Our Founder

Rev. Fr. Peter Mermier (1790-1862)
Rev. Fr. Peter Mermier was born on 28th August 1790, at Savoy in France. His father was Francois Mermier and Mother Antoniette Bastion. He grew up, as a child, dedicated and hardworking, endowed with a calm character, alert mind, bright intelligence and genuine piety. He did excellently well in his studies. He was a model and an inspiration to the rest of the students.

As a boy he manifested his desire to become a Priest to serve people. He was ordained a Priest on 21st March 1813. Then he worked as a teacher at Melan where he formulated his own philosophy of education.

He founded the congregation of the Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod for the education of poor peasant girls. He initiated the educational apostolate of the Missionaries by undertaking the management of the secondary schools of Melan and Evian in France. After an eventful life, leaving behind a heritage he breathed his last on 30th September 1862.

Optimism, fidelity, gentleness, hospitality, kindness, cordiality and positive regard for others were some of the shades of his saintly personality.

Fr. Mermier firmly believed that education of the heart is the heart of education and that it is incomplete without human formation. He envisaged an educational programme marked by respect for children. He advised his teacher-confreres to love their pupils, to be a mother to them by their tenderness and a father by their prudence. “True education,” according to him, “is opening the heart rather than mind”. He expected from the pupils three things: knowledge, wisdom and discipline.

The Fransalians were asked to work in eastern and central India. Beginning, at Visakhapatnam, they opened centers in places as far away as Cuttack, Aurangabad and Nagpur. They had to travel long distances on horseback or by bullock cart. They took care of people affected by famine or various diseases. Fransalians started social centers, dispensaries and orphanages. Realizing the value and the need of education they started St. Aloysius’ school in 1847 in Visakhapatnam and laid the foundation for educational apostolate. At present the Fransalians are working in different parts of our country in urban and rural areas, helping people to live happy lives founded on ‘Faith in God’ and ‘Concern for the welfare of others’. While respecting all religions and cultures, they make it their mission to hold aloft the values taught by Jesus, which inspired Gandhiji and made especially attractive by St. Francis de Sales, the patron of our college.

Fransalians(M.S.F.S) Since 1838
The year 2013 marks the 175th anniversary of the foundation of the Missionaries of St. Francis De Sales, (M.S.F.S.). This religious society of Fathers and Brothers also known as the Fransalians, is responsible for the S.F.S. Educational Institutions in India and abroad.

The congregation (M.S.F.S) was founded 1838, more than two centuries after the death of St. Francis de Sales, our Patron. Our founder, Father Peter Mermier, was born in 1790 and as a child experienced the terrorism let loose by the extremists of the French Revolution. His parents were farmers, and his mother was a wonderful woman from whom he learnt to have faith in God, to face troubles in life with courage and to help those who were subjected to suffer by the terrorist.

As a young man, Peter Mermier decided to dedicate his life to the service of God and others as Priest. For some time he was put in charge of teaching and discipline in a residential school for boys. But he soon realized that his mission was to go from place to place helping young and old to live the ideals taught by Jesus and which St. Francis De Sales has practiced very well. Everyone should have faith in God who loves us. Kindness, patience, forgiveness and readiness to help people in any kind of need, whether material or spiritual, are the objectives of Fransalians.

In reply to an appeal made by the Pope, six Fransalians, for priests and two brothers landed in India in 1845, only seven years after the foundation of the society speaks volumes about their missionary commitment. Over the years, they were joined by other dedicated and courageous men.

These Missionaries of St. Francis De Sales are a congregation of Fathers and Brothers founded by Father Peter Mermier in 1838 at Annecy, France. It was his desire to instruct the youth and lead them along the right path. For this purpose, he started preaching missions, conducting camps and running Educational Institutions. The members of the M.S.F.S are in the educational arena of India for the last 165 years. Under them there are more than 110 educational institutions throughout our country. In A.P. alone there are 22 S.F.S Schools. They are engaged in education ministry – conducting schools, technical and sociological institutes, hostels, orphanages, home for the aged and mentally challenged, besides catering to the spiritual needs of the people.

The Kotak Salesian School, Visakhapatnam was opened in 1963 by the Missionaries of St. Francis De Sales who have been working in India since 1845.