Archdiocesan Teachers' Day Celebrations

Each Teachers' Day, students show their appreciation for their teachers. This Teachers' Day, the Archdiocese of Singapore would like join them in celebrating this happy day and to give thanks to God for the gift of teachers in our Catholic schools and kindergartens.

You are warmly invited to the celebrations on Saturday, 30 August at SJI International School, 490 Thomson Road. The celebrations will begin at 2.30pm with Mass that Archbishop Nicholas Chia will celebrate for teachers. Afternoon tea will follow.

Kindly inform Catholic Teachers' Movement c/o Ms Shirley Louis of ACCS if you wish to attend. Shirley's contact details can be found to your right.

SACP shares and cares

On 22 May 2008, students from St Anthony’s Canossian Primary School responded to the call of the Canossian Community to donate food to the mission in Myanmar.

The day before, Vice-Principal, Mrs Julia Chia spoke to the school about the urgency for food donations, types of food which students can donate and where their donations will be sent to. Parents and students started pouring in with bags of canned food, instant noodles, milk powder, condensed milk and biscuits. The packed boxes had personalised notes of encouragement and love, to the people of Myanmar. One of the classes wrote, "Your smile will brighten our day!" Indeed, they have learnt that it is “better to give than to receive.”

This donation drive has been a very fulfilling and good experience for the staff and pupils. It was a good opportunity for them to reach out to the global community and think about others before self.

To learn more about how SACP organised this activity, please contact Mrs Corinna Foo, HOD Community Relations at Tel: 64492597 or 64492239

photos from st anthony's canossian primary school

Communio: a report on the second gathering

Approximately 50 participants made of school leaders, HODs and SMC Chairpersons attended the second gathering of Communio last Friday afternoon. Montfort Secondary was our gracious host.

Michael de Silva, our guest speaker, facilitated the afternoon’s reflection and discussion on “Leader-educators in Catholic Schools & Catholic leader-educators: living the values and culture.”

Working with the participants, he identified four areas of concern that school leaders of Catholic schools face:

• the situation of increasing secularism in our schools
• the need to rethink the policy of affiliation between primary and secondary schools
• the question of “what do our schools exists for?"
• the involvement and quality of Catholics as teachers and leaders in our schools

In raising these concerns, Michael challenged participants to think beyond management. School leaders, he pointed out, are leaders when they are willing to grapple with tensions and problems faced and to find creative ways to respond to them. Leaders lead, not manage. He also singled out the need for Catholic school leaders to be clear about the rationale for Catholic schools. A school leader who clearly understands this will be able to lead the school better.

Throughout the afternoon, there was a healthy exchange of views, as there was a sense of a community sharing and seeking ways to better lead our schools.

Communio: second gathering

The second gathering of Communio will take place on Friday, 27 June. It will begin at 2.30pm at Montfort Secondary School.

The topic for the afternoon is "Leader-educators in Catholic Schools and Catholic leader-educators: Living the Values and Cultures."

Our guest speaker is Mr Michael de Silva. Drawing on his years as an educator, school leader and someone who is presently working in the fields of educational leadership, Michael will share with us his thoughts on the topic. He will be speaking in his personal capacity.

Besides Michael's presentation, the afternoon will include small group sharing and a learning journey to the Church of Nativity, where we will end the afternoon with Mass. Our hosts are Montfort Secondary School.

You are most welcome to attend. Kindly contact Ms Shirley Louis if you wish to participate. She may be contacted at the telephone number listed on this page.

Communio: where school leaders and educators in Singapore Catholic education gather to share and learn, to grow as persons and educators, to build comunity together. We meet once a school term.

photo: jump, like this by byron realey

Developing School Culture (4): Display of Symbols

Symbols have been used by the Christian Church since the earliest ages for many reasons. In general, Christian symbols remind believers and non-believers of God’s presence and God’s divine activity in human space and time, as well as in the lives of holy men and women.

Indeed, Christian symbols in Catholic schools help all to be aware of God’s continuing and loving presence in the myriad experiences of learning, teaching and growing as a community.

In this day of increasing secularization, the Christian symbols our schools display and celebrate have the important role of teaching the faith to Catholics, as well as of telling the story of God’s goodness in the lives of all peoples.

Some of our schools share the symbols they display and celebrate below.

from Assumption Vocational Institute

Every room has a crucifix on a wall. There are statues around the Institute: the statue of St Louis Marie de Montfort and 2 statues of Our Lady of the Assumption are placed within the Institute compound.

To learn more about how AVI displays the statues and crucifix, please contact Mr. Paul Choong, Tel: 67659074.

from CHIJ Katong Convent (Secondary)

The school displays statues and images of Our Lady, the Infant Jesus and Blessed Nicolas Barre around the school premises.

To learn more about how CHIJ Katong Convent displayed the statues and images, please contact Ms Lam Ai-Leen, Tel: 64486433.


from CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace
There is a crucifix in every classroom and special room. A large crucifix is also displayed at the Hall, the main school entrance and the Prayer Room.

A statue Our Lady is at the grotto, pond and at the Amphitheatre. A statue of the Guardian Angel is at the school gate (entrance).

To learn more about how CHIJ Our Lady Queen of Peace displayed the images, please contact Mrs Clare Lewis, Tel: 67691529.


from Maris Stella High
During Lent, purple cloth is draped over the cross to remind the school of the season of Lent. With Easter, it is draped with a golden shimmering cloth to remind all that Jesus has risen.

To learn more about how Maris Stella High School displayed the images during Lent, please contact: Mr Paul Kwok Weng Yee, kwok_weng_yee@moe.edu.sg.

from Monfort Junior
Crucifixes are displayed in every classroom. The images of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary are displayed at the entrance to Montfort Junior. The statue of Our Founder, St Louis Marie de Montfort, is also displayed at the main entrance to the school.

To learn more about how Montfort Junior displayed the images, please contact Mr James Chng, Tel: 65101593.

from St Gabriel’s Secondary
The school displays the story of the life of St Louis de Montfort on its noticeboards and has a statue of St Louis in the school premises.

Paintings of the Annunciation and Jesus inviting children to himself are displayed at the school front lobby. The Hail Mary Prayer is also on display there.

The Lord’s Prayer is displayed on the front wall of assembly courtyard.

There are crucifixes in every room.

To learn more about how St Gabriel’s Secondary displayed the images, please contact Mr Francis Foong, Tel 64813573.



from St Joseph’s Institution International
There is a crucifix in every teaching space in the school including the offices and public places like the canteen and Hall.

The Angelus bells are rung every noon and at 6.00pm. They are also rung for 5 minutes before morning prayer and Friday Mass. The bells remind all of the Lord's invitation to prayer.

To learn more about how St Joseph’s Inst International displayed and conducted the ritual, please contact The Brother President, broughton@sji.moe.edu.sg.

from St Joseph’s Institution Junior
Hanging in each classroom is a crucifix and the Founder’s portrait. A mural depicting Founder’s life and another one on Noah’s Ark is displayed in the school.

To learn more about how St Joseph’s Institution Junior displayed, please contact Mr David Ching, ching_kin_hin@moe.gov.sg.