Catholic High School, Arrah - which now consists of Kindergarten, Middle School, High School and Higher Secondary School - is a Catholic Minority School established and owned by the Sahabad Parish Society belonging to the Catholic Diocese of Buxar, which is a body registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, having its head office at Buxar.
It is managed by the Jesuit Fathers of Patna Province of the Society of Jesus, a religious order within the auspices of the Catholic church founded in 1540 by St. Ignatius of Loyola, known better by the informal name, the JESUITS.
Since the earliest history Jesuit Education has been inspired by a vision of human person drawn from the life and teachings of Jesus Christ who has always been respected and admired by the people of India.
1934 : Beginning of the Mission School for Boys in Arrah by Fr. Henry Westropp SJ. (Ref. Blessed by the Lord: A History of the Patna Jesuits, 1921 to 1981, pg. 124). One Mr. Prasad and Mrs. Mary ran the school. Father was coming and going from Fatuha, exploring Arrah and Piro to establish mission at these places. (Mission Diary, vol. 1 & Blessed by the Lord: A History of the Patna Jesuits, 1921 to 1981).
1936 : Piro Mission was established by Fr. Henry Westropp SJ and fathers started coming from there.
1937 : Mass began in the tiled bungalow of Mr. Leslie Martin in the compound of the then Ara- Sasaram Light Railway quarters. (Mission Diary, vol. I)
1938 : Feb.18: Sisters (Mother Medorda and other Sisters) started coming to Ara.
1938 : Feb. 24: At Katira Garden a house of Mr. Sirja Babu was rented and in this house the Head Quarters and residence of Ara mission started. A Chapel (Brick and Mud) was built.
1938 : Land was bought (September 1938) and a Chapel and Residence building started.
1939 : Along with the residence and Chapel, Fr. Westropp SJ shifted the school to the present campus with boarding. The boys who were sent to the Middle School at Patna City (Old Cathedral) were also brought to this school.
1941 : Arrival of Fr. Nicholas Pollard SJ., succeeding Fr. Westropp SJ. He put up the separate brick building for the school to accommodate the increasing number of students. Fr. Apoline D’Costa and Two religious Sisters belonging to Sacred Heart Congregation also arrived and joined the Mission at Arrah.
1942 : Catholic Mission Upper Primary School within Arrah Municipality received recognition as “Class A” from the 1st of July 1942 (Memo No. 1063 – 64/5R-2-41 dated 4/12/1942) and received Certificate of Recognition from District Inspector of Schools, Shahbad, from the same date – 1st July 1942 – (Schedule XIX – Form no. 89/No. 388 of 12/1242, dated 25/11/1942). Sr. Ignacia SH was the Headmistress.
1947 : Fr. Francis Welzmiller SJ arrived as successor to Fr. Pollard SJ. He served Arrah Mission till 1974.
1952 : Starting of Catholic High School. Fr. Apoline D’Costa was the first Principal.
1954 : Provisional Recognition of the Catholic High School: Memo No. VI/6A-3-54/ 14874 Dated 18/12/1954 (Bihar Madhyamik Shikha Board)
1955 : First batch wrote the Bihar Madhyamik Board Exam.
1958 : Permanent Recognition of the High School: Memo No. VI/11C-6-58/ 27 Dated 03/01/1958
1973 : Shifting of the Middle School into the new Campus. Fr. Eugene Hatti SJ was the Headmaster.
1976 : Certification as Minority School: (Bihar Madhyamik Shikha Board – Letter No. 41527-33 dated 8/12/1976)
1977 : Certification as Minority School: Home Department/Ministry, Vishesh Shakha, Bihar: Letter No 1064/77/336 Dated1/09/1977
1980 : Certification of Catholic Middle School as Religious Minority School by the Bihar Madhyamik Shikha Board.(Letter No: 0/B301881/8 c – 1709 dated 01/08/1983)
1989 : Arrival of the Sisters of the Ursline Convent. (Sr. Sophia OSU from 1990 to 1994 and Sr. Elizabeth OSU from 2000 to 2008, served the Middle school as Headmistresses)
1991 : Starting of the Kindergarten in the High school Campus
1991 : Co-education began
2004 : N.C.C. Unit began
2011 : Starting of the +2 (Catholic Higher Secondary School) after receiving affiliation.
2014 : Shifting of the Kindergarten to the Middle School Campus.
2018 : Arrival of Sisters of Missionaries of Charity in Arrah.
2020 : Bringing back the Middle school to the old campus of the mission and thus the whole units of Catholic Mission School started functioning together again in one campus.
Catholic High School is meant primarily for Catholics but is open to all, irrespective of religion,caste or community who would be trained to lead lives in keeping with the school motto For God and Country. It strives for excellence in the education it imparts to boys/girls from in and around Arrah (Also spelt as Ara). Its earnest intent is that the young men/women it prepares for the world may be able to distinguish themselves by their selfless service, service inspired by the reality that as children of one God we are all brothers and sisters responsible for one another.
Learning gives creativity, creativity leads to thinking, thinking provides knowledge, and knowledge makes you great.
The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself. Education is the key to unlocking the vast potential within you.
Be educated, be organized, and be agitated. Education is the path to empowerment, enabling one to fight for justice and equality.
The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence.
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