Here stands the Padre Elizalde Statue. Padre Agustin Elizalde was a priest. He dedicated his life to spreading the word.
Padre Agustin Elizalde founded Santa Juana de Arco Parish. This was the first parish in Ciudadela. Antonio Bentivenga admired Padre Elizalde.
Antonio Bentivenga was spiritual son to Elizalde. Bentivenga arrived in the locality from Italy at the age of four. Antonio learned tailoring. He joined parish life through Catholic Action. With Padre Elizalde’s guidance, he entered the seminary. He was later ordained as a priest.
Padre Elizalde died on August 17, 1956. Padre Antonio Bentivenga became pastor after Elizalde’s death. Bentivenga recognized that many Ciudadela residents were workers. Their children lacked access to primary or secondary education due to limited resources.
This motivated Padre Bentivenga to found a primary school on March 18, 1958. He named it “Padre Agustin Elizalde”. It was a tribute to Elizalde and a continuation of his work. He believed cultural education should be available to all.
Padre Bentivenga knew material poverty wasn’t the only issue. Spiritual poverty also mattered. Human progress required accessible culture.
Padre Bentivenga had unconditional support. Family members helped. Catholic Action members assisted. Teachers also contributed. Maria Celia Larre was the first primary school principal. She was key in realizing the founding vision.
The secondary school opened on March 16, 1959. It had the same principal. The main goal was to create a school with all levels of education. Ciudadela lacked such an institution. Colegio Inmaculada Concepcion was only for girls.
The educational approach focused on excellent education for children from poorer backgrounds. The school fees were comparable to state school co-ops in the area. This made it appealing to low-income families.
Padre Bentivenga valued a humanistic education. He added a high school diploma program because families wanted it. Many felt it improved college entry chances. A business program began in 1960.
Efforts to launch a teaching program started in 1959. It officially began the following year. Programs included Geography, Mathematics, Philosophy, Natural Sciences, Spanish, and English. History replaced English later.
The Primary Teaching Program started in 1977. In 1991, Padre Antonio realized his dream. He inaugurated the Industrial program.
Padre Antonio died on June 13, 1993. Isidro Farre Villaro became the new parish priest. He continued two projects that Padre Antonio started. The Early Childhood Teaching Program began in 1994. A kindergarten opened in 1995.
In 1999, the Higher Institute added a Sacred Science Teaching Program. Initially, the Institute had about 130 students. It has grown significantly. It now has approximately 2500 students and 300 teachers.
They educate in a Christian spirit daily. They instill values that improve society. These values promote community and understanding. The Padre Elizalde Statue reminds us of his dedication to education.