Colegio de Belén

 The Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Catholic religious order founded in Spain by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1540. The Jesuits are renowned for their commitment to education, intellectual inquiry, and service to others. They take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and they live in community, sharing resources and supporting each other in their work. The Jesuits have established schools and universities around the world, and they have worked to promote human rights, fight poverty and inequality, and address environmental issues. They have established numerous educational institutions across the country, including Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and Boston College in Massachusetts.


One of the most well-known Jesuit educational institutions outside the United States was the Colegio de Belén in Havana, Cuba. The Jesuits played a significant role in education and culture in Cuba. Founded in 1854, the school was established to provide a Catholic education for the sons of the Cuban elite. It quickly gained a reputation for academic excellence and character formation. However, the school faced significant challenges throughout its history, including political turmoil and the expulsion of the Jesuits after the Cuban communist Revolution in 1961.

The closure of the Colegio de Belén was part of a broader campaign against the Jesuits in Cuba. The Jesuits were accused of collaborating with the United States and of being enemies of the Cuban Revolution. In 1965, thirteen Jesuit priests were executed, and many others were imprisoned or expelled from the country. The closure of the Colegio de Belén was a devastating blow to the Jesuit community in Cuba, and it marked the beginning of a period of significant repression for the Jesuits and other religious groups in the country. Despite these challenges, many of its alumni achieve great success outside of Cuba in a variety of fields. 

In 1962, a group of exiled Jesuits from Cuba arrived in Miami and established a new school, Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, which was modeled on the original Colegio de Belén in Havana. The new school initially operated out of a parish church, but it soon moved to its current location in west Miami. 

This school continues to be affiliated with the Jesuits and the Catholic Church, and it has a long and proud history of educating young men in the Jesuit tradition. The school is committed to academic excellence, character formation, and service to others, and it has established itself as a respected and highly-regarded educational institution. Belen Jesuit Preparatory School seeks to continue the tradition of education and character formation established by the original Colegio de Belén in Havana, and to carry that legacy forward into the future.


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