Mary Oliva

Chaminade High School

Chaminade High School was founded in the fall of 1930. Classes, however, were conducted in the Bar Building in Mineola during most of the first year. Our motto is "Fortes in Unitate," the Latin for Strength in Unity. Our school is named in honor of the Blessed William Joseph Chaminade (1761-1850). During the French Revolution, he was hunted by the authorities for exercising his priesthood but managed to survive. When he came out of hiding, he realized the Old Order was dead; the Church was now living in a different age. This demanded new ways of promoting Christianity, he set about the re-Christianization of France and ultimately of the world by devoting himself to the laymen who would have to learn how to be Christian in this new society. To ensure that his vision would continue after his death, he founded the Society of Mary (Marianists) in 1817. Father Chaminade was declared Venerable by Pope Paul VI in 1973 and beatified by Pope John Paul II on September 3, 2000.