Vision and Mission
1.1 St. Francis Xavier’s College shall operate as a “Catholic” school. Its “Catholic” identity shall be recognized in so far as it conforms with the criteria set by the Catholic Church [see Canon 803 §§1-3 and related Canons 804-806 of the Code of Canon Law (promulgated in 1983), quoted in the Appendix; also refer to Vatican II, Declaration on Christian Education (28 October 1965), 8-9; Congregation for Catholic Education, Instruction “The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School” (7 April 1988)].
With a determination to carry on the contribution of the Catholic Church to education, the School, as its vision and mission, shall uphold and pass on the following core values to young people to prepare them properly for their life and future responsibilities –
1.1.1 Truth: It is what the human intellect is searching for –
(a) Human reason’s capacity for truth must be upheld, and the desire for truth, especially the truth about God and about the meaning of life, must always be encouraged and kept alive.
(b) Wisdom, which enables a person to distinguish right from wrong, and good from evil, must be treasured above all other kinds of knowledge.
(c) Honesty demands that a person tell the truth and put it into practice, even at the cost of making a great sacrifice.
1.1.2 Justice: It is the moral virtue that consists of a constant and resolute will to give to God and one’s neighbours their due –
(a) Justice towards God is called the “virtue of religion”; and justice towards one’s neighbours disposes one to respect the rights of others and to establish in human relationships the harmony that promotes equity with regard to individual persons and to the common good.
(b) Human dignity can be protected and promoted, and the wellbeing of society can be achieved, only if human rights are respected and individuals undertake their responsibilities for one another, for their own families, and for society.
1.1.3 Love: It is the greatest of all virtues –
(a) God, the source of life and goodness, has created everything out of love, and has called the whole human family to be His children. As a member of God’s family, one’s goals in life are to share God’s happiness, to love God above all things and love one’s neighbours as brothers and sisters.
(b) Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Saviour of humankind, is the model of selfless love and humble service to others.
(c) The practice of all the virtues is to be inspired and motivated by love, so that all aspects of human life and interpersonal relationship may be bound together in perfect harmony.
(d) Love surpasses the strict measure of justice and urges one to care for the poor and the needy, and to make a preferential option for the underprivileged and marginalized in society.
1.1.4 Life: It is a priceless gift from God and is sacred in itself –
(a) Every human person is created in the image of God and has the right to life, which must be respected from its conception to its natural end.
(b) In the spirit of the “Beatitudes” as taught in the Gospel, the tribulations and adversities in life are to be faced with serenity and hope.
(c) Every person is entitled to have whatever is necessary for a decent and dignified existence.
(d) Only a society which respects human life can bring happiness to all.
1.1.5 Family: It is the basic unit of society –
(a) Only pure love, the unreserved mutual self-giving between husband and wife, is truly gratifying; a happy, wholesome marriage is prepared by the practice of the virtue of chastity and sustained by fidelity and an indissoluble, lifelong commitment.
(b) Inasmuch as sex is an integral part of conjugal life and has its own dignity, a balanced sex education must follow a holistic and in-depth approach, with emphasis on the virtues of self-discipline and mutual respect between a man and a woman.
(c) Marriage is the foundation of a family; an intact and united family is a permanent support for husband and wife, and for parents and children, in achieving their goals in life; an intact and united family is likewise a most favourable setting for the upbringing of children and young people, and a necessary condition for the wellbeing of human society.
1.2 The School shall cultivate the above core values by –
1.2.1 upholding the time-honoured practice of respecting and collaborating with stakeholders with diverse backgrounds in achieving the School’s vision and mission as set out in this Article, in the awareness that the success of education depends on the joint effort of all parties concerned (refer to Canon 796§2 and Canon 800§2 of the Code of Canon Law, quoted in the Appendix);
1.2.2 providing a family environment imbued with mutual trust and love in the School; and
1.2.3 incorporating in the formal school curriculum Religious Education courses designed by the SSB (as defined herein), and fostering a Catholic spirit through religious practices held regularly in the School, such as morning prayers and religious activities held regularly for staff and students.
1.3 The School was established by “The Visitor in Hong Kong of the Institute of the Marist Brothers of the Schools” whose founder St. Marcellin Champagnat had passed on the following beliefs and ideals as an integral part of his educational vision and mission –
1.3.1 That we should make Jesus known and loved among the young and the children, especially the poor and the least favoured.
1.3.2 That to bring up children properly, we must love them, and love them all equally.
1.3.3 That each of our students would cherish the love of God and accordingly develop his potentials fully, lead a meaningful life as an individual, and take a contributing role in society.
1.4 With due regard for the core values set out in Article 2.1, the School shall also strive to put the aforementioned beliefs and ideals into practice by inculcating in the school environment the following –
1.4.1 Opportunity be provided for the students to learn the Gospel of Christ in order to enrich their spiritual life.
1.4.2 Our students be nurtured with Marist Style of Education that they may get a whole-person education and develop their moral, intellectual, physical, social and aesthetic potentials.
1.4.3 That our students be instilled with the proper moral values so that they have positive goals of life, and have concern about others in the society.
1.4.4 That our students may build up with confidence, interpersonal relationship and leadership skills so that they are able to meet future challenges and changes.