The founder of Catholic schools in Malta was Mgr Cajetan Pace Forno, later bishop and archbishop of Malta. As soon as he had been appointed bishop he reformed the studies in the Seminary and gained from Rome the faculty of giving academic grades.

Hailing from Gozo, he joined the Maltese Austin Friars when still young. He became Master of Theology and taught both in Italy and in Malta.He was elected Maltese provincial and, in 1848, he founded St Augustine’s Free School - Scuola Gratuita Sant’Agostino. He gave a motto to the school that remains to this day painted on an arch in the corridor where the school used to be. The motto was Religioni et Patriae (for religion and for country)

To the religion because, during those days, there was a drive towards teaching by protestants and to the country because of the fact that working class people could not afford education for their children.

St Augustine’s School was closed during World War II an opened again when the war was over.It was upgraded to a college, moving first from Valletta to Tarxien and then from Tarxien to Pietà where it still is.

Other schools of religious orders followed its example and also its motto.

At present there is a move towards the introduction in the syllabus studies of other creeds that, I guess, run contrary to the spirit of their foundation. Doing so would mean they would not remain Catholic schools any more.

I am not against Catholic schools accepting pupils from other denominations. Yet, they must remain Catholic schools.