Canossian Heritage
Our Foundress, St Magdalene of Canossa, was born in Italy in 1774 into a Noble Family during a time when education was a luxury many did not have access to. She desired to provide the poor with a holistic education grounded in Christianity and thus set up “charity schools”, which cared and provided for the poorest of the poor; the most wretched and abandoned. Magdalene sought to help young people grow in awareness of their dignity and God’s love for them in the hopes of helping them live meaningful lives and contributing to their families and greater society.
She specifically targeted girls and women as beneficiaries of these ‘charity schools’ in line with her belief that educated, pious, mothers and wives would be able to contribute greatly to the formation of strong family units. In turn, the prevalence of such family units would lead to a morally strong society and consequently, a God-loving nation. Her charism, vision, and purpose arose from her beliefs that God makes every person equal in dignity. This means that everyone deserves respect and an equal opportunity to lead a meaningful and purposeful human life. All that she did, she did for the greater glory of God.
Canossian Family
Canossaville is just one arm of Canossa Mission Singapore, which in turn, is a single prong of the Canossian Daughters of Charity (FDCC).
Since 1894, the Canossian Sisters have stretched their service and care for those most in need all over the country, running a number of schools and homes during their time here. Our Sisters continue to act as the guides for these institutions, leading them along the lines of the Canossian ideals of Faith, Humility and Charity. The other members of our family include:
Canossian Daughters of Charity
St Anthony’s Canossian
Primary School
St Anthony’s Canossian
Secondary School
St Joseph’s Home
Villa Francis
Lifesprings Canossian Spirituality Centre
Canossian Village
The Canossian Village is made up of a variety of educational institutions that actively engage each other in the common pursuit of positively impacting the lives of every person that walks through our doors.
The Village comprises 8 different sectors, all begun by the Canossian Sisters, which work in conjunction to provide the most holistic education possible for each and every child in their care. The 8 sectors are:
Canossa Convent
Canossa Catholic
Primary School
Canossian School
Canossaville Student Care
Canossaville Preschool
Canossian EIPIC
Canossaville Children
and Community Services
Canossian Child
Development Unit
Canossaville’s Journey
1894
4 Canossian Sisters arrived in Singapore in 1894. On 11 December, 1894, they were invited to take over St Anthony’s Girls School; later renamed to St Anthony’s Convent School.
1941
Fatima Home was opened alongside Canossa Convent Primary School in August 1941 after the Sisters had acquired a piece of land along Sallim Road. The home began by housing 31 orphans.
1944
In 1944, the Japanese took over the convent to be their Geylang district headquarters. The 80 orphans and 6 Sisters were forced to evacuate to Bahau Jungle in Federated Malaysia.
1945
The Japanese surrendered in 1945 and the orphans and Sisters returned back to the convent.
1952
On 13 April 1952, Fatima Home began accepting children with hearing and visual impairment, and with physical disabilities for the first time. A new wing was built for them.
1956
The home started special residential care for the hearing impaired.
1979
In 1979, the name Fatima Home was retired and the name Canossaville Children’s Home was adopted.
1980
Supervision for latchkey children before and after school began.
1983
The Student Care Centre was officially set up in 1983 to cater to the increasing number of schooling children left unattended to at home by their working parents.
1996
Construction for the multi-purpose extension concluded in March. It housed the Total Learning Centre and Before and After School Care Services.
1996
The Total Learning Centre and Before and After School Services were housed in the new extension.
2004
The Student Care Centre (SCC) officially became an Integrated Special Student Care Centre with effect from November 2004.
2016
In July 2016, the decision to close down the children’s home was communicated to MSF and the home was officially closed that same year, transitioning into a Student Care Centre.
2017
In June 2017, the name Canossaville Children and Community Services was adopted.
2018
Magdalene’s Kindergarten transitioned into Canossaville Preschool in January 2018.
2019
Canossaville Children and Community Services officially opened in November 2019.
2020
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canossaville organised the Bread Door Events – regular distributions of food and daily necessities to families in need.
2021
Canossaville celebrated its 80th anniversary on 15 August 2021. Canossaville launched the Canossian Family Care Services and Canossian Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children.
2022
In celebration of our 81st Annivesary, our signature care pack distribution initative was officially named Project ROTI (Reach Out To Inspire). Canossaville is committed to continue serving the needs of our families and the community. We hope that through these little acts of love, we can continue to bring hope and relief to the families.
2022
On 11 October 2022, Canossaville was honoured to receive the President’s Volunteerism Philantrophy (PVPA) 2022 – Organisation of Good (Non-Profit Organisation). The PVPA awards represent the highest honour for giving in the community and are conferred by the President of the Republic of Singapore.