austraLasia #3038
HK and Macau educational leaders attend spiritual 'boot camp'
HONG KONG: 21 March 2012 -- After attending two days in a spiritual workout from 16-17 March, Salesian school principals and supervisors from Hong Kong and Macau expressed gratitude for the kind concern of the Salesian Society in organizing such a retreat time for them, with enriching content and a chance to rest.
Daily work takes its toll at times, dulling the soul and muddling educational goals. For the first-comers at this retreat, there was an initial degree of anxiety but they soon found they could mix with others very soon because they found the willingness to share experiences frankly. Moreover, they could feel the cohesion of the team. In this one day camp, they experienced the support and power of the community and sharing the same mission. At the end, all participants felt that this kind of retreat should continue to be organised in future.
This year’s theme was “Salesian Mission and Spirituality”. The various sessions helped bring out the essential qualities of educational leaders. "Principals and supervisors should become the source of blessing for others, letting those who come into contact with them also feel blessed". The task then, for the educational leader, is knowing how to bring blessings to others.
Both the Provincial, Fr Simon Lam, and the Vice provincial, Fr Andrew Fung, addressed this and other spiritual questions, citing Don Bosco liberally, but also stressing the fact that not only Christians are qualified to lead others to God. Non-Christian educators who possess a merciful heart and who practise Jesus' spirit to save souls, also fulfil the mission of education and evangelisation. The Provincial expressed gratitude for the fact that this spirit was evident in the principals and supervisors. The influence of leaders’ words and actions is profound. Fr Lam reminded them “and when you save others, you yourselves are also being saved".
Fr. Lam went on to offer four directions for acquiring holiness. Holiness is doing ordinary things with extraordinary motivation. The first thing is to do everything joyfully. The joy comes from the fact that God is supporting us. "God chooses us to be school principals, so he will also accomplish his plan through us". The second thing is the two pillars of the Salesian Society – the Eucharist and Mary. Thirdly, pray frequently with brief invocations to relate everything to God. The last thing is the sense of mission. "Try our best to save one at a time in order to respond gratefully to the great love of Jesus for us".
HK and Macau educational leaders attend spiritual 'boot camp'
Daily work takes its toll at times, dulling the soul and muddling educational goals. For the first-comers at this retreat, there was an initial degree of anxiety but they soon found they could mix with others very soon because they found the willingness to share experiences frankly. Moreover, they could feel the cohesion of the team. In this one day camp, they experienced the support and power of the community and sharing the same mission. At the end, all participants felt that this kind of retreat should continue to be organised in future.
This year’s theme was “Salesian Mission and Spirituality”. The various sessions helped bring out the essential qualities of educational leaders. "Principals and supervisors should become the source of blessing for others, letting those who come into contact with them also feel blessed". The task then, for the educational leader, is knowing how to bring blessings to others.
Both the Provincial, Fr Simon Lam, and the Vice provincial, Fr Andrew Fung, addressed this and other spiritual questions, citing Don Bosco liberally, but also stressing the fact that not only Christians are qualified to lead others to God. Non-Christian educators who possess a merciful heart and who practise Jesus' spirit to save souls, also fulfil the mission of education and evangelisation. The Provincial expressed gratitude for the fact that this spirit was evident in the principals and supervisors. The influence of leaders’ words and actions is profound. Fr Lam reminded them “and when you save others, you yourselves are also being saved".
Fr. Lam went on to offer four directions for acquiring holiness. Holiness is doing ordinary things with extraordinary motivation. The first thing is to do everything joyfully. The joy comes from the fact that God is supporting us. "God chooses us to be school principals, so he will also accomplish his plan through us". The second thing is the two pillars of the Salesian Society – the Eucharist and Mary. Thirdly, pray frequently with brief invocations to relate everything to God. The last thing is the sense of mission. "Try our best to save one at a time in order to respond gratefully to the great love of Jesus for us".
