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School Chaplaincy
Due to lack of religious nuns and brothers teaching in schools, this school chaplaincy programme is started to ensure faith formation continues in the schools. At present, we have a sister who is a chaplain at Hai Sing Catholic High School.
Franciscan Values in Action at Hai Sing Catholic School
Walking through Hai Sing Catholic School, you will find a simple vegetable garden that is at the heart of its efforts to build the character and faith of its Catholic students this year. St. Francis, the patron saint of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary that founded Hai Sing in 1959, was a pious figure who cared about the environment and wildlife. 2018 saw the arrival of a new school chaplain, Sr Bernadetha, FMM, who started the garden with the help of Catholic students.
For many of the students, it was their first experience gardening on this scale in urban Singapore. They enthusiastically came together to loosen and fertilise the soil and planted the first seeds, a variety of vegetable seeds such as long beans, lady’s fingers, cucumber and other Chinese vegetables. The road was not a smooth-sailing one as not all the plants that were planted, survived and many also did not bear fruit. However, the students showed resilience and re-ploughed the soil and replanted the seeds. Over time, there was greater success as the plants grew and bore fruit. When opportunities arose, the vegetables were harvested and the students could enjoy the fruits of their labour. The students shared that the garden gave them a sense of achievement and belonging to the school as they witnessed their hard work bear fruit and leave a mark on the school grounds.
The garden project is now into its second phase, where students are attempting a different variety of plants and herbs, such as tomatoes, limes, sunflowers, chillies and rosemary and also putting up proper dividers and support structures for plants.
The project was conceptualised as a way to help the Catholic students bond together and an opportunity to display an act of love and service to the school. These experiences also imbue in students lessons from nature. To be a good gardener, one has to be dedicated, caring and sensitive to the needs of each plant.
These experiences connect well with other aspects of the school’s Catholic programme, where they are also reminded that to be a good Catholic, one has to serve the community with a spirit of dedication and compassion. Catholic students are also reminded of how their faith are like little seeds that need to fall onto good soil and grow. As one grows, he or she needs constant pruning and trimming by God to improve one’s self to enter the garden of heaven.
Hai Sing Catholic School will be having its Open House for prospective Secondary 1 students on 24 November from 8.30 am to 1 pm. We welcome Primary 6 students and their parents to pay us a visit!
For many of the students, it was their first experience gardening on this scale in urban Singapore. They enthusiastically came together to loosen and fertilise the soil and planted the first seeds, a variety of vegetable seeds such as long beans, lady’s fingers, cucumber and other Chinese vegetables. The road was not a smooth-sailing one as not all the plants that were planted, survived and many also did not bear fruit. However, the students showed resilience and re-ploughed the soil and replanted the seeds. Over time, there was greater success as the plants grew and bore fruit. When opportunities arose, the vegetables were harvested and the students could enjoy the fruits of their labour. The students shared that the garden gave them a sense of achievement and belonging to the school as they witnessed their hard work bear fruit and leave a mark on the school grounds.
The garden project is now into its second phase, where students are attempting a different variety of plants and herbs, such as tomatoes, limes, sunflowers, chillies and rosemary and also putting up proper dividers and support structures for plants.
The project was conceptualised as a way to help the Catholic students bond together and an opportunity to display an act of love and service to the school. These experiences also imbue in students lessons from nature. To be a good gardener, one has to be dedicated, caring and sensitive to the needs of each plant.
These experiences connect well with other aspects of the school’s Catholic programme, where they are also reminded that to be a good Catholic, one has to serve the community with a spirit of dedication and compassion. Catholic students are also reminded of how their faith are like little seeds that need to fall onto good soil and grow. As one grows, he or she needs constant pruning and trimming by God to improve one’s self to enter the garden of heaven.
Hai Sing Catholic School will be having its Open House for prospective Secondary 1 students on 24 November from 8.30 am to 1 pm. We welcome Primary 6 students and their parents to pay us a visit!
Hai Sing Catholic Students Deepen their Love for Christ.
Hai Sing Catholic School, located at Pasir Ris, collaborated with Christ the King Church youth team, Novena Church and Franciscan Missionary of Mary to organise a two days retreat especially for 33 of its Catholic students to strengthen their understanding of their Catholic faith and deepen their appreciation of the meaning of love.
Through the course of the retreat, students’ learning was rich, as they were led through a variety of activities, including bonding games, sharings by youth leaders from Church of Christ the King, as well as visits to the Redemporist mission at Novena Church and the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary community at Maris Stella Convent at Holland Road.
A Sec 1 student, Natalie Pang, shared that she had learnt the 5 language of love through the personal sharing of the leaders who are from the tertiary institutions. Terence Teh, a Sec ? student from Hai Sing shared that he learned about the good work and love of Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Sisters (FMM) for foreign domestic workers and the aged.
Mr Daniel Wong, one of the retreat leaders, observed that the youth retreat leaders’ own relationship with Christ deepened following the retreat, as they had found their journeys in organising the retreat very meaningful.
The retreat culminated in a Eucharistic adoration and a Mass celebrated by Fr. Jerome S.J. in the beautiful Maris Stella Chapel located within the Franciscan Missionary of Mary compound at Holland road.
As a collaborative effort between a Catholic School and Churches, the retreat went well as a result of the many people- the religious Sisters and Brothers and youth leaders- who dedicated themselves to nurturing young Catholics, guiding them towards a deeper love for Christ.
(Written by Mr. David Wong, teacher i/c of Hai Sing Catholic Students’ Retreat)
Hai Sing Catholic School, located at Pasir Ris, collaborated with Christ the King Church youth team, Novena Church and Franciscan Missionary of Mary to organise a two days retreat especially for 33 of its Catholic students to strengthen their understanding of their Catholic faith and deepen their appreciation of the meaning of love.
Through the course of the retreat, students’ learning was rich, as they were led through a variety of activities, including bonding games, sharings by youth leaders from Church of Christ the King, as well as visits to the Redemporist mission at Novena Church and the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary community at Maris Stella Convent at Holland Road.
A Sec 1 student, Natalie Pang, shared that she had learnt the 5 language of love through the personal sharing of the leaders who are from the tertiary institutions. Terence Teh, a Sec ? student from Hai Sing shared that he learned about the good work and love of Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Sisters (FMM) for foreign domestic workers and the aged.
Mr Daniel Wong, one of the retreat leaders, observed that the youth retreat leaders’ own relationship with Christ deepened following the retreat, as they had found their journeys in organising the retreat very meaningful.
The retreat culminated in a Eucharistic adoration and a Mass celebrated by Fr. Jerome S.J. in the beautiful Maris Stella Chapel located within the Franciscan Missionary of Mary compound at Holland road.
As a collaborative effort between a Catholic School and Churches, the retreat went well as a result of the many people- the religious Sisters and Brothers and youth leaders- who dedicated themselves to nurturing young Catholics, guiding them towards a deeper love for Christ.
(Written by Mr. David Wong, teacher i/c of Hai Sing Catholic Students’ Retreat)
"We are women of different nations and cultures, choosing to live together in a fragmented world. Revealing the face of Christ by being a humanizing presence among people who suffer and are on the margins.Committing ourselves, with others to the care of creation and to the service of peace, justice and healing, where is most needed."
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