Sacred Heart School- Hijas de Jesus is a Catholic educative institution of the family of St. Candida Maria de Jesus inspired by her life, spirituality, and charism where God is our Father and all of us are brothers and sisters.
The “IHS” is a monogram (a symbolic abbreviation) which originally comes from the first three letters in the Greek spelling of Jesus’ name (Iota-Eta-Sigma). It stands for the person of Jesus, Son of God, who became man, lived among men, was crucified, died and was buried, rose from the dead and has authority in heaven and on earth. Indeed, He is Lord of all and of History.
With the establishment of the Communist government in China, the Jesuits of the China mission were expelled in 1949 and came to the Philippines. A substantial number of Chinese families who were living in Cebu felt the need for a middle school for their children.
They asked Paul O’Brien, then the Superior of the Jesuits belonging to the former China mission, to respond to this need. Thus, Sacred Heart School was established by the Jesuits and affiliated with the school of the Augustinian Recollects (now known as the University of San Jose-Recoletos).
Sacred Heart School became an independent school with its location in Gen. Maxilom Avenue (formerly Mango Ave.) with separate departments for boys and girls.
Fr. Francisco Heras, SJ, Rector of Sacred Heart School, asked the Hijas de Jesus who worked closely with the Jesuits in Anking, China to send some Sisters to handle the girls’ department. By this time, the number of students had gradually increased.
In mid-November, the girls’ department had to find a new location on Don Jose Avila St. (formerly Kamias St.) where the first wooden building was built. The school, now independent from the Jesuit school, became known as Sacred Heart School for Girls, run and managed by the Hijas de Jesus.
The school was nationalized as a Filipino school for basic education (Nursery to Fourth Year High School) and with the Chinese Language and Arts program as an essential subject in the school curriculum.
The school opened its doors to boys for nursery education.
The school received its first 3-year accreditation status from the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU).
Sacred Heart School for Girls received its first 5-year PAASCU accreditation status, followed by successful accreditations every 5 years, the last one being in 2018.
The school opened to boys for elementary education. Thus, its name was changed to Sacred Heart School - Hijas de Jesus.
The High School department was opened for admission of boys, making the school co-educational (coed) for both boys and girls.
The first batch of coed fourth year high school graduated. The school was given a provisional permit to open the Senior High School program.
Sacred Heart School - Hijas de Jesus was given a Level III Accreditation status by the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP).
The first batch of Senior High School students graduated.
In mid-March, the school shifted to Hybrid Online Learning Delivery (HOLD) classes due to the CoVid pandemic which swept the whole world. No onsite classes and gatherings were allowed and this lasted until the earlier part of SY 2022-2023.
Onsite in-person classes and activities were gradually conducted, with a combination of online and onsite classes as the CoVid pandemic slowly eased.
Juana Josefa Cipitria y Barriola was born on May 31, 1845 at a caserio or farmhouse named Berrospe, in Andoain, in the province of Guipuzcoa, Spain. Her parents were Juan Miguel, a weaver, and Maria Jesus, a simple housewife. As a child, she had a simple faith in God as Father. “God is our Father. We are His children and so, we are brothers and sisters to one another.”
At the young age of 17, she worked as a helper to a wealthy family. She was dedicated not only in her household duties but also in her faith life. She also showed great love for the poor by giving food or even her salary to them. She would say: “Where there is no room for the poor, neither is there room for me.”
Then at the age of 26, despite her poor and simple background and lack of education, God called her to found a congregation with the mission of educating her brothers and sisters in the faith. He also gave her the help she needed through a Jesuit priest named Fr. Miguel San Jose Herranz, S.J. through whose guidance she deepened in the Ignatian Spirit.
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, she changed her name to Candida Maria de Jesus. On December 8, 1871, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, she founded the Congregation of the Hijas de Jesus dedicated to the salvation of souls through the Christian formation of children and the youth.
Throughout her life and especially as a foundress, Candida Maria de Jesus had always been aware of her personal poverty, thus, she would distrust herself and put all her trust in God. “God is a loving Father who always provides and never abandons His children.” In the face of trials and difficulties she would say, “Alone I can do nothing, but with God I can do everything.” She also looked to Mary as the Star of her Way to whom she would always say: “May Mary shelter us beneath her mantle.”
In all that she did, Candida Maria de Jesus tried to search for and be obedient to God’s will. As her way of loving God, she wanted to please Him and would never tire of working for His greater glory. This she expressed by trying to bring as many souls to God as possible and she encouraged everyone especially her daughters to do the same.
The spirituality of Mother Foundress was based on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Everything she did was for the greater glory of God (Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam.); always searching and finding God in all things, thus, making one contemplative in action.
