CHURCH OF THE POOR: CHURCH OF THE SCHOOL

MYRNA M. SANTILLAN

As educators, we want our students to be equipped with skills they need to survive as adults. But we also want them to be equipped spiritually.

By having a monthly Holy Mass in our school, we are able to expose spiritual formation among our students. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we can learn, teach and inspire others in school.

We are all given the choice to participate in the mission of education. We are to spread the Good News in word and action, so that our students will strive to transform themselves and the world.

In school, we make sure that faith is present in the atmosphere, especially in how we instruct and guide our students. This is why the monthly Holy Mass has become an integral part of our activities.

We encourage our students to participate in the services and special events relevant to the monthly Mass.

We strive to provide an environment where our students can develop spiritually. We help nurture them to be active in Church Church, and who serve and respect their neighbors with peace and love.

Among the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding – which are about our intellectual life.

Wisdom is about knowing where we want to go in our lives and what to do with it. It helps us see our personal vision in the light of the end of our journey.

Understanding, on the other hand, is the means to reach the above goals. We cannot reach these goals unless we have a mental grasp of things around us. Through understanding the specific laws of science and mathematics and comprehending the principles of art, religion and literature, we are able to draw crucial conclusions that affect lives.

Knowledge, meanwhile, is an awareness or understanding of someone or something. Our knowledge of ourselves can help us glean God’s purposes in our lives.

So what does this say about learning? It is the work of the Holy Spirit. It helps us understand the world around us so that we can respond accordingly to God’s invitation to serve others and the world.

It is also our responsibility to assist parents in the faith formation of their children. We should give them the knowledge and understanding that is the necessary to allow them to experience a personal relationship with their faith.

Through basic instruction, serving others, and forming a personal relationship with God, our students can begin to understand what it means to be an integral part of a greater spiritual community.

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The author is Head Teacher I at San Pedro National High School.