Northern Province

Bathinda, a sleepy town of sand dunes in the 1960’s, is one of the largest railway junctions in Asia and also is known for its food grain and cotton markets.To provide the pastoral care of a few Catholics at Bathinda, Rt Rev John Burke, the Bishop of Simla Diocese, invited Mother Macrina, the Superior General of Bethany Congregation. Hence, St Joseph’s Convent, the first house of Bethany in North India, was opened on 12th January 1961 with Mother Gemma, the first Superior and Principal, Sr Florence and Sr Benilda as the pioneers. Thanks to Shri Bhai Sher Jang Singh, the Deputy Commissioner of Bathinda, who made all the necessary arrangements for their initial stay at Rest House and the inauguration of the Convent. St Joseph’s Convent School, the 1st English Medium School in the town, was inaugurated in a rented house at Civil Lines with 26 students on 26th January 1961.The fast expansion and excellence of the school was evident when its students became the CBSE toppers with 3rd, 9th, 11th and 14th positions in India in 1980, and 2 of its teachers receiving the President’s Best Teacher Award in 1983 and 1987 respectively. Thanks to the blessings of the Almighty, the school today has a magnificent edifice with 3,400 students on its roll.

Expanding their mission activities a hostel was inaugurated on 8th Sept 1967 and a Convent building on 15th July 1971.From 1970 Sisters ventured out into the distant villages rendering their service to the less privileged through the pastoral, medical and social apostolates.  The work continues with greater impetus till date. To attend to the educational needs of the financially backward children of the locality, the Punjabi Medium School that was started in 1972 with 10 children in the corridor of the English Medium School now has 570 students with a well-equipped infrastructure.  St Joseph’s Convent that started a free hostel to cater to the educational needs of the poor Catholic girls of distant villages in 1975 now has 16 girls studying upto class 10th. The campus also runs a Tailoring Centre to help a few men and women of low income group to earn their livelihood and remedial classes for the slum dwellers. Thanks to the vision and charism of the Founder Servant of God RFC Mascarenhas, the intercession of St Joseph and the sacrificing spirit and commitment of the Sisters and those associated with the institution.

But we have, as Robert Frost reminds us, miles to go before we sleep and million hearts to be touched with the message of Christ’s love, peace, unity, brotherhood and prosperity.

                                                                                                     Sr Grace Maria BS
                                                                                                         Local Manager

Sr Ophilia Lobo BS
Principal

School Building

XII A

 XII Commerce

XII Humanities