On Tuesday, 29th October 2024, two Maltese Catholic nuns were invited to St. Margaret College Secondary School Verdala, Cospicua to share their life experiences with Religion programme students. The two nuns, Sr Claudia Pace and Sr Ninette Deguara are both members of the Congregation of the Augustinian Sisters, Servants of Jesus and Mary.

Sr Claudia Pace is a school chaplain and Sr Ninette Deguara is currently deputy headmistress, both serving at St. Monica Church School in Malta. During the session, students were given the chance to ask questions and watch a video about the daily mission of the Augustinian nuns in Malta and Gozo. Sr Ninette invited the students to live their lives to the full and to search for opportunities in life which make them happy and where they can exercise their full potential. On the other hand, Sr Claudia invited the students to look for simplicity in life and follow Jesus as it is He who offers us hope and enlightenment.

The Congregation of the Augustinian Sisters, Servants of Jesus and Mary was founded in Frosinone, Italy in 1827 by Maria Teresa Spinelli who felt the call to open the first Council school for girls in that town and set up a community based on the ideals of the first Jerusalem community. During the first years, the community remained in Frosinone. Teresa Spinelli began a day and boarding school, catechism lessons, retreats, and meetings for spiritual formation for adults, youths and children. Teresa Spinelli believed that in this way she and her community would serve in a useful manner in society. Many sought the education in Teresa Spinelli’s school which remained the only girls’ school in Frosinone for many years.

The Augustinian Sisters first came to Malta in 1894 at the request of Bishop Pietro Pace; they established their first home at Qormi and later on, in 1928, they opened another home at Mosta. Other homes then followed: in 1937 at Gżira, in 1946 at Għajnsielem, in 1950 at Birkirkara, and 1940 a novitiate at Rabat. The Maltese Augustinian sisters are also established in Australia, the United States, England, Brazil, Zaire, India and the Philippines.

Written by Hailey Coleiro and Alanah Ghio, students at St. Margaret College Senior Secondary School Verdala Cospicua, Malta