The school is a fee-levying school which receives some state funding while also relying on funds from an extensive network of alumni worldwide.[4]
History
With the foundation stone laid in December 1894, by the Papal Delegate for Asia, St. Joseph's College, Colombo, was declared open on 2 March 1896.[5] At the beginning the school had 211 students and 96 students in the preparatory school. Rev. Fr. Charles Collin, was appointed the first rector. The college building was formally declared open by Governor of Ceylon, West Ridgeway, and was blessed by Msgr. Zaleski, and the Archbishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Melizan.
The rector's office, the college office and the classrooms were all housed in the first building, the clock tower building. The college magazine was started in 1905. The Bonjean hall was the third building to be completed, by Rev. Fr. Charles Lytten, the second rector.
Rector, Rev. Fr. Emil Nicholas was the third rector appointed in 1912. One of Nicholas' achievements was the creation of the first religious association of the college, the Guild of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.[6]
Four years later, in 1919, another educationist, scientist and administrator, Rev. Fr. Maurice J. Legoc OMI was appointed the fourth rector. Continuing the expansion to meet the growing demand for education, in 1933, the present primary building, originally named "The Maurice Block", became the newest addition. The next large expansion was the south wing, a two-storey building to house classrooms.
Being a scientist, Rev. Fr. Legoc in the 1930's could foresee the significance of science in education and its role in a changing world. He took leadership in placing great emphasis on incorporating science subjects into the curriculum. As a botanist, he published Tropical Botany, a text that was widely known in Ordinary Level classes, both in India and Sri Lanka. Fr. Legoc was also responsible and introduced a scheme of scholarships for the under privileged students, making a difference to the lives of the needy and that of the future generations. Fr. Legoc's vision was to widen the provision of education, continuing to make a difference to the lives of those we had to reach. The initiative saw the birth of,
(a) St. Joseph's College South, later St. Peter's College Colombo in 1922
(b) St. Joseph's College Negombo Branch
(c) St. Joseph's College Wattala Branch
(d) St. Paul's College, Waragoda (1935)
(e) St. John's College, Dematagoda (1939)
On the feast of St. Joseph, 19 March 1929, the foundation stone for the College Chapel was laid by the Archbishop of Colombo.[citation needed]
Rev. Fr. Peter Pillai OMI was the fifth Rector, from 1940 to 1961, the first Sri Lankan, a great scholar widely respected in Asia. The Grotto at St. Joseph's, a replica of the Grotto in Lourdes, France, was built in 1940. The College buildings were taken over by the Army during World War II, but the institution continued education with branches housed in Homagama, Kelaniya, Gampaha and later at Borella.
Sports
Cricket has been played at the school since its founding. At that time it was the only Catholic school in a group of elite, mainly secular or Protestant Christian, private boys' schools which often played against one another.[7] Many alumnae played on the national team.[8] Many alumni have played for the national team.[citation needed]
St. Joseph's oldest cricket rival is St. Anthony's College, Kandy. They compete for the Murali-Vaas Trophy, which was inaugurated in 2007 and named after St. Anthony's alumnus Muttiah Muralitharan and St. Joseph's alumnus Chaminda Vaas. [citation needed]In 2012 the two schools celebrated their historic 100th encounter.[9] The most high-profile rivalry is against St. Peter's College, a brother school founded as its satellite campus and also known as the St. Joseph's College South. The annual match-up is known locally as the "Battle of the Saints" or "Joe–Pete".[10]
Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas is a former Sri Lankan international cricketer who represented the Sri Lanka national cricket team. He is a fast medium pace bowler and one of the most successful bowlers in international cricket. He was a part of the Sri Lankan squad which won the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816, by Eugène de Mazenod, a French priest later recognized as a Catholic saint. The congregation was given recognition by Pope Leo XII on February 17, 1826. As of January 2020, the congregation was composed of 3,631 priests and lay brothers usually living in community. Their traditional salutation is Laudetur Iesus Christus, to which the response is Et Maria Immaculata. Members use the post-nominal letters, "OMI".
Joseph Vaz, CO was an Oratorian priest and missionary in Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Originally from Sancoale in Portuguese India, Vaz arrived in Ceylon during the Dutch occupation, a time when the Dutch had banned Catholicism in Ceylon and imposed Calvinism as the official religion after taking control from the Portuguese Empire.
St. Peter's College is a Roman Catholic boys-only primary to secondary (inclusive) school in the Bambalapitiya zone of Colombo, Sri Lanka, founded in 1922.
The Christ the King Seminary is a Roman Catholic seminary in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town, Karachi, Pakistan; located in adjacent to the Portiuncula Friary. In its early years most of the faculty were provided by the Franciscans. It has been described as "the pioneering theological institution for the Catholic Church in Pakistan."
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Colombo is a Latin metropolitan archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church, whose ecclesiastical province covers all Sri Lanka plus the Maldives. It depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Thomas Benjamin Cooray, O.M.I. was a Sri Lankan cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the Archbishop of Colombo from 1947 to 1976. Pope Paul VI made him a cardinal in 1965.
St. Anthony's College, Kandy is a Roman Catholic School in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The college was established in 1844 by the Franciscan missionary, Felice Zoppi. The college is under the management of the Sylvestro Benedictine congregation and falls under the Diocese of Kandy. A number of notable individuals, including presidents, ministers, and parliamentarians have graduated from the college.
St. Thomas' College, Matale, or (STC), is a secondary school for only boys; located in Matale, Sri Lanka.
The Joseph Vaz College of Wennappuwa is a public school in Wennappuwa, Sri Lanka. It was established in 1934 and consecrated in honour of St. Joseph Vaz. It opened with 28 children with Bro. Lewis as its first director. It is a National School, meaning that it is funded by the central government as opposed to the Provincial Council providing both primary and secondary education. It has a student population of 7450 and the tutorial staff consists of 280 teachers.
St. Lucia's Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Colombo in Sri Lanka. The cathedral is located at Kotahena, in the north east of Colombo, on 18,240 sq. ft. of land. It traces its origins to a small structure for worship built during the Dutch occupation.
St Patrick's College (SPC) is a private school in Gurunagar, Jaffna, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1850 by Roman Catholic missionaries.
The Battle of the Saints is the annual cricket contest between St. Joseph's College and St Peter's College in Colombo, Sri Lanka, which typically takes place in March. Inaugurated in 1933 by the Rectors of both schools and has since become a highly anticipated event, attracting significant media coverage and enthusiastic supporters. Since 2016, which is the 82nd encounter, both teams compete for the Reverend Father Maurice Legoc Trophy, named after the tournament's founder. For the past 82 matches, St. Joseph's college have recorded 12 wins, while the Peterites have registered 10. The rest of the matches have ended up as a draw with no wins for either team. In 2008 St. Joseph's college won the match, which ended a 35-year drought, and in 2010 St. Peter's won the match after 32 years. In the series the highest score is recorded by St Joseph’s college, which is 382, made back in 1982, led by Ken Serpanchy, while St. Peter's college best being 345 for 9 in 1938 under Percy Perera.
St. Joseph's College (SJC) is a national school in Trincomalee, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka.
St. Peter's College, Gampaha is a boys and girls primary to secondary (inclusive) and was a branch school of St Peter's College, Colombo. It is located in the Udugampola zone of Minuwangoda, Sri Lanka, and was founded on 2 February 1993. Even though the school is located in Gampaha district, St. Peter's College, Gampaha belongs to the Minuwangoda educational Zone.
St. Joseph's College, Wattala also known as "St. Joseph's College Colombo 10 - Wattala Branch" was formerly known as St. Joseph's College, Enderamulla. It is a Catholic private school situated in the suburbs of Colombo. It is a selective entry Catholic school commenced on 10 January 1996 under the guidance of Rev. Dr. Stanley Abeysekera. The College enrolls over 1,400 students with a staff of over 85.
Right Reverend Dr. Fidelis Lionel Emmanuel Fernando is a Sri Lankan priest and current Roman Catholic Bishop of Mannar. He is the first Bishop appointed from among the Bharatha community of Sri Lanka.
Poruthotage Raymond Ernest Alexander Fernando, often known simply as Ernest Poruthota, was a Catholic priest. Popularly known as "Priest of the Sinhala Cinema", Poruthota rendered a yeoman service to Sri Lanka's cinema industry and was the founder of Sri Lanka OCIC organization.
The Aquinas College of Higher Studies also known as Aquinas University College is a Sri Lankan nonprofit private Tertiary education institute that provides both academic degrees and vocational training.
André-Théophile Mélizan was a French Catholic missionary, priest and bishop, who served as the second Archbishop of Colombo, Ceylon from 1893 to 1905.
Senewiratne, A.M., Till The Mountains Disappear: The Story of St.Joseph's College, 2020, p.246 (+XIV) *
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