia in the Caribbean sea...
, in 1970 it was relocated to Vitacura
Vitacura
Vitacura is a commune of Chile located in Santiago Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region. It is one of the most expensive and fashionable areas of Santiago...
.
Its traditional rival schools are Colegio del Verbo Divino
Colegio del Verbo Divino
Colegio del Verbo Divino is an institution of learning in Chile catering to grades from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade . It was founded in 1950 by the Congregación del Verbo Divino , which continues administration of the school to present-day...
and Colegio San Ignacio, which were originally located near one another in the Pedro de Valdivia neighborhood of Providencia
Providencia
Providencia may refer to:* Providencia, Chile* Providencia District in Amazonas, Peru* Providencia Island, part of the San Andrés y Providencia Department district of Colombia in the Caribbean sea...
. Its traditional sister school was Colegio Santa Úrsula ("Ursulinas"), which was originally next door to St. George's in Providencia
A splinter group of parents and teachers, dissatisfied with the Liberation Theology
Liberation theology
Liberation theology is a Christian movement in political theology which interprets the teachings of Jesus Christ in terms of a liberation from unjust economic, political, or social conditions...
measures imposed by Father Gerard Whelan (known locally as the Padre Gerardo) during the early 1970s, broke off in 1972 and formed Colegio Tabancura, an Opus Dei
Opus Dei
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
-run boy's school. Since then, St. George's College has had a reputation for social and political activism, which is unusual among the group of exclusive schools of Santiago, and the generally conservative Chilean upper-class.
Among Saint George’s College's internationally renowned alumni are José Miguel Insulza
José Miguel Insulza
José Miguel Insulza Salinas is a Chilean politician and statesman. He is currently the Secretary General of the Organization of American States. He is nicknamed El Panzer, for his tank-like drive and reputation due to his ability to take political heat with little apparent damage...
(Class of '61, Socialist politician, Secretary General of the Organization of American States
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
), Andrés Pascal Allende
Andrés Pascal Allende
Andrés Pascal Allende is a Chilean Marxist revolutionary and nephew of former President Salvador Allende. He is of Basque and Belgian descent.He was born in Santiago, the son of Gastón Pascal Lyon and of Laura Allende Gossens...
(Class of '62, Marxist revolutionary), Amante Eledin Parrguez (teacher, poet and writer, who wrote Tres años para nacer, book that inspired the production of the film Machuca
Machuca
Machuca is a 2004 Chilean film written and directed by Andrés Wood. Set in 1973 Santiago during Salvador Allende's socialist government and shortly before General Augusto Pinochet's military coup in 1973, the film tells the story of two friends, one of them the very poor Pedro Machuca who is...
), Andrés Wood (Class of '83, film director/producer, who directed the film Machuca
Machuca
Machuca is a 2004 Chilean film written and directed by Andrés Wood. Set in 1973 Santiago during Salvador Allende's socialist government and shortly before General Augusto Pinochet's military coup in 1973, the film tells the story of two friends, one of them the very poor Pedro Machuca who is...
, a fictionalized account of Saint George's College around the time of the military coup of '73), Gonzalo Lira
Gonzalo Lira
Gonzalo Lira is an American novelist, filmmaker and economic blogger born in Burbank, CaliforniaHe is the son of Gonzalo Lira Valdés and María Isabel López Hess; he is a descendant of José Miguel Carrera,. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley, New York City, and Miami, as well as Guayaquil,...
(Class of '85, author, film director), Marco Enríquez-Ominami
Marco Enríquez-Ominami
Marco Antonio Enríquez-Ominami Gumucio is a Chilean-French filmmaker and politician. He was elected deputy for District 10 in December 2005 as a member of the Socialist Party, but changed his political affiliation to independent before running for President of the Republic in the 2009 election...
(Class of '90, leftist presidential candidate).