Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam – For The Greater Glory of God
VISIONS & MISSIONS
We offer a holistic, liberating and transforming Catholic education within a learning community for students and staff to become progressively competent, committed, compassionate, spiritual, and ethically discerning persons with a universal heart contributing to the welfare and happiness of all, in particular the poor and the neglected.
In accordance with our Catholic belief in God’s love and Chinese culture, we aim:
- to be empathic role models for our students to grow into responsible and compassionate community members,
- to inspire students to strive for excellence, and
- to nurture caring leaders who are competent spiritually, morally and intellectually.
In the sign of Christ,
we shall conquer
IN HOC SIGNO VINCES
Legend has it that the Roman emperor Constantine the Great, before his greatest battle, saw the sign of Christ in the sky. With the sign came the words ‘In Hoc Signo Vinces’ — In this Sign, you shall conquer. Constantine did not know its meaning until Christ appeared in his dream and told him to adopt the sign of Christ. Constantine did so and won the day.
While not all Wahyanites would engage in a physical battle in their lives, we are obliged, nevertheless, to engage in a lifelong struggle to conquer oneself. As stated in the Wah Yan Spirit, we believe that ‘for a man to conquer himself is the first and best of all victories.’ In the name of Christ, we shall conquer.
Society of Jesus
SPONSORING BODY
The school’s sponsoring body is the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). It is a religious order of the Roman Catholic Church with over 14,000 members spread throughout the world. The Jesuits run more than 800 schools and universities.
In Hong Kong, there are 19 Jesuits serving at the two Wah Yan Colleges, Ricci Hall of the University of Hong Kong and Xavier House at Cheung Chau. Others are serving at the Holy Spirit Seminary College, other intellectual ministries, Mass Centres, development, the Christian Life Community in HK, and studying.
We are continuing the Mission of God in preaching, healing, pastoring, education, formation and reconciliation. We ponder and discern what God is pointing out to us. We are also engaged in finding God in all things so to point out to others the presence of God in their lives and our world. We are ready to follow God even under the most challenging circumstances, to enter into and engage in dialogue with those of other faiths, cultures, value systems and perspectives, and to stand in the front lines in the pursuit of faith and justice, sharing the message of the Gospel that all are yearning for deep in their hearts, for the greater glory of God.
We are proud of our traditions at Wah Yan
HERITAGE
From our founding days to the present, we have been upholding our mission for more than a century. The Wah Yan story is one of adaptation and growth. Wah Yan College was founded on 16th December 1919 by Mr. Tsui Yan Sau, Peter. There were four students on the first day of school. It was not long before we became the first Grant-In-Aid school founded and managed by a Chinese in 1922. Our extraordinary performance in the early days drew the attention of the Jesuits, who agreed to take over in 1932. The two Wah Yans have served as the Jesuits’ foothold in Hong Kong ever since.
Our commitment to education has never been deterred by any adversity, not even by the Japanese occupation, during which we continued teaching under unfavourable circumstances. After surviving the hard years, we moved into our current Mount Parish campus in 1955. We treasure the heritage that our Jesuit fathers and alumni have built for us, and we strive to lead Wah Yan into a new century of growth.
SCHOOL SONG
Our school song was composed in 1960 by Sister Carmela Santos, a Filipino who taught in St. Paul’s Convent School and was regarded as one of the best musicians in Hong Kong at the time. The lyrics were written by our own Fr. Patrick MoGovern S.J., teacher in Wah Yan and member of the Legislative Council.
SCHOOL PRAYER
O Lord Jesus, be with me all through today to help me to live as I ought to live.
Be with me at my lessons, so that I may grow in knowledge and never give up any task, no matter how hard and difficult it is, until I have tried my best.
Be with me at my games, so that, whether I win or lose, I may play fair, and if I win I may not boast, and if I lose I may not make excuses.
Be with me in my pleasure, so that I may enjoy your gifts and never use them selfishly or to hurt others.
Be with me in my home, so that I may be kind and considerate, and that I may try to make the work of others easier and not harder.
Be with me in the streets, so that I may be a credit to my school and to those who love me and to myself.
Be with me in my disappointments and sufferings, so that I may have strength to overcome my problems and accept my pain with courage and cheerfulness.
Help me to be the kind of boy you want me to be.
This I ask for your love’s sake. Amen.
SCHOOL PRAYER
O Lord Jesus, be with me all through today to help me to live as I ought to live.
Be with me at my lessons, so that I may grow in knowledge and never give up any task, no matter how hard and difficult it is, until I have tried my best.
Be with me at my games, so that, whether I win or lose, I may play fair, and if I win I may not boast, and if I lose I may not make excuses.
Be with me in my pleasure, so that I may enjoy your gifts and never use them selfishly or to hurt others.
Be with me in my home, so that I may be kind and considerate, and that I may try to make the work of others easier and not harder.
Be with me in the streets, so that I may be a credit to my school and to those who love me and to myself.
Be with me in my disappointments and sufferings, so that I may have strength to overcome my problems and accept my pain with courage and cheerfulness.
Help me to be the kind of boy you want me to be.
This I ask for your love’s sake. Amen.
A Beautiful Campus with A Rich History
There is always a sense of peace and serenity when one enters the Wah Yan campus, which has stood proudly on Mount Parish since 1955. The blue and yellow railings, the maroon red bricks and the lush green lawns all give a soothing effect to the soul, which makes our renowned and charming campus perfect for learning and prayer.
