Today in the Roman Martyrology, we commemorate St Vincent Pallotti, a Saint much less well-known than the likes of Francis of Assisi or Maria Goretti, but nevertheless has much to offer us for reflection.
In his records the life of Vincent Pallotti, the great English priest and hagiographer Alban Butler makes it a point to first note that the Saint “was not the best student in his early life”. Butler impressed that St Vincent was so hard to teach that a teacher of his once commented that young Vincent was “a little saint, but a bit thick-headed”.
As he grew up, however, Vincent’s studies improved, and he was ordained to the priesthood in 1817 at the age of 23. Vincent then went on and earned a doctorate in theology and philosophy, and became a college professor. Eventually, he gave up the profession in order to dedicate himself more fully to full-time pastoral work. Vincent provided education for labourers and craftsmen in an attempt to give them pride in the quality of their work. He gave these lowly people the dignity that every person deserves.
A funny incident that occured saw Vincent go as far a dressing up as a woman to comfort a sick man who threatened to shoot the next priest that entered his room.
As ecucators – parents but especially teachers – we are bound to experience children with different levels of capability in their studies. We may be tempted to give up on those who seem to struggle with keeping afloat with the rest, but the life of St Vincent Pallotti gives us a much-needed reminder to not throw in the towel with such students. St Vincent turned out to be much more capable and able to learn as he grew. Most importantly, having struggled with his studies and eventually gaining such high qualifications, it’s clear that he always had a heart to learn. Later in his life, he would turn the table around and provide education to those who were less intelligent in the eyes of the world.
Who are you teaching today that is struggling to keep up? What’s your attitude towards him or her?
We will do well to keep in mind that however much they struggle today, the impact you leave on them is likely to have a long-term effect. Will you give up on them, or give them the encouragement they need in their difficult moments?
Behaviour-change specialist Dr Margaret Carter once again afforded us her time and expertise when she held a workshop at the Church of St Ignatius for catechists on children and reverence in Church. During the workshop, Dr Carter discussed behavioural expectations for children, and shared the processed by which children learned how to behave. She exhorted participants — catechists from several parishes in the archdiocese — to support children in developing their mastery of these behaviours, and revealed how parents can also play their part in forming their children’s behaviour positively.
Dr Carter’s workshop on Children and Reverence in church was held on 4 January for catechists in the archdiocese. The workshop, according to participant Cecelia Teo, “opened a door for me to gain greater insight into ways to partner the child in reverence”.
Catherine Ong, a catechist from the Church of St Ignatius, lauded Dr Carter’s engaging presentation: “Dr Carter is a very engaging speaker and the sharing of her knowledge in working with the children on their social behaviour and emotional well-being has been most insightful for me.”
Apart from the workshop for catechists, Dr Carter also ran a Character Building workshop for parents people working with kids, a focus group for principals of our preschools on 29 December 2014, and professional development training for educators, held at the premises of Holy Family Kindergarten, a full-day programme which also included a tour of the Holy Family Kindergarten and Thanksgiving Mass with our Director ad interim, Fr Edward Seah.
More than 130 educators and managers, including religious supervisors, from 12 Catholic preschools and childcare centres met for their annual Thanksgiving Day on 27 Dec.
The gathering, held at St Anne’s Church Kindergarten, is now in its fourth year and is an occasion for building communion as well as sharing best practices.
During the event, a new curriculum created by ACCS (Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools) with outside expertise, was made available to the preschools and centres.
This “Integrated Curriculum” integrates the character development and religious education components with the academic – or core curriculum – component.
It incorporates the Catholic perspective while complying with the latest directives of the ECDA (Early Childhood Development Agency), the regulatory and developmental authority for the early childhood sector in Singapore.
Teachers from St Joseph’s Church Kindergarten and Holy Trinity Church Kindergarten shared with fellow language teachers from the other preschools their journey towards attaining SPARK (Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework) accreditation.
Ms Maria Goh, vice principal of Nativity Church Kindergarten and a Chinese language teacher, also shared how an attachment to Brisbane Catholic schools, and the Australian International School (AIS) in Singapore, inspired her to make changes to the way Chinese is taught in her school.
During the tour of the host school, St Anne’s Church Kindergarten, the 11 principals and supervisors heard from the principals of St Joseph’s Church Kindergarten, Ms Angeline Wong, and Holy Trinity Church Kindergarten, Ms Shirley Tan, about how they achieved SPARK accreditation.
Participants said they learnt much from the Thanksgiving Day.
“What struck me is that we’ve come a long way towards achieving Catholic identity,” said Ms Marie Rose Ng, principal of Good Shepherd Convent Kindergarten.
About the Curriculum
The new “Integrated Curriculum” is the result of a double pilot programme implemented in three Catholic kindergartens in 2013.
The programme involved the Core Curriculum Programme (for the academic curriculum) and the Character Education Programme.
It was a joint effort between ACCS, Dr Margaret Carter, a senior lecturer in education at James Cook University, Townsville, Australia, and three Catholic kindergartens.
The pilot programme was in response to the recent changes in early childhood education with an increased emphasis on social and emotional aspects of children’s learning.
The results and feedback from the programme guided the formulation of the “Integrated Curriculum”, which is one tool towards the achievement of SPARK (Singapore Pre-school Accreditation Framework) accreditation.
Currently, St Joseph’s Church Kindergarten and Holy Trinity Church Kindergarten have SPARK accreditation.
After six years of dedication to the Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools (ACCS) and its development, our Executive Director, Wendy Louis, will step down today, 9 December.
It has certainly been a challenging calling to guide the ACCS in its duty – to foster a stronger Catholic ethos amongst Catholic schools in Singapore. However taking a look at the achievements and work accomplished by ACCS thus far with Wendy as director, one can truly find a testimony of God’s grace working through her and the ACCS team.
Always keeping in mind that her work is for God, Wendy describes, “the most important thing we can do in our schools is to put across the person of Jesus, in our own person, and in the way the whole school is organised and run. We have nothing and no one else to offer as Catholic Schools if we do not offer Christ and the saving love He offers.”
Three major challenges
After conducting an extensive survey in 2008 on the needs of Catholic schools in Singapore, the ACCS set out on three difficult but much needed tasks; developing School Chaplaincy Teams (SCT), a common Civics and Moral Education Programme (CMECS), and a set of common goals and purpose for Catholic schools.
Numerous meetings conducted by ACCS with clergy groups, principals, supervisors, and management teams, have aided in the formation of chaplaincy teams in all Catholic schools in Singapore today, while formation programmes are also run annually to support new chaplains or to bring new personnel on board.
During the development of the CMECS, Wendy worked hard with the Secondary project director of ACCS to write, produce, conduct trial runs, coordinate, and edit a programme that promotes gospel values and attitudes. A four-year curriculum for secondary students was designed and delivered to schools at the end of 2013.
In 2011, a document detailing the common vision of Catholic education was published and distributed, enabling Catholic schools in Singapore to be able to work together as a family toward a shared vision.
Wendy, together with other ACCS staff, had spent three years in consulting, drafting statements, and re-writing the document based on feedback from every strata of school management and leadership, as well as consulting authorities.
Going further
On top of accomplishing these three major goals, Wendy also led the ACCS team to push the limits even further, in taking on five other projects.
These include improving the Catholic Early Childhood sector, organising the Catholic Education Conference, gaining a greater online presence through the ACCS website and social media, gathering a database of Principals, VPs, and teachers of Catholic schools, and finally launching a new initiative to run induction programmes for newly appointed school leaders.
Wendy reveals, “What motivates me is always the same, no matter what work I am doing – my daily dependence on God and my act of faith in the Church.”
It is evident that Wendy’s passion has also touched the lives of those who worked with her. Katherine Menalang, Office Manager of ACCS, recalls fondly, “Wendy and I were at the Post Office once, where she greeted everyone she encountered with a smile or a simple ‘hi’. Despite coming from a culture where this might seem unusual, I realized that Wendy carries a welcoming aura wherever she goes. I learned that she is a very compassionate person who is deeply concerned with the staff’s wellbeing inside and outside the office.”
Chairman of ACCS, Professor Tan Cheng Han, also expresses, “Wendy has a passionate heart and has done a great deal to help our schools to preserve their Catholic character. I am grateful for her energy and fortitude despite many difficulties faced in her role.”
Fr Edward Seah, Archbishop’s representative for ACCS, describes Wendy as someone “sincere and not afraid to say what she felt was right and good”. He thanks her for her dedication and for “working hard for Catholic education through ACCS, always ensuring that the Commission’s goals were met.”
After stepping down, Wendy plans to continue serving God in the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) office of Laity and Family, as well as the Women’s Desk.
She relates, “I look forward to more engagement on family, marriage and women’s issues as we prepare for the Family Synod of 2015. I am thankful for the support shown to me by my colleagues and collaborators during my time here.”
My dear friends, the occasion of the feast of the holy cross indeed provides a very good backdrop for our celebration of teacher’s day. You know as teachers very often, you will use something as a kind of visual aid in order to bring out a message. And today when we look at the cross, we see that as a beautiful aid, to remind us of the tension in life that exists, and the need therefore for someone to help us to cope with the pressures and difficulties of life. And the one, who therefore hangs on the cross, Jesus, is for us the ultimate teacher, the ultimate educator; the one that helps us not only to recognise, but to accept and to live out the mysteries of life.
And so the readings we find today are also appropriate in helping us recognise not just the paradigm but also perhaps the method of education. And if you look at our first reading, we have the story of the Israelites in the wilderness. They have been rescued out of Egypt in slavery and were on their way to the promise land. But on the way they started to get impatient, and started to grumble and to complain. Even as we look at this, we realise, ignorance, very often leads to a certain amount of frustration, and correspondingly impatience – an impatience that sometimes makes us arrogant, and even rebellious. And so as we look at the first reading, on the way through the wilderness, the people lost patience.
Today in the face of that kind of impatience, caused very often by ignorance or misinformation, there is a need for education, a need for someone to enlighten us. But even as we do that, we ask ourselves, what would be the source of that information? What would be the means by which we impart this information? And so the reading would go onto tell us, the people grumble and complain, and then Moses recognises that there was a need to do something, because their grumbling and impatience led to a certain degree of frustration to the point that they were bitten by fiery serpents.
Today we realise that when we remain impatient, angry, or ignorant, we end up hurting ourselves. The analogy given could be that bitten by fiery, poisonous snakes. And so Moses, recognising this, realises that the only way he’d be able to educate them, the only way he’d be able to help them effectively was to intercede with God. And so from the impatience caused by ignorance, we end up feeling more pain, more suffering. The help that we get eventually, has to come, has to be supplied through the intercession of God. And so that’s what Moses would do; he interceded for his people. In other words he asked God for the answers. Moses has a situation in which he has to give an answer; the people asked him why. And Moses turns to God for the answer. And the answer God would give to him was “believe in me, and as a sign of that faith you have in me, build a bronze serpent. When you look at it in faith, you will be healed.”
Today my dear friends, this is what education is all about. Education is much more than the imparting of information. Sometimes information can cause even more problems. Because we may not know what to do with that information, how to use it, and we may not know for what purpose to use it. And so a true educator is one that does not only impart knowledge, but also the reason for that knowledge, and the purpose and goal in using that knowledge. And ultimately we say, all knowledge comes from God, and all knowledge is to be used in order for us to be able to appreciate and serve God. And so that’s what the people would be made to realise, they wold be given a vital piece of information, that even though they are not aware of why they are made to walk in the wilderness, even though they are not very confident about why things are the way they should be, they have got to realise that the one that allows that and calls them, is the one who knows best.
And today when we talk about our catholic schools, we ask ourselves whether we are actually doing this. Are our students in our schools able not only to receive information, much knowledge, secular sciences and other wisdom, but are they able to see that the knowledge they receive, is ultimately pointing to serving God. Would they be able to recognise that the knowledge they receive is for a particular purpose, to help them not only acknowledge the God who gave them this knowledge, but to be able to use it to serve Him.
And so in our second reading, we see the example of Jesus himself. Jesus who empties himself, so that he’ll be able to be a model of humility, a model of the one that has come to show us how to be truly wise. Our true wisdom comes when we empty ourselves of our pride, when we are able to recognise that knowledge is from God, and therefore we are going to benefit from that knowledge. It means we have got to empty ourselves of our pride. Again today in our schools, that is what hopefully we are doing. Allowing our students to realise that the more brilliant they get, the more knowledge they receive, the more humble they are required to be. Because the knowledge and information they receive is not for themselves, but to be used to help others recognise God.
And so as we look at our gospel, this is what Jesus says as he tells Nicodemus the whole plan of God. God so loved the world that he emptied himself, He gave His Son, he gave up something, so that others may be prepared, better informed, and to be able to respond. Today my friends as we celebrate the feast of the Holy Cross and at the same time we celebrate teacher’s day, we thank God for the gift of our teachers. We thank God that in His effort to bring us through education, the education to being formed into his children, into the likeness of His Son, He has allowed us to have people in our lives, teachers, educators, who through humility, through emptying themselves, through their service, allow us to experience this. Our catholic schools are visible signs of the willingness of God to reach out to us, to be able to experience Him. Today we honour our teachers, who not only impart secular sciences and knowledge, but who through their life example, humility, and sacrifices they make, communicate to our students that knowledge alone is not enough. But knowledge has to shape character, and character has got to point us to God. As we celebrate this Mass today we pray for all our catholic teachers and schools, for all our teachers to continue in the mission of Jesus, the true educator, who educated us to the point of laying down his life. And therefore if all there is any reason for us today to teach, to proclaim, it is Christ.
Our theme today has been “Christ, Our Claim to Proclaim”. Our very reason and essence for being able to teach and communicate knowledge to others, is because essentially the true knowledge, true wisdom, truth itself, is Jesus Christ. And so let us celebrate Christ, our claim to proclaim, and even as he invites us to continue the mission that he came to achieve, the mission that he came on, let us at this Mass express our willingness to do so. Our willingness to walk in his footsteps, proclaiming the love of His Father, through the way that He lived in humility and service. Let us pray that we too can continue to be that kind of proclaimer, in a way that we as teachers, educators, parents, and all those involved, interested in education, will and should continue to do. Let us pray today for our teachers, and for our students that they be open to receive this education that comes from God through our teachers.
The Gospels provide authentic narratives about Jesus while picture storybooks, for example, can be a combination of narratives and interpretations of a particular story. It is paramount to use the Bible as the main resource and other forms of media as supplementary resources. Bible reading also brings the Word closer to the children. In teaching scripture stories to children, Mark Elliot emphasized the importance of using, first and foremost, the Bible to read and familiarize the story before using any other form of media like illustrated or picture story books, videos and images that are easily accessed online.
Elliot is leader of a team of senior Religious Education (RE) trainers from the Brisbane Catholic Education office facilitating a four day programme for 50 teachers, catechists and parent volunteers organised by The Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools (ACCS). This is the second time, the four-day intensive course, designed to provide personal formation and pedagogical support that enhances the teaching of RE in the classroom, is being conducted. Emphasis is placed on the use of music, drama, arts and crafts in teaching Scripture and prayer to young students. The course is called Religious Education Access Programme (REAP) Singapore – it is a professional learning programme which forms one credit in the Masters of Religious Education degree.
Among the different areas covered are creating Prayer and Ritual resources such as rain sticks, prayer flags, finger labyrinth and prayer candles; Bible teaching strategies like Y chart, grab bag, frayer concept map, emotion maps, freeze frames and rolling freeze frames; Experiential Prayer Stations like praying in colours, praying with Apps and teaching children how to be silent and still for prayer. Designing rituals and sacred spaces were also among the topics discussed.
Br Nicholas Lye who sang and danced with the participants explained that “music is a language that touches deep into the heart. It connects us to that deep part of our soul where God may be found.” The team also talked about being a teacher in a Catholic school, on catholic identity, names & images for Jesus, about Mary and many more stories from both the Old and New Testament. Participants went home with an arm load of resources that will assist them in creating spaces for every child to meet Christ and grow closer with Him.
A thanksgiving Mass was celebrated by Fr Edward Seah, the Archbishop’s representative to ACCS, and he shared about the crucial role of educators in building and sustaining communities rooted in Jesus Christ. He encouraged everyone to be a positive presence in their places of ministry in order to bring about authentic witness to the Gospel of Jesus.
The event was a significant learning experience for Anthony Xavier who is a parent volunteer teacher at St Stephen Primary and St Patrick Secondary Schools. “I learned methods of making Bible stories come alive giving students the opportunity to actively participate. Teaching religion can be fun and fulfilling experience,” he said.
Ms Isabel Ho from ONE also shared that the REAP course was enriching in tools, resources and experience of the trainers. The teaching moments were not just about content and techniques but also times for the participants to encounter Christ – to give Christ, we must first receive Christ. After which, participants learned to set up opportunities for children to experience Christ through scripture and prayer, art, and drama. The trainers brought out the message that bringing Jesus to young people is an attitude and a way of being through their way of being witnesses of Christ.”
ACCS hopes that more training can be provided to RE teachers and volunteers in the coming days to respond to the spiritual needs of the young. As Pope Francis recently said to the plenary session of the Congregation for Catholic Education, “The educator in Catholic schools must be, first of all, very competent, qualified and, at the same time, rich in humanity, capable of being in the midst of young people with a pedagogical style, to promote their human and spiritual growth. Young people are in need of quality teaching, together with values not just enunciated but witnessed.”
Social behaviour and values are not innate in children but must be intentionally taught by adults who deliberately model them and use the learning environment and its systems and routines to scaffold and support their learning. Learning appropriate social behaviour and values is fundamental to the well-being and to the academic achievement of children. How can preschool educators turn positive social behaviours into a habit for their pupils? How can Primary and Secondary teachers support the character development of their students and help them internalise the values that are set out by the Ministry of Education in the Character and Citizenship Education Curriculum (Respect, Responsibility, Resilience, Integrity, Care, Harmony)?
These were the foci of a series of workshops for Catholic School and Preschool educators, conducted by Dr Margaret Carter and organised by the Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools (ACCS).
Dr. Carter, who is a Senior Lecturer in Education at James Cook University, Australia, is a behaviour-change specialist currently based in Queensland. She has worked for profit and non-profit community agencies, education systems, regional indigenous and non-indigenous groups and individuals on social and emotional well-being and behaviour change for children and adults. Dr. Carter has published many books on children’s and young people’s social behaviour and is familiar with the Singapore educational environment, having spent two and a half years in Singapore (until June 2013) lecturing for James Cook University, Singapore (subject coordinator and lecturer for their Master of Education; Master of Guidance and Counselling; Graduate Certificate Career Development; Graduate Certificate Research Methods; Graduate Certificate of Education – Academic Practice). In Australia, Dr Carter has conducted workshops for the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane and for the Australian Catholic University (on educational leadership and behaviour management; educational leadership and spirituality).
Dr Carter remains an invited member of both the ethics subcommittee and the clinical supervision subcommittee for the Singapore association for counselling. Her current areas of research are: Cyber bullying; Learning in the virtual world; Third culture kids; Young children’s social capacity.
The first workshop, which took place on Thursday 20th March in the Catholic Adult Education Centre, was conducted for all the educators of the two preschools belonging to the Good Shepherd Sisters (Marymount Kindergarten and Good Shepherd Convent Kindergarten), for their before- and- after- care school staff and crisis centre staff, as part of their Internal Professional Development Programme, by request of their supervisor, Tan Poh Cheng. “It’s been an excellent session: Dr Carter is engaging, experienced and relates well with the participants. The session was well planned and the concepts clearly explained and demonstrated through videos and examples” was Tan Poh Cheng’s feedback at the end of the workshop which was attended by fifty-three preschool educators.
The second workshop was open to all the educators of Catholic preschools and it was part of their Professional Development Programme for Character Education. With fifty-one participants, it followed the same structure as the one on the previous day.
During both workshops Dr Carter stressed that, when teaching values to preschool children, it is fruitless to just ‘tell’ them what to do (i.e. saying ‘use kind words!’). Adults need to model the desired value: for example, when teaching ‘respect’, adults must not assume that children have an innate understanding of the word respect or that they have necessarily experienced being treated with respect. The road to mastery starts with defining and explaining what is meant by ‘respect’, followed by role playing or modelling by the teacher, moving on to providing practice and guidance in real life contexts, followed by re-teaching whenever necessary and continued practice until the virtue is mastered. Modelling and consistency are paramount and adults must be on guard lest they themselves should be caught using unkind language towards the children.
The system of routines in place in each educational setting can either support or hinder the learning of values and social behaviour. In the second half of the workshops, participants were encouraged to examine their own preschool’s routines through role plays and, once a problem was identified, come up with solutions by pooling together ideas and wisdom with their peers. “I was enlightened to reflect on children’s behaviour by analysing within-the-child factors, our institutional and environmental factors” commented Lim Kiah Pin, from Canossian Convent Kindergarten.
One new insight for Margaret Spruyt, a teacher from Good Shepherd Convent Kindergarten, was the realisation of the power of language in dealing with children: “It is very important to use the right language (or words) to speak to young children as it may help to enhance the child’s self-esteem or destroy the child’s confidence.”
“I will try to apply what I’ve learnt during my day-to-day interaction with the children and whenever I’m teaching them” shared Ann, from Canossian Convent Kindergarten.
The two workshops for preschool educators were part of the training and support offered to all Catholic Preschools following the launch (last December) of a new Integrated Curriculum for Catholic Preschools in Singapore, written by ACCS under Dr Carter’s guidance. The new curriculum integrates the Academic core with the Character Education and the Religious Education components, under eight broad themes (for example: ‘Me and my family’, ‘Anti-bias’, ‘People at work’) and has been made available to all Catholic Preschools. The new themes for term 2, which have been fine-tuned in the light of the feedback from the trials and in consultation with the schools, were introduced by ACCS Preschools Project Director, Merilyn Dasson, during the workshops.
Given the current emphasis given by the Ministry of Education to Character and Citizenship Education in the framework of a holistic education, ACCS invited, for the first time, Primary and Secondary School educators to Dr Carter’s workshops during two dedicated sessions which took place on the 24th and the 25th of March (for Primary and Secondary School educators respectively). The workshops involved group work and sharing by three schools about how they conduct Values Education and Values in Action programmes. According to Dr Carter, it takes only one person who is passionate about values education, who starts to interact and live the experience of the values, for the rest of the school to be influenced and eventually ignited. This person, however, needs a patron (a colleague or a leader) for support. This patron might not be passionate about values education but curious and interested to provide the needed assistance.
For each of the core values of the Character and Citizenship education programme , Dr Carter started by asking the participants to brainstorm a definition, then moved on to identifying what they look like vs what they do not look like. Then, Dr Carter went through examples of how to demonstrate the value in practice and how to create an environment where this is possible. Dr Carter stressed that values don’t just happen but need to be intentionally taught and teachers need to demonstrate them conscientiously and consistently. Twenty-two Primary School Teachers and thirteen Secondary School Teachers attended the workshops.
Among them was Lesley Goonting, chaplain of CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel, who commented that she gained a new insight on “the critical role ‘consistency’ plays in developing and nurturing a value education experience. Its effects need to be pervasive, engage all and be aligned/cascaded at all levels, programmes and in all interactions.”
For Br Dominic Chong, chaplain and brother in residence of SJI Junior, one new insight gained from the workshop was that “we, as teachers, can only influence our pupils on Value Education to the extent that we are already practising those values; we should periodically check ourselves on how do we see our pupils…as gifts entrusted by God or just as mere digits in the classroom.”
Dr Carter’s visit to Singapore has also served the purpose of conducting interviews with the children and the parents of the preschools which have trialled the new Integrated Curriculum. Upon request by other Catholic preschools, Dr Carter has agreed to comeback to Singapore for further school visits and workshops in August.
Some of you may have heard or read about the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Sexuality posted on the Health Promotion Board (HPB) website.
I want to assure you that our non-public engagement of the opposing groups on this issue is by no means evidence of our flight from our Christian calling to speak the truth and to defend the cause of the family and hence, of society and the future of humanity. My Consultors and I have chosen to take the path of constructive dialogue with the authorities, so as not to inflame the situation further and risk polarizing society. As in all politically and socially sensitive issues, we believe that the best way forward is for all to calmly and purposefully engage in constructive dialogue in a spirit of patient understanding, mutual respect and compassion, always working towards the promotion of justice and dignity of the individual and for the greater good of society.
Accordingly, we have shared the Church’s concerns with the authorities and they have assured us that the government has not changed its position on the family (comprising heterosexual couples with children) as the indispensable, basic building block of society. As Church, we will continue to engage and work with the relevant authorities to ensure that the marriage institution and family values are upheld so that our children can be formed in an environment that is holistic, nurturing, caring and loving. We also need to ensure that society does not become too individualistic in pursuing their needs at the expense of the greater good of society. Because the future of Singapore society and humanity at large passes by way of the family, every Catholic should endeavor to save and foster the values and requirements of the family. This call is urgent and important because if the family is destroyed, then our society would become fragmented.
That said, I am also aware that some of our faithful are confused and are struggling to come to terms with their own sexuality, or that of their loved ones. I wish to take this opportunity to assure you that the Church feels with you and views every individual as unique and precious in the eyes of God, regardless of his/her sexual inclination or state of life. However, the Church’s position on the matter of LGBT relationships has always been consistent; that sexual activity outside of a heterosexual relationship is not in accordance with the laws of creation because such acts are not open to new life. It is in this spirit of compassion that I am exploring the setting up of support groups to assist those who are struggling with same sex attraction and their loved ones who have difficulty accepting them.
Finally, I urge you, my dear faithful, to continue to pray with me for all those who are confused, fearful and struggling with their sexuality, that the Lord will guide, protect and strengthen them, especially in their most vulnerable moments and bring them healing and peace of mind. May the Lord, who created all things and proclaimed that ‘it is good’, renew the face of the earth.
Ng U-Lynn, an Art teacher in St Gabriel’s Secondary School, shares a day with us.
A book with a prayer for every day of the year (“The Power Of A Praying Woman”, by Stormie O’Martian) stands prominently on U-Lynn’s desk, in the staffroom of St Gabriel’s Secondary School.
Prayer, in many forms (this prayer calendar and partaking in the living rosary – a prayer group made up of 15 members- to which she belongs, after suggestion by one of her Catholic colleagues), is a permanent companion for U-Lynn. “What gives me strength is Faith, through constant prayer. When you pray you keep yourself close to God, you will hear his voice and he will give you strength to pull through tough days… what I love about this school is that every morning we have ‘morning sharings’ by staff and students during assembly, which gives me a sense of peace and calm to start the day with. (We take a little verse from the Gospel and we expand on it; different teachers and students are scheduled to talk about it, on a roster, while the principal always shares on Tuesday). It’s just a five minutes’ sharing but I think it’s important because we start the day with the Word of God. I know this calms the students: they understand it is a sacred time and they keep very quiet, even if they are from a different religious background.”
U-Lynn’s faith and prayer life are not the only source of her strength and good cheer: on many occasions during her interview, U-Lynn mentioned the support of her colleagues. As Bro John Kallarackal mentioned in his keynote speech at the recent Montfortian Education Symposium, the quality of the relationships between members of staff is very important in a school. U-Lynn finds that her colleagues, like “human angels” are always there to support her when she needs it. “My family is also my source of comfort and joy and I thank God every day for my family and friends”.
“There are many challenging times in teaching because we are dealing with teenagers. You have 40 students in a class with different characteristics and needs” says U-Lynn. “You need a ‘bag of tricks’ to tackle different situations: when a child is distracted, disrespectful or constantly wanting your attention. You must always show that you are in control, even when you feel that a storm is brewing inside of you. You must rise above your emotions towards the things that happen around you and ride on the Lord’s strength. On rough days, my colleagues and family are always there to support me, to give me a pat on the shoulder and provide words of comfort. Your friends in school are like your family: with them, you can pull through anything.”
“We, teachers, are under a lot of pressure: we teach many classes, each class has forty students, we have to mark, we have meetings, sometimes workshops, extra classes, we have to supervise CCAs… the tasks that go on everyday can overwhelm a person and it’s a struggle that every teacher goes through and so we understand each other. But when you have great colleagues, it is a comforting joy that’s indescribable and reassuring. Most importantly, when you have God in your life: St. Paul says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”(Phil 4:13)- I keep this verse very close to my heart. Only God can keep our spirits unwavering and at peace amidst the storm. As human beings, I know my limitations and there are days when I am swamped with work and tempted to skip prayer. But I tell myself, say short prayers like ‘thank you Lord for a beautiful day’ or ‘I love you Jesus’ or ‘Help me Jesus’, even just a short prayer to keep me close to God. I also try to make use of the chapel in the school, a place of peace and solitude where staff and pupils can go to pray, undisturbed”.
U-Lynn has taught Art for almost 15 years and there was a time when she was teaching in a co-ed school: “I remember most vividly this particular student of mine who was in a dire situation: she was the only child and the sole breadwinner of her family. Her dad had left them, while her mum was sick and unable to work. This girl was studying for her GCE O-level Examination and also working in MacDonald’s five afternoons per week to tide her family over. She would study at night, under the light of a candle because they could no longer pay for electricity. She faced many obstacles in life but despite the odds coming at her, she persevered and told me that she would work very hard to get a distinction for Art and she did. She is now an Art teacher and words cannot express the amount of pride I feel towards her and I always tell her story to my students to inspire them. Sometimes students inspire teachers, not just the other way round!”
U-Lynn also teaches catechism to Secondary 1 students and is a member of the school’s Catholic Teachers’ Committee: “Having Catholic colleagues in school is great: there’s an unspoken bond between us.” Asked if there is any resentment among the Catholic Teachers’ Committee about the extra work (catechism, liturgy preparation) that they do in the school, she replies: “Not that I know of” she replies. “We meet in the Catholic Teachers’ Committee to share the jobs and we volunteer for what we like to do. Some people volunteer for more than one job!”
“Overall, there are more good days than bad days:” says U-Lynn with a smile, “the best reward is when your students do their best in your subject. And on Teachers’ Day I love receiving little letters and cards from the students, they are the best gift as cards and letters affirm you and remind you of why you’re in this profession in the first place.”
Read Blessed Pope John Paul II’s “Letter to Artists”, dedicated “To all who are passionately dedicated to the search for new ‘epiphanies’ of beauty so that through their creative work as artists they may offer these as gifts to the world”.
The following is an extract from the CMECS (Civics and Moral Education for Catholic Schools): Foundations for Sexuality Education Programme, created by the Family Life Society (FLS) in collaboration with ACCS.
The prevalent perspective on sexuality says “I am free to do what I want (with my body) provided I don’t hurt anyone” and “My body belongs to me (just like my handphone, my clothes, my computer, etc…)”. But this is not true for at least four reasons:
My body is me and I am my body: “Me” and “My Body” are like two layers of a rolled cake and they cannot be separated without breaking the entire cake. Neither of the two layers is closer to the core, the most intimate “me”, as they are wrapped together all the way to the centre. Ultimately, accessing the most intimate parts of my body means accessing the most intimate part of me. The intimacy of the body is the intimacy of the person. Saying ” our relationship is just physical” makes no sense.
My body communicates with a language I cannot change: sex is always personal. The idea of separating intimacy of the body from intimacy of the person is floored also on another account: the body communicates with a language which is independent of our intentions, of our culture or social norms. Even if I said: “With this slap I meant to tell you “I love you”; the message received by the slapped cheek would not be one of love. Our body speaks for us with its own unchangeable language.
What is personal must never be “used”: the sexual aspect of the body is always personal and intimate and communicates a personal and intimate union and must never be used as a means to other ends (i.e. sex for grades, prostitution);
My decisions make me: my decisions not only change the world outside me but also change something in me that shape my character and the kind of persons I become.
Education is more than information about facts and consequences. To educate is to accompany persons in their development by providing skills to become better persons.
The full CMECS programme on Foundations for Sexuality Education for use with Sec 3 students can be obtained from ACCS. Workshops for teacher are also available (free of charge) at ACCS or in schools by mutual arrangement. Contact us for more details.
