Men For Others: Montfort School Celebrates 100 Years

19 April 2016

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Tags: Educators, Parents, Students

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Categories: Events, News

Men For Others: Montfort School Celebrates 100 Years

This year, Montfort School celebrates the 100th year of its founding since its inception as Holy Innocents’ English School in 1916. We revisit the school’s rich history as a holistic Catholic institution.

 

In commemoration of their 100th year, Montfort School is holding a year-long series of celebrations. Beginning with the Anniversary Mass on 16 January, the theme for the year’s celebrations is ‘Celebrating the Past, Charting the Future’.

To help students and staff members know more about Montfort’s legacy, the school set up its very own Heritage Gallery back in January 2013, tracing the major points of development in the school’s history using artifacts, videos, voice recordings, photographs and personal accounts. It honours the many people who have contributed to the Montfortian mission of nurturing young people to live in service for others.

Come 23 April, the school will be organising a Founder’s Day and Homecoming Carnival, where alumni and students will celebrate with a day of fun-filled activities. Following that, on 30 June, the Montfortians will be living their mission of being ‘Men for Others’ by undertaking a 24-hour community service project to bring assistance and hope to the less fortunate. In July, they will bring the story of the Brothers of St Gabriel to life through a musical. Thereafter, the old friends and alumni of Montfort will meet for a Golf Tournament in August, and the celebrations will wrap up with a Gala Dinner on 19 November.

The History
Montfort was established as Holy Innocents’ English School in 1916 by Fr H. Duvelle in a lone classroom of a two-storey building next to the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Upper Serangoon Road. Initially ran by a single principal for its first 62 years, the school was split into Junior and Secondary sections in 1974 to cater to the rapidly expanding student population. To keep its unique identity intact, it remained governed by the same management committee.

Eventually, changes in the local education system prompted the school to source for newer amenities, to cater to a more multi-faceted approach to education. Thus a building fund committee made up of Montfort alumni (then known as the Old Montfortian Association) was tasked to raise funds for a new and improved campus. Their fervent efforts saw the Hougang campus completed in 1992, equipped with new facilities to provide students with an improved learning environment.

Brothers of St Gabriel
Central to Montfort’s story are the Brothers of St Gabriel, a religious order devoted to continuing the work of 17th century French priest St Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, who dedicated a large part of his pastoral work to educating the destitute. They arrived in Singapore in 1936, and have sought to instill the Montfortian values of service and compassion to all their students since.

One of the most prominent Brothers featured in the Heritage Gallery is Brother Emmanuel, who began teaching in the school in 1954, and led other local Gabrielite institutions for over 30 years. For his services to the youth, he has been awarded the Public Service Medal by the Government. Until 2013, he continued to serve as the Supervisor of Montfort Schools, a position now held by Brother Dominic Yeo-Koh.

The Alumni
Inspired by their own teachers at Montfort, several students took up teaching themselves. Among them was Mr Teo Kah Ling, a well-remembered alumnus who taught for 43 years in the school and served as Principal from 1959 to 1964. An inspiring and talented educator who taught subjects ranging from English Literature to Mathematics, he composed the ‘Song of the Brave’, which continues to be sung by Montfortians today.

Mr James Chng, 52, is another student-turned-teacher motivated by his own Montfortian experience to enter the service. Having taught at Montfort for the entire 24 years of his career, the Science and English teacher deeply appreciates the school’s efforts in reaching out to every student. “In Montfort, nobody is left out,” James commented, referring to the range of backgrounds his students have come from. “All who walked through the doors of Montfort will become better people.” He shares his hope that the school will continue to guide each student in becoming a man for others.

In his homily during the Anniversary Mass, Archbishop William Goh—who studied in Montfort for 12 years—recounted the strong Catholic ambience that thrived in the school, “We would have prayers three times a day, before school, during the Angelus at Midday and after class. Monthly, we went for the sacrament of reconciliation and First Friday Devotion Mass to the Sacred Heart.” He entered the seminary in 1979, was ordained in 1985, and appointed Archbishop in 2013. His predecessor Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Chia, was also from Montfort.

Four Montfortians also served as Members of Parliament: Dr Augustine, Mr Ng Kah Ting, Mr Lee Boon Yang and Mr Lim Boon Heng. Mr Lee and Mr Lim have also served as a Cabinet Ministers.

From Sons to Fathers
In remembering its past, the school also looks towards future generations. Alumnus James Tay recalls the various church-related activities he participated in while at Montfort, and credits his education for his faith. Today, he continues to serve the underprivileged through the Society of St Vincent de Paul.

James’ Montfortian experience has prompted him to enroll his son Darius into his alma mater. He is heartened that Darius is learning the same Catholic values as he did. Darius said, “My dad would share with me stories of his time in Montfort School and I would feel good being part of Montfort School as well… I can also relate to some of the things he said.” The father-son duo – now both alumni – is also featured in the school’s heritage gallery.

Honouring the past
In the words of Archbishop William Goh, “We must never think that success is purely our human effort alone. Hundreds of people along the way have helped us by moulding us, forming us, guiding us, mentoring us and assisting us.”

Montfort’s heritage trail represents the school’s gratitude towards the staff and old boys who have contributed their time and energy into its continuous improvement. Their lifelong dedication has helped Montfort grow as a Catholic institution that nurtures students academically and spiritually, and extending its century-long legacy of mentoring God’s beloved youth.

 

 

Image: montfortsecprincipal.wordpress.com

Teaching minds and touching hearts: 5 things we can learn from St John Baptist de la Salle

7 April 2016

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Tags: Educators

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Categories: Reflections, Saints

Teaching minds and touching hearts: 5 things we can learn from St John Baptist de la Salle

The achievements of the Lasallian schools in Singapore today can be traced back to the efforts laid down by the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The Lasallian Brothers are a religious order first established by the 17th century French priest John Baptist de la Salle. Now widely regarded as a pioneer in modern education, St De La Salle devoted a large part of his 40-year priesthood to teaching underprivileged young men. His contributions to the elementary education scene in France eventually influenced the rest of the world, through the Brothers who continue his work today.

As a Christian teacher who approached the task of education passionately and methodically, St De La Salle sets a perfect example for educators today. We look at the lessons we can draw from his work and mission.

1. Knowing what matters
John Baptist was born into a wealthy family in Reims, France. His father held a high-ranking position in the royal court, while his mother came from a prominent influential family of wine brewers. After their death, he sold his considerable inheritance and gave the money to the poor in Champagne province, who were suffering from a famine.

St De La Salle’s willingness to give up his earthly possessions echoed the Lord’s exhortation in the Gospel: “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mk 10:21) In an environment where academic success and career progression trumps many other worries, it is our mission as educators to remind students of what matters more in life. Rather than put pressure on them to do well in exams, why not discuss ways in which they can contribute back to society after their studies?

2. Recognising the poor
St De La Salle was aware of the many peasants who lived in the country or in town slums, and did not have the means to send their children to school. Because they were illiterate, they could neither move up the social ladder nor learn of God’s word. He became deeply concerned by the children’s financial and spiritual poverty, and pledged to bring up these young people.

As educators, let’s also keep in mind that our students come from many different backgrounds. The differentials in aptitude and attitudes amongst them are largely due to the wide spectrum of family, health and financial situations. Regardless of their circumstance, the young people are calling out for our attention, care and guidance in order to overcome the barriers they face to attain their fullest potential in life.

3. Taking action one step at a time
John Baptist did not change things overnight. Through his first pastoral post as the spiritual director of the Sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus (who ran an orphanage for young girls), he was encouraged to set up a similar institution for boys. Thus, with the help of a lay teacher Adrien Nyel, he founded a school. Following its success, more were spawned in the diocese, and John recruited more teachers to his cause. The Brothers for the Christian Schools was born from this fraternity, and today they number 5,000 across 80 countries and 1,000 institutions.

Upon seeing the severity of the problem, St De La Salle did not allow himself to become deterred or overwhelmed. Instead, he took small steps towards a larger goal. At times, it may be easy to become intimidated by our responsibilities as educators. St De La Salle’s example reminds us to take things one step at a time, address issues systemically, tap on resources made available to us, and leave the seemingly impossible to God.

4. Persistence in learning
Being the eldest child of a well-to-do family, John had the privilege of a quality education. His parents groomed him academically, sending him to study at the College des Bons Enfant, where he received his Master of Arts in 1669. Thereafter, he entered the Seminary of St Sulpice and read theology at the College of Sorbonne. His learning continued even after his priestly ordination in 1678, where he earned a doctorate in theology two years later.

Despite his impressive academic achievements, John remained humble and persisted in his learning journey. When he embarked on his priesthood and education mission, he needed to learn several things previously unfamiliar to him: how to run a school, how to connect to street youth, and how to recruit and manage teachers. Like John, we cannot be complacent with our knowledge. To improve ourselves as effective mentors to students, we must constantly be on the lookout for opportunities to pick up new skills and perspectives.

5. Meeting students where they are
St De La Salle wanted to ensure that students truly understood what they were learning. Against the norm of the times, St De La Salle decided that his institutions would teach subjects in the more widely-spoken French, instead of Latin. The Brothers also grouped students according to their maturity and aptitude, so as to facilitate the process of teaching.

Instead of purely regurgitating information to his students, John Baptist analysed their academic potential and capabilities and refrained from imposing unrealistic demands on them. He met them where they were and taught in a language they could understand. To be effective educators, let us adopt patience and empathic understanding. How can we meet our students at a level where we can better connect with them and make learning more productive and enhanced?

As educators, we may feel jaded and overworked after years in the service. We may lose sight of why we became educators in the first place. But as we celebrate the life and legacy of St De Le Salle, let us relive the joy of our vocation and remember that our words and actions, mundane as they may seem at times, have the potential of touching our students in more ways than one.

Pope John Paul II and Divine Mercy

1 April 2016

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Tags: Educators, Parents, Students

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Categories: Reflections, Saints

Pope John Paul II and Divine Mercy

 

Saint John Paul II, born Karol Wojtyła on 18 May 1920, was the longest serving pope of the 20th century. Born in Wadowice, a small city not far from Krakow, the widely-travelled pope is well known for his teachings on Divine Mercy since his election to the papacy in 1978. Throughout his pontificate, the pope constantly centred himself on the mercies of God.

St John Paul II focused much of his efforts on bringing Christ into culture, through the Divine Mercy of God. Divine Mercy Sunday, which falls on the second Sunday of Easter, reminds us that mercy is the ultimate answer to the problems of the world today. Incidentally, John Paul II died on the vigil of the feast five years after he officially granted the feast to the Universal Church, and was both beatified (2011) and canonised (2014) on Divine Mercy Sundays.

Drawing reflections from Dives in Misericordia (DM), St John Paul II’s 1980 encyclical on the mercy of God, we see several theological foundations essential to having a true understanding and expression of God’s mercy.

Firstly, John Paul points to the revelation of mercy in the paschal mystery — the passion, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. For “absolute justice” to take place, he says, “Christ undergoes the passion and cross because of the sins of humanity. This constitutes even a ‘superabundance’ of justice, for the sins of man are ‘compensated for’ by the sacrifice of the Man-God” (DM, 7). True mercy is revealed because “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Tit 3:5).

A third important point on the mercy of God is found in the parable of the prodigal son. In analysing this parable, John Paul highlighted that in the act of forgiveness, “he who forgives and he who is forgiven encounter one another at an essential point, namely the dignity or essential value of the person” (DM, 14). The son, who squandered his possessions, lost all dignity. He had nothing to eat. He craved what his father’s servants had, and resolved to return to the father, who in turn restores his son’s dignity:

“Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found” (Lk 15:22-24).

Mercy restores dignity and values all man for who they are, in the image of God, not merely what they deserve. To this end, it is worthwhile quoting the pope at length:

“Mercy in itself, as a perfection of the infinite God, is also infinite. Also infinite therefore and inexhaustible is the Father’s readiness to receive the prodigal children who return to His home. Infinite are the readiness and power of forgiveness which flow continually from the marvelous value of the sacrifice of the Son. No human sin can prevail over this power or even limit it. On the part of man only a lack of good will can limit it, a lack of readiness to be converted and to repent, in other words persistence in obstinacy, opposing grace and truth, especially in the face of the witness of the cross and resurrection of Christ.”

St John Paul II, in his ministry, exemplified mercy. He embraced all who were suffering through his many papal visits, and stood against the innocent killing of mankind, most evident in abortion and euthanasia. Most astonishingly, after being shot at several times, he visited his would-be assassinator in prison, forgave him and begged the courts to pardon the man from life imprisonment.

Where does this lead us? Do we bear the crosses for the sake of others? “Merciful love is supremely indispensable between those who are closest to one another: between husbands and wives, between parents and children, between friends,” wrote the pope. “And it is indispensable in education and in pastoral work” (DM, 14). In the cross of Christ, we are given an example God’s mercy, and are challenged to extend His Divine Mercy to others.

What about us? What need do we have, as a child of God, of God’s mercy? What areas in our lives and in our profession do we struggle to find mercy and forgiveness from God? It is true that as educators, we are called to mirror God’s mercy to the students that we interact with (some of whom do not ‘deserve’ mercy!). But how can we practice mercy without first receiving it, since our Lord Himself reminded us that “he who is forgiven little, loves little” (Lk 7:47)? Let us be brave and ask the Lord for his Divine Mercy, since He never tires of offering it to us.

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