Inducted into Lasallian Pedagogy and Spirituality

The Lasallian Family in Papua New Guinea continues to grow. This year twenty young teachers, one Lasallian volunteer and one ancillary staff were inducted into Lasallian Pedagogy and Spirituality.

The two-day event facilitated by the National Capital District Lasallian Area Coordinator, Br. Francis Toliman cfc, and assisted by the National Lasallian Family office was held at the Retreat Center of the Handmaids of the Lord, AD, a 45-minute bus ride outside of the Capital City. The tranquil environment created a conducive space for participants to reflect upon their vocation as professional teachers and their personal lives.

The evening session began with the founding story of the life of St John Baptist de la Salle and the history of the De la Salle Brothers in the Papua New Guinea Sector.

The next day began with an enriching and contextualized presentation on the Lasallian Spirituality in the Melanesian culture. With quotes such as ‘We are spiritual people - we believe in what we cannot see…’ and ‘Lasallian spirituality is a very attractive concept to the Melanesia society because of the many similarities in its pedagogy..’ Linking Melanesian Spirituality to Lasallian spirituality was a fascinating and intriguing session.

The day continued with more sessions such as the ‘The 12 virtues of a good teacher’, ‘Five guiding principles’ and ‘Child Protection and Safeguarding’ with a few ice breakers in-between sessions.

“The five guiding principles are embedded in the Melanesian society” said one teacher, “it is so relevant that new teachers must be inducted into the Lasallian pedagogy” an inductee said.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience to witness young professionals relating their experiences to that of our Founder, St John Baptist de la Salle. 80% of the participants were in their mid-twenties and early 30s, which is a good sign for the growth of the Lasallian family in PNG.

The Handmaids of the Lord Sisters, AD- Nazarene, were very hospitable and the newly inducted teachers left the retreat centre feeling empowered and rejuvenated.  

(Source: Melinda Maro – edited)