By Ms Dorothy Fernandes for BISMumbai

The staff of Don Bosco, Naigaon, began the new year with a seminar led by Fr Solomon Rodrigues on 2 January 2024, on the topic ‘Spirituality of Teachers’. 90 staff members attended the seminar. 

Fr Rodrigues, popularly known as the Diocese of Vasai's ‘Singing Priest’, is highly renowned for his spirituality and healing abilities. He has been an educator and spiritual guide for the past 40 years nurturing the lives of the young. 

Fr Rodrigues said, “Teaching is not a profession but a vocation. It is a call from God to mould the lives of His children. It is a commitment to create good human beings who are not only literate but also civilised citizens of the country. Every school is a formation house where children are formed into good human beings.”

Fr Rodrigues stressed the need to make learning enjoyable for students. He compassionately spoke to the staff, sharing from his extensive experience. He highlighted the fact that educators have a duty that extends beyond only imparting knowledge; they have to place a high priority on helping their pupils acquire moral principles, empathy, and kindness. 

Fr Rodrigues also stressed the importance of instructors developing their own spirituality through prayer and meditation. In doing so, they can act as role models for pupils, encouraging and helping them navigate the difficulties of life. He emphasised the necessity for cooperation in resolving global issues by citing Pope Francis, his encyclical on the environment Laudato Si and universal brotherhood to underscore this point. He added that only in doing so would the prime purpose of education be accomplished and the world would be a better place to live. 

He invited questions from the staff to be shared before calling the seminar to a close. Apart from deepening their understanding of mentorship, the teachers also discussed with Fr Rodrigues student behavioural patterns, pressure and suicidal tendencies. Thus, with sharing and a discussion of relevant issues, the seminar came to an end.  

This was indeed an enriching start to the new year for the educators at Don Bosco, Naigaon.