One Heart Among Us

I am a proud ‘Heart Girl.” I graduated from Holy Heart of Mary High School back in the 80s.

Did you know the Newfoundland and Labrador Government stole Holy Heart of Mary High School from the Presentation Sisters and Sisters of Mercy?

The Sisters funded the construction of Holy Heart in the 1950s by taking on over 80% of the costs themselves. They financed the project through a combination of $500,000 in direct contributions and a $2.7 million bank loan.

They paid off that loan over 20 years through dedicated, long-term sacrifice of their personal earnings using their own salaries as teachers and nurses.

While the Smallwood Government provided a small amount of funding, the nuns took on the financial burden of construction in the 1950s and held the title to the property.

The land, which was owned by the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation, was transferred to the Sisters in 1959.

This investment by the Sisters helped establish one of the most prominent educational institutions in Newfoundland and Labrador. It was originally opened as an all-girls school on November 17, 1958.

It stood out as a state-of-the-art center of excellence that surpassed the standard for schools. Its reputation was built on superior, modern amenities and high-quality academic and artistic programming.

The school included a large auditorium that served as a primary venue for public performances in St. John's, even predating the Arts and Culture Centre.

It offered a robust, comprehensive curriculum focused on academic excellence, with a strong emphasis on music, the arts, and specialized courses.

It was designed to offer better educational opportunities for young women.

It was known for hiring high-quality staff, including teachers who also taught at Memorial University, ensuring a high level of instruction.

It was a bold undertaking by the Sisters of Mercy and Presentation.

Remember, in 1958, women in Newfoundland and Labrador still faced significant legal, economic, and social discrimination. While women had won the right to vote in 1925, we did not have equal rights in employment, property ownership, or legal status compared to men.

Newfoundland did not have equal pay for equal work legislation in 1958.

Married women often lacked independent legal status, with some laws placing them in the same category as "persons of unsound mind".

Women working in the civil service received lower pensions than men and were often forced to resign upon marriage. We could not sit on juries and were prohibited from keeping our maiden names when we were married.

A married woman was considered legally incapable of signing contracts, opening a bank account, or acting as a tutor to her children without her husband's consent.

Considering all that, you can see how outrageous it was for these nuns to open a state-of-the-art school for girls.

In the 1990s, the provincial government took over the school after denominational education ended. They took Holy Heart from the Sisters.

The Sisters took the government to court to recover their original costs.

A court settlement was reached, and the Sisters donated the proceeds to Catholic education initiatives.

Many of the women leading this province in business, politics, and other careers started at Holy Heart of Mary High School and have the Sisters of Mercy and the Presentation to thank.