East Sepik Lasallians join others in celebrating patron’s feast day

By BOSON WILSON
CATHOLIC teachers in East Sepik attended a special Eucharistic celebration at the Christ the King Cathedral in Wewak last Sunday to commemorate the feast day of St John Baptiste De La Salle.
Most of teachers were members of the Papua New Guinea Lasallian family working with other Lasallian volunteers and teachers nationwide to realise the aspirations of St John.
Presiding over the mass, Fr Bernard Burite said Jean-Baptiste de La Salle was the patron of PNG Lasallian family and was a priest and teacher who looked after children in his native France from the late 1600s to the early 1700s.
Burite said the patron took unfortunate children and taught them and instilled Christian values in them.
“He brought salvation and gave hope to those children who were lost and seemed to have no purpose in life,” he said.
In line with the event’s theme “Synodality in schools” Burite urged teachers and volunteers to work with the church to continue the mission of their patron to make communities a better place to live.
“We must continue the good work of our patron and we must do it with our hearts as it will not only find favour with God but also with the people we come across,” he said.
Burite said hosting such feast day was a way to commemorate the work of the Lasallian family.
He said Catholic teachers need to be recognised and respected for their love for the people and their tireless effort to serve them.
“In areas where there is no government services, these teachers tend to play the role of policemen, lawyers, nurses and even doctors,” he said.
Lasallian Catholic teachers of St Mary’s Wirui Primary School teacher in charge Maggie Waragi said as Catholic teachers, they needed to help students develop, have pride and maintain personal dignity and not only teaching them facts and figures.
“Teachers must encourage good behaviour and engage students to participate in church organised activities that will have a positive impact on their lives as individuals.”