Pauline Teng, Author at Archdiocese Commission for Catholic Schools

28 August 2017

Passing on the Light: Celebrating 165 years of Catholic Education in Singapore

Message from Council of Catholic Schools’ Principals for Catholic Education Sunday
45, 624 students in Catholic schools, regardless of race, language or religion, 19 Catholic preschools and kindergartens, 16 Catholic primary schools, 13 Catholic secondary schools, 4 Catholic Full schools, 1 Catholic junior college and 1 Catholic school for special education.

In Singapore, Catholic schools have come a long way. Catholic education in Singapore started 165 years ago, when St John’s School (now known as St. Joseph’s Institution) was started to provide a Christian education to young boys. The school opened her doors in 1852, in a small chapel along Bras Basah Road and welcomed her first batch of 75 students, with the boys coming from different ethnic groups and religions.

The story of SJI is typical of all the Catholic schools in Singapore. Starting from small schools, they have all grown in size and stature. Today our schools are well regarded educational institutes. We live out our Catholic ethos, always focusing on the individual child while also developing all our students to be the unique individuals that God has created them to be, so that they will in turn use their gifts for the service of humanity.

To coordinate and help Catholic Schools in Singapore, the Archdiocesan Commission for catholic schools (ACCS) was established. The ACCS works closely with the schools to provide a range of programmes, events and resources to support Catholic educators and guide schools effort in promoting the Catholic ethos.

The Archdiocese has designated 10 September 2017 as Catholic Education Sunday. For the first time ever, we will be celebrating Catholic education as a community. This serves as an opportunity to affirm the importance of the partnership between School-Church-Home to deliver a unique Catholic education where Christ is the centre of all we do.

Over the weekend of 9th and 10th September, a special prayer of blessing will be said for all Catholic educators and there will be a screening of a short video montage on the impact of a Catholic education. Prayer cards will also be given to all parishioners and the call is for all who care for and who have benefited from a Catholic education to step forward to rally 165 others to pray for our schools.

Students from our Catholic schools will also be working in partnership with more than 12 designated parishes to help serve as lectors, wardens or to sing alongside with the choir at one of the masses. A mini exhibition booth on Catholic education in Singapore will also be set up to engage parishioners before and after this mass.

The precious heritage and the experience gained over the past 165 years reveals in the continued importance of raising our children in the Catholic faith. Under the continued guidance of the different religious orders, our Catholic schools maintain the Catholic ethos in many different ways. These range from daily prayers, masses, religious education to spiritual retreats. However, the most important element is the way the teachers and students interact, where the Gospel is brought to life.

As we experience the declining numbers of religious in our schools, there is a need for the lay people to step up and take on the task of continuing to build on the legacy of our Catholic schools. Catholic Education Sunday presents the perfect opportunity for all Catholics to come together to pray for our religious and educators serving in our Catholic schools that they will continue to pass on the light to our next generation.

Published in Catholic News on 3 Sep 2017

Commemorating the Centennial Anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima

2 August 2017

Tags: Educators, Students

Categories: Events, News

Commemorating the Centennial Anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima

In commemoration of the Centennial Anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima, six statues blessed by Pope Francis on 11 January 2017, as the “International Centennial Pilgrimage Image of Our Lady of Fatima”, are travelling throughout the six continents, re-echoing Our Blessed Mother’s Appeal for PRAYER and REPARATION to preserve world peace and the sanctuary of family life.

The statue travelling in the Asia Continent will be in Singapore from 11 to 18 September 2017. It will make its appearance in the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, some parishes and several archdiocesan or religious centres where special prayer sessions and Holy Mass will be organised. The main event for the occasion will be the EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION & CANDLELIGHT PROCESSION to be presided by Archbishop William Goh on Wednesday 13 September at 7.30pm in St Joseph’s Institution school field at Malcolm Road.

Many prayer sessions and events are also organised throughout this year in parishes and schools. St Patrick’s School organised the Special Fatima Prayer Services for the students and teachers of each level. Held in St Patrick’s Chapel, the participants prayed the rosary, consecrated themselves and their loved ones to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and watched a short video on Our Lady of the Rosary. The students also placed a petal at Our Lady’s feet as a sign of their consecration to her. The prayer service concluded with Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament by various former student priests of the school.

Joshua Kwok of secondary two said that it was an inspiring service and “that he learnt something new about Our Lady.” Another student from secondary three mentioned that he had never heard of Our Lady of Fatima before and that the service taught him something new about Our Lady. A non-Catholic teacher who attended the Benediction service found that it very peaceful and had a calming effect on her. But many were more aware of the need to pray for peace in our increasingly troubled and unstable world.

Annual Gathering of Administration and Operations Managers

14 June 2017

Tags: Educators

Categories: Events, News

Annual Gathering of Administration and Operations Managers

Barely two months after assuming her Administration Manager (AM) post, Ms Lyndia Lin took the opportunity to attend AM/OM Recollection and Learning Journey on 5 June together with nine other AM/ Operations Manager (OM) from six different Catholic schools.

She appreciated how the event could gather AMs/OMs from Catholic schools together to share their challenges and the love of their job. According to Ms Lin, they realized, through these sharings, that most of the problems they face in their daily work were similar. They eventually learned from others’ mistakes and share experiences.

Mr Gordon See, on the other hand, had been attending every single AM/OM Gathering organized by ACCS in the past five years. As OM of the only Catholic JC in Singapore, he felt that the school has to set a good example for other Catholic schools to support ACCS’ initiatives in strengthening the network of Catholic schools.

Reflection on the role of AM/OM as culture builders
Fr Edward Seah, ACCS Exec Director, briefly talked about how Catholic schools provide holistic education focusing not only on academics excellence but also moral and spiritual development of the young people. He later gave an overview of the Catholic education system in Singapore and how ACCS is supporting the schools in their Catholic ethos.

Retired school leader Mrs Mathews Shu Quo then led the participants into discovering the reason why they are sticking to their current roles as AM/OM. The open discussion revealed two common reasons: 1) love for children and 2) warm and caring environment in Catholic schools.

They were urged to be conscious of their role as culture builder in the schools. Inherent to the position of AM/OM is the supervision of other school staff (e.g. OSO, CSO) or vendors (security officers). Such responsibility can be used to influence the kind of working environment they are in daily, especially at the General Office. The participants could create a friendly workplace which staff or vendors would enjoy. School visitors would also benefit from a welcoming school environment.

Mrs Mathews presented three key strategies to achieving this culture: 1) making the staff/vendors understand the importance of their contribution (Cathedral builders vs brick layers), 2) acknowledging the dignity of each person, and 3) minding language use (e.g do your words unify or divide people?).

Catholic heritage tour at Bras Basah
CANA facilitators (Joan Pillay and Christina Ying) led us to a Catholic Heritage tour at Bras Basah area. First stop was the site of the first Catholic school in Singapore, St Joseph’s Institution, where the Singapore Art Museum is currently located. By the invitation of Fr Jean-Marie Beurel, a few La Salle Brothers from Europe came to set-up a Catholic school.

The participants crossed Bras Basah Road to reach the oldest surviving Catholic Church in the country, the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. The participants learn that the name of the church was derived from the words of St Laurent Imbert “The Good Shepherd lays down His Life for His Sheep” before he was martyred to save the life of his people. St Imbert was believed to be the first priest to visit Singapore.

The group then headed to the food and entertainment complex CHIJMES which was once a former Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (CHIJ) school and living quarters of the IJ nuns. One of the things pointed out by the CANA facilitators was that people from other faith background helped build CHIJMES, indicating a good relationship of the Catholic Church with them.

The last stop was Church of Saints Peter & Paul whose history is closely linked to the growth of the Chinese Catholic community in Singapore. Restoration works were completed last year with the instalment of a high altar as one of the improvements done.

Tour at St Joseph’s Institution
After two years of renovations, SJI moved back to its Malcolm campus in January this year. Ms Eliza Lim, Corporate Communications Manager, graciously took the group for a tour in the newly renovated campus with additional facilities that include an indoor sports hall, lecture theatre and classroom block to accommodate more students.

After the tour, Mr Frankie Ng, who is in charge of the school’s Facilities, shared with the group some of the issues and challenges they have encountered upon moving back to their campus.

School Chaplaincy Team Formation: A Participant’s Sharing

4 May 2017

Tags: Parents

Categories: Events, Reflections

School Chaplaincy Team Formation: A Participant’s Sharing

By Susan Ng-Thian, parent-volunteer

The School Chaplaincy Team Formation was held over three mornings from 19-21 April. As I am currently helping with the mass set-up in my youngest child’s school, St Joseph’s Institution Junior, I was quite interested to find out how the formation will help me in my vocation.

The formation course was divided into different modules, namely:-

Understanding the Eucharist & Organising Mass in School
Relating in a Multi-Religious Community
Connecting with the Young and Mentoring Skills

Father Edward Seah led us in prayer each morning before introducing the respective speakers. Presentations by all three speakers (Father Ignatius Yeo, Gerald Kong and Brother Colin Wee) were not only informative but were very interesting as they also shared their experiences and answered many practical questions from the participants.

Father Ignatius, Chairperson of Archdiocesan Liturgy Commission, brought us through the history of salvation to show us the historical development of the Eucharist. He also explained the structure of the mass, all the way from the time of the Apostles, during the Persecution right up to the present day. He even explained in details the various parts of the Mass. These gave us a better understanding of the meaning behind the rituals and what is appropriate for the celebration.

In Module 2, Mr Kong, Executive Secretary of Archdiocesan Catholic Council for Interreligious Dialogue, explained to us how important it is be in constant dialogue with our brothers and sisters of other faiths, given the multi-religious nature of our country. Something new I learnt was that there are 10 official religions recognized in Singapore!

Brother Collin’s segment covered how we can connect with the young. He shared many anecdotes, based on his wealth of experience as Counsellor and Director of Hope House, working with many youths and young adults. His highly animated sharing had us breaking into laughter throughout his session.

All in all, I enjoyed the whole course tremendously. The information gained can and will definitely help in my vocation as a parent volunteer involved in mass set-up and in the way I serve. I would strongly recommend that anyone, whether you are a teacher or a Parent Volunteer involved in catechism in a Catholic School to register for this course whenever it is offered.

Selective Cloth Folding and Stone Moving Easter

16 April 2017

Tags: Educators, Parents, Students

Categories: Reflections

Selective Cloth Folding and Stone Moving Easter

By Errol Chang

When ice melts and green shoots spring from the ground, a very visible sign of change in season and new life can prompt us to reflect on the changes in our lives. Spring therefore, lends itself nicely to indicate the change from Lenten to Easter season in our liturgical calendar, where the resurrection is the pivot of this change. However, living in Singapore where there is no autumn and winter, spring is non-existent. Can this mean that there is no change in our lives and there is no resurrection?

Like any other believers, we had journeyed through Lent by praying, almsgiving and fasting. As teachers, we might have additionally prayed for our students, been charitable to our students and fasted from angry words during our Lenten journey. At the end of the Lenten season, is there a resurrection for us teachers?

Empty tomb – A sign of resurrection
The Easter Sunday Gospel reveals to us an empty tomb rather than a greeting from Jesus or revelation from the angels. The emptiness speaks volume and can throw us into disbelief – in either the positive or the negative sense of the word.

If by faith, the empty tomb prompts us to greater belief and conviction, what’s next? With resurrection, dawns a new beginning and new world of opportunities. With the resurrection, we have somehow landed ourselves a golden opportunity for personal growth and burst of energy to do good things. So what do we do? Let’s look at the Gospel account to see if we can emulate Jesus in terms what he did after resurrection.

Folded cloths – Stay healthy
The Gospel informs us that the disciples saw that the cloth which covered Jesus’ head was rolled up. If the body was stolen as some would claim, a thief would not take time to fold this piece of cloth. I have wondered why Jesus would have done that upon his resurrection. Is it because the blessed Virgin had trained him so well as a child that he instinctively tidies up his bed upon waking from sleep or in this case, from death?

At the same time, I wonder if it is just a simple exercise to get his newly resurrected body going, like how we would warm up before doing heavier exercises, especially after three days of lying dead stiff. Maybe with this, comes our first learning point applicable to a teacher. As we begin each day before dawn, do we take time to check on our physical condition before we go about our day? To be of service to others, it is important for us to be at tip top physical condition in order that we can be the best condition when we teach our students. I invite all of us this Easter, to start having a healthy regime of sleeping on time and staying healthy with sufficient exercise so that our physical body can support our mission of teaching.

Unfolded linen – Reflect on priorities
Other than the cloth which covered his head, there was another set of linen which was lying on the ground. Jesus, why did you fold your head covering but not the other linen? Is it because of priorities? Given that Jesus was crowned with thorns, his head coverings would have been heavily soaked with his blood and this makes this piece of cloth very important under Jewish tradition.

Here could be our second learning point as a teacher, check on our priorities. As a teacher who has to plan lessons, put together learning resources, carry out administrative duties, look to the needs of the children entrusted to our care, run core-curriculum activities and many more, we must learn to prioritise. If we decide to fold everything, we might end up just going through the motion and doing tasks after tasks, thereby losing our vision of why we teach in the first place. Yes, everything we do is important for our children, but are there some things which we need to pay greater attention to first in order to benefit our students more? The invitation is there for us to reflect on the priorities of our many tasks as a teacher, given the limited hours we have in a day. If we can prioritise, maybe our tasks will become more meaningful and our work more purpose-filled, rather than just routine running through the day from task to task.

Moved stone – A whole new world
Now that Jesus has resurrected from the dead, warmed up his body by folding his head covering and prioritised but not folding everything at once, what next? He surely did not stay in the tomb and sulk in despair over being rejected by nearly everyone as the Messiah. Instead, he is ready to go at it… again!

Here’s our third invitation this Easter as a teacher. After some self-care in the first learning point and self-reflection of priorities in the second, it is time to move the stone and go out into the world to be of service to others. Armed with the first two, the third hopefully, is not just about going out to earn our keep by running from task to task. In the spirit of Easter, it is to go out into the world with the belief and zeal of the resurrection. It is in this spirit and eyes of faith that the ordinary can transform into the extraordinary, that sadness can turn to joy and that death can give birth to new life. Would our colleagues and students who meet us feel more empowered, enlivened or resurrected after meeting us?

No spring? It’s alright, resurrection springs forth!
So coming from a place where there is no spring and no change in the weather, is there a change from Lent to Easter? Is there a resurrection for us teachers in Singapore? The possibility is definitely there and the answer depends on each of our responses. So for this Easter, I wish you a Happy Selective Cloth Folding and Stone Moving Easter! May these Easter invitations help us become better teachers.

22 March 2017

Tags: Educators

Categories: Events

Catholic Education Conference 2017

By Br Nicholas Seet

The third Catholic Education Conference was held at CHIJ Toa Payoh on Monday 14 March 2017 with a huge turnout of about 600 participants consisting of educators from the Catholic kindergartens to Catholic Junior College as well as students and sponsoring authorities, representing some 35 Catholic schools. The theme today was “Heart of a Catholic School.”

For this year’s conference, there were 2 breakout sessions. The first breakout session was to gather from the participants their perspective of what makes the “heart of a Catholic School.” A video was shown of different students, educators and stakeholders of what it is that makes our Catholic schools unique. It was significant that the Conference wanted to gather the different perspectives of the participants as to what makes a school Catholic.

The panel discussion chaired by Fr Adrian Danker, SJ with panelists Magdalene Chin (school leader), Sr Theresa Seow (Sponsoring Authority), Lin Ganfeng (teacher), Toh Si En (student) and Serene Sim (parent) brought forward what had been discussed in the groups as well as enriched the discussion as to the views of the stakeholders of our Catholic schools.

His Grace, Archbishop William Goh then shared that the Lord Jesus Christ is the reference point for all our discussions about a Catholic school as He is the answer to our deepest questions about life and its meaning.

The moving sharing of an alumnus of St Joseph’s Institution, Matthew Tan, and his teacher pointed to the support Matthew felt when he recovered from a brain injury during his CCA. Matthew highlighted the invaluable support and faith he felt from the students and teachers of the school.

The second breakout session enabled the school leaders and educators to craft a statement written on a large heart shape board with a frame as a commitment to what they can do to make their school Catholic.

Finally, Prof Tan Cheng Han gave the concluding address when he shared his personal experience of a Catholic school as a student and what makes a Catholic school. He expressed his thanks to all the educators for all the efforts they are undertaking to help our students in our schools.

Eleven Principals Commissioned by Archbishop Goh in 2017

31 January 2017

Tags: Educators

Categories: Events

Eleven Principals Commissioned by Archbishop Goh in 2017

By Errol Chang

When Jesus sent out the twelve apostles, he authorised them to be his voice to the world. That is the significance of commissioning ceremony held on 21 January, when 11 principals were commissioned during the Principals’ Commissioning Mass 2017 at the newly restored Cathedral of the Good Shepherd.

The 11 principals, sent to the various Catholic schools, ranging from kindergarten to junior college level, are: Ms Christina Michael [Canossian School], Mrs Jennnifer Teo [Marymount Kindergarten], Mrs Trace Teo [Good Shepherd Kindergarten], Mrs Juliana Conceicao [Magdalene’s Kindergarten], Mrs Allison Lim [Marymount Convent School], Mrs Judina Cheong [CHIJ (Katong) Primary School], Ms Cecilia Lim [St Anthony Primary School], Mrs Christina Teo [ CHIJ Our Lady of the Nativity], Mrs Fiona Tan [CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School], Mr Daniel Ang [Hai Sing Catholic School] and Ms Phyllis Chua [Catholic Junior College].

During the commissioning, Archbishop William Goh reminded the principals and all other educators, including priests and parents, to be “fishers of men…” (Matthew 4:19) and can do so by empowering people through proclaiming the kingdom of God, thereby transforming their lives. He encouraged educators not to be too focused on the development of particular aspects of the students but to attend holistically to them because through their moral development, the students who are the future of our families, country and world will become motivated to do well. Their motivation to do well would not merely be for their own benefits, but would go beyond themselves and be of service to others.

In turn, these principals have responded in their own way to be fishers of men. Ms Cecilia Lim reflected, “Just as Jesus is the Good Shepherd, I hope to be a good shepherd to my pupils and colleagues, to get to know each one well, as well as lead and care for all in the way Jesus led and cared for those in his flock.”

Mrs Allison Lim expressed a similar sentiment, that “When we seek God’s will daily, Jesus our Good Shepherd will work in and through us and bless our colleagues and students, pointing them to the love of Christ and give them peace.”

For Mrs Julie Conceicao, a kindergarten which reaches out to all, including the low income families and providing them with an environment that has vast outdoor spaces and a holistic curriculum, to be a fisher of men would be to “acknowledge and embrace Christ daily. Jesus says ‘Let the little children come…’ and that to me is a constant reminder to reach out to all the little ones who come and to allow them to BE little children and tend to their needs.”

With regard to how they feel about the call to be principals in the Catholic schools, there is a mix of gratitude and pride. Others feel humbled, blessed and honoured. There is also a sense of excitement in terms of what they can do to bring out the best in the staff and children entrusted to their care.

At the end of his homily, Archbishop William Goh encouraged all formators to look at their own continual formation for all formators need formation, like how the apostles and disciples were formed by Jesus before they could form the early Church. For formators of any kind to be effective, each of them must have a personal conviction in what they do and if they are leaders, they are prompted to be the last of servants and serve society first.

One part of the commissioning ceremony reminded principals that they are the light of Christ in their schools, with each principal and vice-principal receiving a specially crafted candle. On the point of working in unity with each other, each principal does not work alone as shown by the fraternity of current principals and vice-principals who attended the ceremony in support of the newly appointed principals. There is also a move to tap on retired principals to mentor newly appointed Catholic principals.

The Principals’ Commissioning Mass was organised by The Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools (ACCS) and its Council of Catholic Schools’ Principals. They work with Catholic schools in Singapore to strengthen the Catholic ethos in their communities. Students from four schools – St. Patrick’s School, Montfort Secondary School, CHIJ Secondary and CHIJ St. Theresa’s Convent – helped in providing altar servers, ushers and choir.

A major upcoming event being organised by ACCS is the Catholic Education Conference 2017. All are welcome. Find out more here.

Christmas in the Classroom: A Christmas-New Year reflection

5 January 2017

Tags: Educators

Categories: Reflections

Christmas in the Classroom: A Christmas-New Year reflection

By Melissa Dragon

As the year 2016 comes to a close, many are seizing the best bargains at “post-Christmas” sales in the malls. Just this afternoon, as I was at the supermarket purchasing some drinks for tonight’s Christmas party, I noticed that the Christmas carols which had been filling the air since October have already been replaced by Chinese New Year music.

For many, 26 December is the end of the Christmas season. For faithful Catholics, it’s only the beginning. Yes, while others are winding down their Christmas celebrations and gearing up for Chinese New Year, we are just getting started.

Even though the Christmas season begins at the tail end of the calendar year, it is a fresh start in many ways – especially for teachers in Singapore.

The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ to us marks a new beginning for the human race as God has come to earth to bring salvation to all mankind. The Catholic Church officially observes the season of Christmas from midnight of 24 December right until the Baptism of the Lord, which is celebrated on 9 January 2017. This means we have 16 whole days to celebrate Christmas.

For teachers, it is wonderful that we are blessed with the opportunity to bring Christmas into the classroom with us at the start of the new academic year.

While Christmas reminds us of the Infant born to us to fulfil His mission of love and salvation for the human race, it is also a special reminder of the personal mission of love to those who have been called and chosen to fulfil their vocation as educators to the young.

After the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, our Lord Jesus as the Infant King revealed Himself first and foremost to the lowly shepherds in His humble birthplace in Bethlehem.

“He has pulled down princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly.” – Luke 1:52

Let us remember, then, as we step into the classroom at the start of the new academic year, to bring the incarnation of Jesus to the last, the lost and the loneliest among our students – those whom God Himself has entrusted to our care. These students may have already experienced poverty in their hearts, lost hope in finding joy, peace and friendship among their peers, are lagging behind in their studies and have lost hope in getting back on track to succeed academically, or come from broken homes and misbehave as a response to their brokenness and need for attention.

As we step into the classroom of familiar and often unfamiliar faces, let us, as teachers, be living signs of the true meaning of Christmas to the “lowly” ones, to whom the Lord has often chosen to offer His presence and friendship.

Therefore, “give a shepherd’s care to the flock of God that is entrusted to you: watch over it, not simply as a duty but gladly, as God wants; not for sordid money, but because you are eager to do it. Do not lord it over the group which is in your charge, but be an example for the flock. When the chief shepherd appears, you will be given the unfading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:2-4).

May you and your students have an especially blessed Christmas and a meaningful journey in 2017!

St Brother Solomon: A La Salle Brother, Teacher, Martyr

23 November 2016

Tags: Educators, Parents, Students

Categories: Reflections, Saints

St Brother Solomon: A La Salle Brother, Teacher, Martyr

By Bro Nicholas Seet, FSC

Nicolas Leclerq was born in 1745 in the northern coast of France in Boulogne-sur-Mer Boulogne, a major port. His family was well-off and dealt in food and wines. He studied in the same school as his father which was managed by the La Salle Brothers. As a young boy, he was fascinated by the lives of “God’s heroes” which he preferred to adventure stories. He finished school at sixteen and began his work apprenticeship hoping to be in the family business. He had written “I want to be like my teachers, the Brothers, following them in their piety, their austerity and their service to young people.”

So, he joined the Brothers at the age of 21 and took the name Brother Solomon. He started teaching at the age of 23. He sometimes had classes of up to 130 pupils, to whom he taught “reading, writing and calculus” Some of his classes included difficult teenagers, sent to the school for re-education. By the age of 27, he made final vows and later became Director of Novices. At the age of 32, he was in charge of a big educational complex, with around 1,000 students, including 150 “difficult” boys committed by the courts. By then his main work was that of administration.

Later, he was sent to Melun to teach mathematics in the teacher training centre for the Brothers. His good sense, simplicity, discretion and great ability were evident to his students, who appreciated his intelligence and skill in synthesising things and admired his perfect handwriting. In 1787, he was appointed Secretary to the Superior General, Bro Agathon.

With the French Revolution, like many of the Brothers, he refused to take the oath of allegiance to the new state. Religious congregations were abolished, and the Brothers’ schools were closed. They were driven from their houses and reduced to total poverty. In his last letter, dated 15 August 1792, Brother Solomon wrote “We bear with joy and gratitude the crosses and afflictions that come our way. As for me, I do not seem to be worthy to suffer for Him, since up to now nothing bad has happened to me, while there are so many confessors of the faith who are in difficulty.” A few hours later, he was arrested and imprisoned in the Carmelite Convent in Paris. Having been interrogated during the night, he spent his final days without any food.

On 2 September, he together with others refused to take the oath to the Civil Constitution. After that, they were taken out into the garden and were met by their killers who killed them with swords and guns. He was beatified in October 1926 by Pope Pius XI and by Pope Francis on 16 October 2016.

For more, check out the Catholic News’ coverage of the celebration of Brother Solomon’s canonization in Singapore here.

9 questions your students may ask you in school

6 September 2016

Tags: Educators

Categories: Resources

9 questions your students may ask you in school

Any Catholic educator–-especially those teaching in Catholic schools–-will eventually face some tough questions from students regarding the faith. How can we best answer and educate them about the Salvation Story? Here are some frequently asked questions compiled by a teacher from a Catholic school, and some suggested answers for our inquisitive young people.

1. Is God real? How do you know?
There is no hard proof that God is real or exists. However, if you observe the Earth carefully, you will know that someone superior to Man created it. Everything hangs in perfect balance – the atmosphere, the rotation of the Earth around the Sun, and all the other things which we take so much for granted. The other creation that requires close observation is the human body. Up until today, doctors are unable to fully comprehend the workings of the body; it is a deep mystery. These two creations would point to a super intelligent being as creator.

2. Why must I attend Mass? It’s boring.
The Mass is a coming together for the celebration of the Eucharist. In the Bible, Jesus taught His apostles that they must eat His flesh and drink His blood to live. “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Mt 18:20). You can pray alone, but the Catholic faith is a communal religion. Didn’t Jesus say that if we cannot love our neighbor whom we can see, how can we love God whom we cannot see? To help yourself enjoy the mass, it is good to be attentive and listen to the priest as he takes you through it. Try to participate in the mass by volunteering your services at the altar or through some other means to make it meaningful to you. Being involved is the fastest way to learn and understand.

3. Can I do anything I want before declaring my belief in God when I am about to die?
Your life is created by daily habitual actions. If you lead a life of wanton living, it is highly unlikely that you would think of God when you are dying. Also, the soul would be unable to face God if it were not clean.

4. Why is our God a jealous God?
This is probably an idea taken from the Old Testament where we read that our God is jealous. The best way to explain this is through our love for someone. When we love someone, our whole attention is focused on that person. God wants us to centre our attention on Him, because He alone is the way to joy, truth and peace. As such, He is ‘jealous’ in the sense that He does not want us to stray from Him, for fear of losing us forever.

5. Is it a sin to masturbate?
Sex is an expression of love between persons of the opposite sex. It is possible only between two consenting adults and if one party does not want it, it should not take place. Masturbation does not require consent from another party, and is solely intended for giving oneself pleasure. It is an act of selfishness as there is no self-control required. Anything that is selfish leads to sin.

6. Is God a man or a woman?
God is neither man nor woman (CCC370). He is pure spirit, and not bound by biological gender in the way we are. God created mankind in His image, and thus our humanness is a reflection of His holiness – not the other way around.

7. Why must we have RCCE and then catechism on Sunday again?
The purpose of a Catholic school is to offer both religious education as well as academic training. It is a praying community that purports to live as closely as it can to the Gospel. If a Catholic school does not have some religious programmes, how does it differentiate itself? It is important to be introduced to God at a younger age so that as you grow older, you can question and dig deeper to find out more about your religion to deepen your faith. This is also why attending catechism on a Sunday is required by each parish up till Confirmation. While Catholic Schools and catechists offer slightly different programmes, the intention is the same: to form useful habits to equip you for the vicissitudes of life. The Catholic population is privileged to have so many organisations within and outside of the Church to help all Catholics through various stages in life.

8. Why must I go for confession?
Confession is a Sacrament ordained by the Church to help Catholics expiate their sins. Throughout the Bible, you will read that when a sin has been committed, restitution must be made. We are to first seek out the one we have hurt and ask for forgiveness. Then, to be accepted back into the community of God (i.e. the Church), we are to confess our sins. If the sinful action is against God alone, then only confession is necessary.

9. Hell must be a fun place. I don’t mind going there.
People tend to paint a fun picture of Hell as the place where they will find many friends and have a good time. Human experience tells us this is unlikely to be the case. People need opposites to appreciate the states of their lives. For example, you will appreciate leisure only if you are extremely busy for a period of time. As a hardworking student, you will look forward to the school holidays. If your life was one of debauchery, you would not enjoy it for long. Like the prodigal son, many who indulge in unfettered hedonism eventually find themselves feeling empty and in pain. Hell is an infinite extension of this loneliness. Coupled with the company of every wicked, selfish and evil person that’s ever lived, it is a circus of fear and danger. Not so fun when you think about it, is it?

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