| School Apostolate |
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A Heart for TeachingBy: Bro. Mark Saludes
Probably, the noblest act that a man can do toward others is to be a bearer of light. A task usually embedded with the identity of an educator. I t is a responsibility which extremely requires intense patience, hard work, prudence, and above all, an intimate commitment and dedication. This is a fact and necessity which a seminarian undergoes during school apostolates seldom ignored and unaware of.
Apostolate is the indispensable character of the Order. As an apostolic community, the Order is actively engaging in various types of apostolic works such as missionary apostolate, ministerial apostolate, and precisely the educational or the teaching apostolate. In relationship with the family and accordance with the norms laid down by the church, our mother and teacher, the community exercises the teaching apostolate in the formation of the person in view of his final end and for the good of the society. The teaching apostolate is realized in various ways. Our own teaching communities and those entrusted to the 0rder and University which gives spiritual and intellectual assistance to the youth. In order to fulfill this mission adequately, the religious who are meant for education should prepare with some suitable qualifications, adequate learning, and sufficient experiences. Finally as early as now, the formands should undergo a satisfactory formation and relevant experiences as future ministers in order to handle its immense responsibility.
In fact, I was never a stranger to this kind of endeavor. I am a dedicated catechist in our parish in Quiapo, Manila prior to my entering the seminary. I found my students here more behaved and interested compared to the children I handled before. This experience never brought me stress and so with my brothers because we love what we are doing. We obtain intense happiness from the responses of our students despite our exhaustion. We are satisfied with their smiles and act of gratitude every time we leave their classrooms. It is an experience of love for apostolate work.
from left to right; top to bottom: Bros. Dwight and Jomar's class, Bros. Odoy and Chubby's class, Bros. Mark and Yong's class, Bros. Earl and Virgil's class, Bros. Balong and Biboy's class, and the teacher brothers' class of Grade 5 with the faculty. (photograph was taken Feb. 26, 2009, by Bro. Enteng)
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When I was accelerated in the third year, consequently, a higher responsibility was due and precisely school apostolate is one. It is part of seminary’s apostolate to teach catechism in school. The seminarians were implored to educate the young ones in Baguio Central School handling Grades V and VI every Thursday afternoon. I foresaw this activity to be difficult and crucial because we are not just imparting ordinary knowledge but evangelizing within the grasp of an average child. We are not seeking from them to know deeper about God but to teach them basic prayers and good conduct. In view of our apostolic works as a future priest and evangelist, this is probably a significant stepping stone to realize our future ministry. Furthermore, this is highly beneficial in relation to the personal development of a seminarian.
