| March 1, 1883 marked the
inauguration of the ministerial services of the Augustinian Sisters of
Our Lady of Consolacion (ASOLC) in the Philippines. It was dedicated to
care for forty orphans left by the 1882 cholera epidemic and was spearheaded
by Sor Rita Barcelo y Pages, the Foundress and Sor Joaquina Barcelo, the
co-Foundress. They then took care of the education of twelve colegialas
in Mandaluyong, Rizal.
Despite the perils of the
1896 Philippine Revolution and the Spanish-American War of 1898, the Augustinian
Sisters pursued their mission as Augustinian religious and established
an orphanage known as Asilo de Mandaloya and a boarding school tor girls
called Asilo-Colegio de Mandaloya (1889).
As fate would have it, their
dedication and persistence eventually paid off and their numbers grew.
Recognizing their zealousness, in 1902, the Papal Nuncio - His Excellency
Monsignor Chapelle - issued a decree donating a house located at R. Hidalgo
St. in Quiapo near the San Sebastian Church (now Basilica) to enable them
to put up a school for women which they named COLEGIO DE LA CONSOLACION.
In July 1906, Mother Consuelo
became the Mother Superior of the Augustinian Religious. In April 1945,
the Colegio de La Consolacion was officially renamed La Consolacion College.
A two-year collegiate course was offered to meet the increasing demand
of female students for higher education. Six years later, combined Junior
Normal and Home Economics as well as Secretarial courses were established
before the college's Golden Anniversary in 1952. As gold is tested by fire
to make it shining, so was the La Consolacion
College was purged by World
War II, and natural and manmade calamities.
Rising above the difficulties
that it had gone through, it successfully celebrated its Diamond anniversary
in 1977 during which a Pastoral Formation Center was established in memory
and honor of Mother Rita Barcelo y Pages.
Through the years, La Consolacion
College has significantly met the demands of its educational evolution
process in the dynamic human history and culture. Her membership in various
educational associations like the Catholic Education association of the
Philippines (CEAP), the Mendiola Consortium (MC), the Philippine Accrediting
Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU), the Philippine
Association of Collegiate Schools of Business (PASCB), the Philippine Society
for Educational Research and Evaluation (PSERE) and the Philippine Accreditation
of Colleges and Universities - Commission on Accreditation (PACU-COA) enunciates
her thrust to advocate goodwill and service to mankind, nationally as well
as
internationally.
In March 2001, the La Consolacion
College adopted another official name: LA CONSOLACION COLLEGE MANILA to
signify her adaptation, willingness and capability to cross over the threshold
of the 21st century. Her gratitude to God and His people for one hundred
years of service to the Community People is manifested in her continuing
commitment to Christ and His mission through renewing education. |
