Dr Michael Downey

Dr Michael Downey, consultant, author, retreat facilitator and teacher from Australia summarises his thoughts on Chaplaincy Teams in Singapore.

Chaplaincy Team Training by Dr Michael Downey

Dr Michael Downey has many years of experience in the educational field and gives regular formation sessions to school leaders, chaplains, teachers and others.
He is in Singapore from the 4th of April to the 7th of May conducting training for new and experienced chaplaincy team members, school leaders, priests and religious education coordinators.
His doctoral dissertation was on the Spirituality of Lay teachers in Catholic Schools.
Pictured above, on the left, is His Grace Archbishop Nicholas Chia addressing a group of 42 participants with Dr Downey.

School Chaplaincy Training

The last two modules of the School Chaplaincy Team training were held on the 8th and 15th of September at the Church of the Risen Christ.

In the second last module, Ms Soh Lai Leng spoke on the Educational Context Today - Learning Environment and Ms Michelle Soliano spoke on Working with Schools - Today's Youth Culture.
In the last module, Bro Collin Wee, FSC spoke on Children in Early Years and Ms Merilyn Dasson spoke on Human Development & Faith Formation - Needs of the Young.

The participants also received their certificates of attendance and will go back to their respective schools armed with fresh knowledge.

Chaplaincy Team Communio

St. Anthony's Cannossian Secondary School in Bedok played host to the first "Communio" session of the year on the 26th of February. Entitled "Practices in Catholic Schools/ Chaplaincy Team", it sought to give greater insight to the concept of Chapliancy teams in Singapore Catholic schools.
It was a lively three hour session and was delivered by Ms. Daisy Tan from the host school, Ms Soh Lai Leng & Sr Assunta Cheng, FMM from Holy Innocents' High School and Friar Michael D’Cruz OFM from St Joseph's Institution. A total of 58 educators coming from a cross section of Catholic schools attended the dialogue session which ended with a synthesis by Fr Norbert Menezes, SJ.

School Chaplaincy Training

The third module for the School Chaplaincy Teams, SCTs, was delivered by Ms Soh Lai Leng, the principal of Holy Innocents High and Ms Michelle Soliano, the principal programme executive of the Family Life Society on the 22nd of July.

Their session explored the structures of Singapore's educational system. The important role of the Church and the Ministry of Education was also examined.

Bro. Colin Wee, FSC delivered the concluding module on the 29th of July. The La Salle brother's topic on Human Development & Faith Formation was delivered at the parish of the Risen Christ Church in Toa Payoh.

His hilarity and wealth of experience was indeed enriching as he expounded on the changes and challenges that school children face today. The four hour lecture was concluded with the presentation of certificates of participation to the attendees.

The School Chaplaincy Teams is ACCS' response to Catholic schools who have long called for support from the Archdiocese in the areas of Religious Education, Catholic ethos and relations with parish communities.

The SCT is a team of persons who may be lay, religious or clerical who minister to a school community. The aim of the SCT is to support school leaders in their on-going efforts to provide quality Catholic education for all students in our schools, especially in the areas of religious education, pastoral care and sacramental life.

Pictured above is Bro. Colin Wee delivering his topic.