Cathedral School of Lucknow

Cathedral School is a school established and administered by the Catholic Diocese of Lucknow, India, a religious and charitable society engaged in educational, medical and social work in eight districts of Lucknow. It is registered under the Registration of Societies Act No. XXI of 1860. The school is situated in the centre of Hazratganj. It is an unaided, co-educational, institution. A new system Of CCE is also implemented in the school for a continuous and a comprehensive evaluation of students. EduCom Smart Classes are also launched in primary classes of the school.

In 1858 history was in the making when a young Irish priest Rev. Fr. William Gleeson came to Lucknow. He sold the land of the former mission at Golabganj, now in the state of Uttar Pradesh, and out of the proceeds and subscriptions raised from the public. He purchased a plot of land at Hazratganj which was then in the wilderness. In 1860 he built a beautiful Church and dedicated it to St. Joseph. This Church was blessed by Bishop Anastasius Hartmann on 10 May 1862. In the same year Rev. Fr. William Gleeson built a boundary wall and a priest's house in 1860–1862. He then handed over charge of the station to Rev. Fr. Felix O.F.M. Cap, of Turin.

In 1885, Rev. Fr. Norbert, O.F.M. Cap, of Tossignano began teaching two boys, Issac and Charles Claudius, on the verandah of the priest’s house. Realizing the pressing need of education, he established St. Francis School and orphanage. In 1890 he established St. Francis Boarding and Day School where the present Cathedral School exists. In 1908 the land where St. Francis School now stands was purchased by the Bishop of Allahabad Rt. Rev. Petronius Gramigna O.F.M. Cap, In 1918 St. Francis School was shifted to its present location on 8, Shahnajaf Road. St. Joseph’s Orphanage and St. Joseph’s High School continued on the same premises of St. Joseph’s Church.

On 20 January 1942, Very Rev. Fr. Conrad De Vito, O.F.M Cap, was appointed the Parish Priest of St. Joseph’s Church Lucknow. On 16 February 1947, he was consecrated the First Bishop of the new Diocese of Lucknow. The governor of U.P., Sir Francis Wylie extended full support and also attended the consecration and played an important role in the festivities that followed. In early 1950, Bishop Conrad expressed deep concern for primary education. He also founded Anand Bhawan School and Institute of the Maids of the Poor in Barabanki city. He had sown the seed and perhaps this was the advent of greater things to come. Maybe this was the conception of a legend, “From a tiny acorn grew the mighty oak”. We thank Bishop Conrad De Vito in Heaven for planting that seed in 1950.

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