lumen 3

June 2012 • Issue 3www.sji.edu.sg

LUMENT H E S T J O S E P H ’ S I N S T I T U T I O N M A G A Z I N E

Lumen 1-2012 Draft8_Layout 1 30/4/12 9:15 AM Page Cov1

LUMEN | THE ST JOSEPH’S INSTITUTION MAGAZINE

On the cover (Left to right): Mrs NicoleKhoo, Mr Henry Sng, Mrs Ellen Woo, MrDon Marcus, Mr Soo Chan Hua, Mrs Ng-YeoBee Kheng and Ms Juliana WooPhoto by Joachim Ong (421)

The LUMEN TeamAdvisorMalcolm Wong

EditorsDaisy ChiaLim Boon Siang

LayoutDhurrga Ettikan

Design & ProductionJerry Tan (Paschal East Design)

We welcome your input/feedback. Write to usat [email protected] subject: LUMENLumen is a publication of St Joseph’s Institution, Singapore. © 2012SJI. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmittedin any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, includingphotocopy, recording or any information storage or retrievalsystem, without the permission of the copyright owner.

Lumen is Latin for light or lamp. Italso means clearness andunderstanding.

We hope this magazine will throwlight on the people, programmes,and philosophy of SJI.

Whether you are a student, ateacher, a parent, an old boy, or justsomeone who supports the school,may what we have to say help youunderstand the school and what itstands for and perhaps shed a littlemore light onto your path on thejourney that is life. Contributors

Contents

1 | KRISON TAN (Page 8)

Krison Tan’s vast interest in theatre performance has inspired him to appreciateEnglish Literature and teach the subject and English. His article is on how to make

language learning engaging.

1 | From the Editor2 - 4 | SJI behind the Lens

5 | Class of '64 Reunites6 - 7 | Reflections of Teachers Past and Present8 - 9 | Enriching the Students' Cultural Experience:

English Language Learning at SJI

10 - 11 | Learning to Serve: Service at SJI

12 - 13 | A Man for Others: Lawrence Da Silva

14 - 15 | A Double Bonus - Two Junior Josephians16 - 17 | Leaving a Legacy: Fong Wai Hong

18 - 19 | My Josephian Journey: Ian Ernst Chai

20 - 21 | Serving with a Heart: Mohammed Fareez Mohamed Fahmy

22 - 23 | Reaching out to the Youths: Father Gerard Louis

2 | P MARAKATHAM (Page 10)

P Marakatham has been inspiring History students at SJI for almost 12 years. Shealso teaches Social Studies. Her article sheds light on how service is an integralpart of a Josephian’s life.

1

2

4 | DARYL TAY (Page 14)

Daryl Tay (SJI Graduating Class of 2008), an intern with the CorporateCommunications Department in SJI, gives us an insight into the two JuniorJosephians: Russell Yip’s and Hubert Yeo’s lives.

6 | IAN ERNST CHAI (Page 18)

Ian Ernst Chai (SJI Graduating Class of 2007) writes about the transformativeLasallian education he had received while he was at St.Michael's, SJI and SJI (I).

5 | DAISY CHIA (Pages 16 and 20)

Daisy Chia has been with SJI for 18 years. With every class she teaches, she hopesthe boys are inspired to love and enjoy the English language. She wrote about

Mohammed Fareez Mohamed Fahmy and Fong Wai Hong both inspirational youngmen in their respective fields. 5

7 | JULIAN WONG (2)

Julian Wong (SJI graduating Class of 2007) is a relief teacher with SJI for onesemester. His writing covers Fr. Gerard’s ministry to youths. His passion

towards children and social service has motivated him to teach albeit for ashort stint.

7

3 | LIM BOON SIANG (Page 12)

Lim Boon Siang, an English teacher, is passionate about nurturing the young, andbuilding their resilience. Her article on Lawrence Da Silva’s experience gives us a

glimpse at how SJI has taught him how to give back to society. 3

6

4

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1MESSAGE | LUMEN

From theEditorIn commemorating the school's 160th

Anniversary, LUMEN wants to celebrate our

Lasallian identity by focusing on one of our

core values: Service.

Service underpins a lot of our programmes

from Religious Moral and Social

Education, Project Scubilion, Josephian

Internationalisation Exchange Programme

to student-initiated events. We see it being

embodied in the professional lives of alumni: Fr

Gerard Louis and Mohammed Fareez

Mohamed Fahmy as well as students Russell

Yip and Hubert Yeo who willingly serve the

community with passion.

LUMEN also highlights Mr Lawrence Da

Silva who takes delight in giving back to his

alma mater and beyond for all that he has

received while he was a student in SJI and young

and successful entrepreneur Fong Wai Hong

who was named one of the top 100 most

influential people by The Age (Melbourne

magazine) in 2011.

A different touch in this LUMEN issue is to

feature photos that tell a story – a momentous

occasion in the school life captured for posterity

by student and staff photographers. Reflections

of teachers have also been included to give us

a glimpse as to why they enjoy their calling.

The spotlight also falls on the English

Department at its attempt to ignite students’

interest in culture and heritage and finally on Ian

Ernst Chai who attributes much of his formation

to a Lasallian education he had received.

We hope you will continue to find pleasure

in reading this third issue of LUMEN and please

do continue to give us any feedback or

suggestions that you may have.

Ora et Labora!

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2 LUMEN | SJ I EVENTS

SJI behind The Lens

Jubilation

Feasting...

Sheer delight during the release of ‘O’ level results on 9 January 2012at which almost 100 boys obtained 6 A1s.

Photo by Lim Sze Yuan (434)

Lasalle OaksvilleCollege (Sydney)during their SJI visiton 5 April 2012.

Photo byDhurrga Ettikan

HumilityRio Matthew Lee DeSilva (205) washinghis mother’s feet onMaundy Thursday.

Photo byDhurrga Ettikan

captured by SJI students and staff


3SJ I EVENTS | LUMEN

For more news on what’s happening at SJI and

our alumni, log on towww.sji.edu.sg (News)

Determination

Triumph

A jump in motion – Ian Yeap (308) during the SJI 104th Track and Field Meet on 1 March.

Photo by Joachim Ong (421)

Our 4x400m golden boys: Lee Cheong Kiat (309), Jonathan Goh (437), Raymond ScottLee (434), Yusuff Abdul Rahman (424) at the 53rd National Track and FieldChampionships.

Photo by Kenneth Lim (SJI Graduating Class of 2004)


4 LUMEN | SJ I EVENTS

CamaraderieMs Tan Lay Moi and Ms JosephineWee jostling for their lives at theSJI Carnival Moment of Magic on21 April!

Photo by Bryan Lim (425)

GritCanoeists Reuven Cheng (434) andBenjamin Lee gunning for the Goldin the K2-1000m event in theNational Inter-School CanoeingChampionships on 10 April 2012.

Photo by Mohamad Syazwan (313)


Reunites

By SJI Homecoming 2012 Homecoming Committee

Class of ‘64

At the reunion, the Chairman of the

Organising Committee, Mr Mah Bow Tan,

presented a watercolour painting – ‘Our

SJI’ done specially by artist Ms Wong Chor Yee

for the occasion, to the SJI Principal, Dr Koh

Thiam Seng, for display at the present SJI at

Malcolm Road. Ms Wong is the wife of Prof Lun

Kwok Chan, a member of Class of ’64. The

Committee will be donating the proceeds of the

Homecoming to the ‘SJI Class of ’64

Homecoming Fund’ to help needy students at SJI.

It is hoped that the fund will grow through future

donations in the years to come.

Close to 120 classmates together with their

spouses and family members attended the

reunion function held at the Oei Tiong Ham Hall

(now the Glass Hall at SAM). Several of the

classmates overseas flew in especially for the

event. Former teachers who

graced the occasion were Mr

Dominic Yip, Mr Eu Siak Hong

and Mr Francis Loh. Food

served included the famous

Waterloo Street Indian Rojak -

the favourite fare of Class of ’64

students during their time. A

four-member SJI band

performed at the Queen

Courtyard and marched the attendees into the

Hall. Pantuns (musical Malay poems), specially

written in English by Class of ’64 Dr Joe Peters,

who introduced Rondalla to Singapore in 1981,

were played by the NUS Rondalla group and sung

by members of the Gunong Sayang Association.

Another Class of ’64 member, Sir Peter Low,

served as master of ceremony. SJI Alumni Office

provided SJI carrier bags and SJI mementos for

the attendees to take home.

Photographs of the Homecoming event will

be featured in a 160-page photo book called

‘Together As Josephians’ that is dedicated to the

Class of ’64. The book will also showcase class

photos extracted from the Christian Brothers’

Annual of various years relevant to Class of ’64, a

gallery of portrait photos of members of Class of

’64, and short write-ups and poetries on ‘those

days long gone’. The book will be available on-

line by mid-March. The event will also be posted

on the Class of ’64 website: Josephians Of

Yesteryear (http://josephiansyesteryear.

homestead.com/Home.html).

It was a grand reunionof sorts. The SJIHomecoming 2012comprised three daysof celebration. Themain event saw the StJoseph’s InstitutionClass of ’64, comprisingthose who graduatedfrom Secondary IV in1964 and Pre-University II in 1966,celebrating theirreunion at the formerSJI (now Singapore ArtMuseum, SAM), at BrasBasah Road, on 31January 2012. The daybefore on 30 January,an 18-hole game ofgolf was held at MarinaBays Golf Coursefollowed by a visit toGardens by the Bay on1 February.

This page (top): Dr Koh receiving painting of ‘Our SJI’from Mr Mah

This page (left): The SJI Band Quartet providing a rousingstart at the Queen Courtyard

This page (background): ‘Our SJI’ by Ms Wong Chor Yee

5SJ I EVENTS | LUMEN


6 LUMEN | FEATURE

Ellen Woo

Ellen Woo has come out of retirement and is

more than happy to be part of the teaching

staff again in SJI. Not only are her hours

gainfully occupied but she finds great joy in

interacting with the young.

Joining SJI in 1969, she was deeply

influenced by the Lasallian Brothers even though

it took a few years before she realised the impact

they had on her. She admired them for the way

they related with people, both students and

teachers, and how they chose to view each

person especially the young in a positive light.

To Ellen, the special thing about Lasallian

education is relationships, being able to play a

part in nurturing the child and ensuring he

develops to his full potential. Clearly, it is one

that is strongly values-centred too and for that

she is more than happy to play the role of big

sister to her charges and belong to the Lasallian

fraternity. She reflects, “I wouldn’t have lasted if I

had been in a government school.”

Ng-Yeo Bee Kheng

Yes, of course,” was Ng-Yeo Bee Kheng’s

spontaneous response to whether she

enjoys teaching in SJI. This is despite

continually facing a huge challenge of teaching

Chinese to students who do not speak the

language at all except when forced to in class.

She recognises the family background of

most of her students tends to be predominantly

English speaking and she conveys that

understanding to her charges by accepting their

situation. She does not stop there though.

Building rapport with them, she will even single

out those who prove to be resistant or appear

difficult to reach out to. In addition, she ropes in

the parents’ support to ensure they try to create a

conducive environment for learning Chinese at

home and assures them she will work with their

sons so that they are prepared for the

examinations.

Her greatest joy is when students

demonstrate their appreciation of her efforts in

words or cards upon receiving their ‘O’ level

results. To date, she still receives SMSes from

her former students when they score an A in their

Chinese - clearly, a touching gesture that will

keep her in this profession for a while yet.

Soo Chan Hua

Adecade old but not jaded. That is how

long Soo Chan Hua has taught but he

continues to inspire inquiry and curiosity

in his students. The IT maestro, musician and

magician never fails to engage his students but

he is clear about the primary focus of teaching –

the boy – he comes first.

“This is where I want to be,” says Chan Hua

with regards to teaching in SJI. It is the daily

interaction with both the boys and staff, that no

two days are the same and the challenge of

working with people that he derives most

satisfaction from. That explains why when a

better offer came from another school to join it,

the decision was a no-brainer.

Having been shown understanding and

grace from his teachers when he was a student in

SJI, Chan Hua feels he has benefited much

especially during his rough years in Secondary

Four. He had been given a new lease and thus

wants to do likewise – to pass it on, this time to

his students.

Reflectionsof Teachers Past and Present


7FEATURE | LUMEN

Henry Sng

When he graduated from SJI in 1996 Henry Sng had already

made up his mind. He was returning to his alma mater. And

he did. In 2011 he joined the SJI staff as a teacher. His choice

of profession is largely attributed to his PE teacher Mr Patrick Zehnder

who inspired him while he was a student.

He recalls he had difficulties coping with his studies then but the

teachers were there for him, especially the Physical Education

department. Similarly now, he extends that same warmth to his students

and enjoys interacting with them. He sees them as his juniors as well as

a reflection of himself when he was younger.

Thankful to the administration for giving him the Co-Curricular

Activity of his choice – Athletics, he gained the satisfaction of witnessing

the SJI Athletics ‘B’ Division Team emerge top of their league in the SPH

Schools Relay Championships 2012. The boys had put in a lot of effort

to achieve success but most of all, he says, “I’m touched by the boys’

fighting spirit.”, making an apt homecoming of sorts for Henry.

Wee Siew Sun wore multiple hats in her many years of

experience – teacher in a government school, textbook

specialist, Specialist Inspector for Geography and Social

Studies, Vice-Principal and even Principal of St Michael’s School (now

St Joseph’s Institution Junior) – but nothing compared to her years of

being a teacher in SJI. As she summarily puts it, “My happiest years

were in SJI.”

Armed with strategies and content from the Ministry of Education

Headquarters to teach the boys in SJI, Siew Sun thought she was well-

equipped to handle the boys. She realised however, it was more essential

to connect with them at their level. This means knowing ‘the flavours of

the month’ that appealed to them and in doing so, build rapport in order

to keep them engaged during lessons. One of her greatest satisfactions

was when she saw boys who were weaker academically compared to the

rest of their cohort achieve results beyond the teachers’ and their own

expectations.

The boys tire (something she mentioned twice) her but ultimately

she still finds them endearing and enjoyed the witty banter she shared

with them. They will always have a special place in Siew Sun’s heart.

Wee Siew Sun

How does one remain passionate in her profession despite havingtaught for numerous years? Or why does one even decide to enterteaching when there are so many attractive options available?LUMEN speaks to a few SJI teachers to find the answers.


8 LUMEN | LEARNING

Since Rites was the theme in the English

Language Programme for the Secondary

Four students in term one, the graduating

cohort visited the Peranakan Museum. This

fulfilled the objective of the department to enrich

the students' learning beyond the classroom, to

discover more about this colourful and unique

community in Singapore by being exposed to its

origin, marriage, religious and funeral rites as

well as cuisine.

From 27 January to 10 February 2012,

thirteen Secondary Four classes were

accompanied by their English Language tutors

and parent volunteers to the museum. Due to the

considerable number of students visiting the

museum, engaging the help of the parent

volunteers was crucial. On different days, Mr

Kenneth Tan, Ms Chan Wah Tiong, Ms Lam Kah

Ling, Ms Chee Lee Fun, Madam Raihan and

Madam Zhou Meng Yue offered their time and

effort to help make this segment of the learning

possible and successful. They ensured the

students were engaged in their learning as they

explored the various galleries in the museum.

“I didn’t know much about the Peranakan

Culture. This trip has been a great learning

journey for me,” reflected Aymeric Seah (434).

For some other students, they made an

interesting discovery of their own roots and some

even found out for the first time they were actually

Peranakans through the visit of the museum and

happily informed their parents of their discovery.

In addition to the visits to the museum, the

unsuspecting Secondary Four students’ learning

took a culinary turn when a wide assortment of

Nonya cakes tiled the tops of four long canteen

tables in green, red, brown and white. Like

sentries, Mrs Sandra Lee, the Head of the English

Department, together with the other English

Language teachers Ms Daisy Chia, Ms Deborah

Goh, Mr Mok Hsu Pan, and Mr Krison Tan, stood

beside the aromatic bejewelled tables armed with

fork and knife battling the onslaught of the

Secondary Four students during their recess

break. In an act of surrendering, the boys

extended their plate to be served by the teachers.

Sweet gula melaka, steamed glutinous rice,

coconut and pandan fragrance filled the air and

they succumbed to it, taking huge bites out of the

neatly cut pieces of the kueh koswee, talam hijau,

kueh bingka, kueh seri muka and kueh lapis

sagu.

the Students’ Cultural

Enriching Experience

by Krison Tan

How to make language learning engaging? A constant challenge that faces the English

Department leaves the English teachersundaunted but to attempt various strategies.


LEARNING | LUMEN 9

employing power point or Prezi. The more

adventurous tried to convey their learning

through a dramatic portrayal which never failed to

entertain their classmates. This is just a glimpse

of the English Department’s approach to create

interest among students and to stimulate, to

provoke and to set students thinking about a

range of contemporary issues; in this instance

about heritage and cultural roots. It is not only

aligned to the English Department’s goal of

extending a rich culture experience for the boys

but also to that of internationalism - a focus of

the International Baccalaureate, which SJI will be

officially offering in 2013 beginning with our

inaugural batch of Year 5s.

Amidst their experiential learning the boys

were introduced to articles on Peranakan culture,

as well as snippets from our local production

Little Nonya displaying tok panjang scenes which

were quite similar to their kueh feast in the

canteen. They then used their observations made

while reading relevant articles and their visit to

the Peranakan Museum and applied them to their

writing whether it was crafting a narrative or

responding to a situational stimulus. Prior to that,

in groups they also researched on a specific

culture they were unfamiliar with such as

Egyptian burial rites or tribal initiation rites and

then presented their observations and opinions

regarding that culture to their peers. They did so

Facing page (inset): Unravelling the mysteries of Peranakanculture

Facing page (background): Listening attentively to the docentat the Peranakan Museum

This page (top): Having a kueh feast

This page (right): Kevin Yong and Edgar Wang (421)enjoying their cultural experience

“ “I didn’t know muchabout the PeranakanCulture. This trip hasbeen a greatlearning journeyfor me...


Project Scubilion is an example of service-

learning programme that aims to nurture

the social, emotional and spiritual

intelligence of the SJI boy. Named after a La Salle

Brother Scubilion Rousseau who had devoted his

life to working among the poorest of the poor

during the 19th century, Project Scubilion

engages youths in a process to discover

important values and lessons that enhance their

life skills while engaging in needful community

service. This rich learning environment with a

strong hands-on approach nurtures in our pupils

the need to lead purpose-driven lives, hence

living up to the school motto of being ‘men of

integrity’ and ‘men for others’.

Over the years, many of these service-

learning projects organised by the boys have

been responses to immediate needs of the

community around us. In 2010, when one of our

Josephians, Tan Ser Yung was seriously injured

in a Judo competition, the class of 434 (2011)

started the campaign ‘He is one of us’ to rally the

school community, parents and old boys to raise

funds for his medical needs.

In 2011, the students from 324 and 325

were engaged in a Tutor Mentoring Programme to

about fifty Primary Five boys from Bendemeer

Primary school for 1.5 hours weekly. Each

Josephian was not only a tutor but also a big

brother to his young ward.

Over the 6-month period, bonds were

indubitably formed that the seniors wanted to

complete the programme with a celebration where

they adopted a different role by being play

companions to their charges in the various

games they had organised. Much to the latter’s

delight they also walked away with goodie bags

their tutors had bought from money raised. The

Josephians did not return empty handed too but

were pleasantly surprised by personalised cards

that were presented to them.

Ho Kang Jie’s card read: “Thank you for

teaching me Mathematics and English. My

marks have increased by 20 marks. I wish you

will come back and teach me again,” while Zaidh

said, “I want to thank you for teaching us and I

appreciate your help and kindness.” - words that

touched the Josephians.

Beyond Project Scubilion, there are other

student-initiated community projects by CCA

groups and student leaders. Hair for Hope,

started by the SJI Prefectorial Board in 2008,

The last, the lostand the least arecontinuallymentioned andreferred tothroughout thefour years of aJosephian’s life.This is so as thevery essence of aLasallian educationcentres on its corevalues, one of whichis service.

10 LUMEN | LEARNING

LearningServe

By Ms Marakatham

to


has become an annual affair for the school

community, raising awareness and support for

young children stricken by cancer. Shedding

one’s crowning glory is no easy feat for many,

after all an easier option is to donate money yet

the support for this worthy cause has been

growing. Yearly, Josephians and teachers shed

their hair for a good cause, raising funds in

support of the Children’s Cancer Foundation.

Choo Rui Zhi, then SJI Head Prefect who had

organised the first Hair for Hope in 2008,

summed up the aims of his team’s effort as an

endeavor 'to build a community of care and to

imagine, inspire and ignite.' Yes, the world

certainly needs more of such youthful idealism.

This year, the Prefectorial Board, led by

Head Prefect, Brandon Krygsman, organised the

SJI Carnival, to raise funds for CHIJ Mission that

works with at-risk and disadvantaged children in

Singapore and the region.

The Josephian Internationalisation Exchange

Programme provides opportunities to carry out

overseas service-learning projects with the aim of

helping our students understand the plight of the

poor and underprivileged in the region. One such

trip that will take place this year will be to the

Philippines to reach out to the underprivileged of

Gawad Kalinga and another to Cambodia working

with young mine victims. The school ultimately

hopes to create sustainable long-term

relationships with some of these overseas

communities. These new frontiers offer new

challenges for young minds and necessary

training ground for them to become concerned

and active global citizens.

As we drew close to our 160th Founder’s

Day this April, class 309 managed to rally the

school community to walk barefooted in support

of the poor children all over

the world. This project ‘One

Day without Shoes’

advocated for awareness of

and evoked human empathy

for the plight of those who

live below poverty lines. As

we walked barefooted in

solidarity for the Africans,

may we continue to walk in

the light of our founder who

never lost track of his

mission to serve others.

11LEARNING | LUMEN

Facing page: 324 boys happily distributing goodie bags to theBendemeer students

This page (top): Well shorn heads - Choo Rui Zhi second fromright together with his friends

This page (right): When shoelessness dominates...

...may we continue towalk in the light ofour founder whonever lost track of hismission to serveothers.


12 LUMEN | JOSEPHIANS

As if life was not cruel enough, Lawrence

Da Silva had also lost his father, a

volunteer machine gunner who fought

valiantly in defence of Singapore; and later on

became a war orphan too. Yet, despite the

tenderness in his age, the child gritted his teeth

and pressed on, nourished constantly by his

unwavering love for God and his staunch faith in

Him. He survived the ordeal.

When the war ended, the youngster who

started school late, enrolled in St. Joseph’s

Institution. Having lost his father in the war, it

was not difficult to imagine the difficult financial

circumstances he was in. He would have had to

bear with the feeling of coldness and hunger from

an empty stomach and agonise over the payment

of his school fees if not for the school which took

care of his financial needs and cared for him as a

person. This much-appreciated gesture and

support of the school did more than finance him

through his Pre-University education in SJI for it

also sowed the seed of kindness and

philanthropy in a blossoming young man who

was determined to reciprocate the humanity he

received. Later, blessed with a government

scholarship, the young man went on to pursue a

university education and returned to serve a

government bond at the Customs Department.

His career in the field of education began at

Singapore Polytechnic where he was the

Assistant Registrar before he started United World

It was the year1945 in colonialSingapore. A young boy,barely five years of agelived in a camp forprisoners of war. He led atough and hard life, ifyou could call that life –one that would break amother’s heart.

A

for

By Lim Boon Siang

ManOthers


13JOSEPHIANS | LUMEN

College (SEA) in 1971 after a personal invitation

from the late Professor George Thomas. A highly-

successful businessman today, Mr Lawrence Da

Silva who has helmed various top-notch

educational institutions, has not forgotten how

the experience at SJI as a student has shaped his

attitude to giving back to society.

Today, Mr Da Silva’s name is synonymous

with benevolence, success and his circle of

influence extends beyond the LaSallian

community to reach out to the wider community.

He is the man whom the SJI Board of Governors

entrusted to undertake the setting-up of an

international school in 2006. Barely one year

later, SJI International was launched followed by

SJI Elementary in 2008. The combined

enrolments of these two institutions currently

stand at 1,300 pupils; a resounding endorsement

of the quality and appeal of Lasallian education.

A sense of fulfillment fuelled by a desire to

serve, Mr Da Silva, who also donates generously

to scholarships, has been active in the Rotary

Movement since 1983. A big-hearted man who

gives and does much for others, he was

extremely reserved and humble when it came to

talking about his monetary contributions. This

gentleman, who had been on the SJI Board of

Governors, takes pain to ensure that his various

donations to charity and institutions are

downplayed. For him, life has to have the essence

of giving and being of service to others. As he

explained, “SJI has provided me with a first-class

education and cared for me as a person. Surely,

when the appropriate time came for me to give

back to my alma mater and the society in general,

it was not only a natural but a pleasurable thing

to do,” putting emphasis on the last two

adjectives. “Saying ‘Thank you’ through service is

the best way of doing so,” the philanthropist

added.

Mr Da Silva has risen from adversity to

become a man for others. The hardship in his

childhood years has equipped him with resilience

and a sense of compassion for people, enabling

him to fully empathize with those who experience

financial struggles. As if reliving the days of

destitution through his words, he spoke with

softness in his eyes and intensity in his words,

“Imagine you are a student living in Singapore

with no money in your pocket to buy food during

recess. It is hard. But you must not blame anyone

– not even your family. It is God’s way of

preparing you for the future. You do the best you

can and you will surely excel one day. Be thankful

for what you have because a positive attitude and

a graceful acceptance will definitely help in the

learning process.” It became apparent that for the

young Lawrence, it must have been this devoted

faith in God’s plan for him complemented by his

graceful acceptance and endurance of privation

that an indomitable spirit and commitment to

service developed.

Recognising that many young Josephians

today come from relatively more comfortable

family backgrounds that may render it difficult for

them to be able to empathise with others, Mr Da

Silva hopes these boys will embrace service and

the spirit of giving. He believes that the students’

firsthand experience in community service will

open the window to see and feel the suffering and

the deprivation that make them appreciate what

they have and awaken in them a sense of

empathy. The Social Service Programme he

initiated in United World College aims to do just

that. An integral part of the school curriculum,

this programme engages youths in service and

connects them to the less fortunate in the society

while giving expression to the core values critical

to the holistic development of the students.

As SJI continues to thrive as one of the top-

notch schools in Singapore with the introduction

of the IB programme and providing world-class

education to meet the needs of the 21st century,

Mr Da Silva is confident that SJI students will

become good citizens who are men of integrity

and men for others. What advice does Mr Da

Silva have for the students? “Do your best for

others and good fortune will come to you. When

blessed with good fortune, recycle it to do good

again.” A man for others indeed.

“ “

SJI has provided me witha first-classeducation and caredfor me as a person.Surely, when theappropriate time camefor me to give back tomy alma mater andthe society in general, itwas not only a naturalbut a pleasurablething to do...

This page: Lawrence and his wife Elsie


Russell showed much promise even as a

new Secondary One student, when he

quickly took the initiative to help organise

his form class in the first weeks of school.

Hailing from a brother Lasallian school, St

Anthony’s Primary, this 2011 Junior Josephian

brought along with him the great spirit of service

that is the hallmark of the Lasallian education at

St Anthony’s and at SJI.

“Enthusiasm and passion for what I do

perhaps sets me apart,” says Russell, “I

remember when I was in Sec One, the rest of the

students were reserved. I just wanted to do

something and to contribute.”

As a class leader, he gave his time

generously to his friends, often helped them with

their studies and provided much needed

encouragement.

Russell credited his good values to his

upbringing. In addition, he acknowledged that SJI

was the place that helped him put these values

into practice. “When I was in primary school I

was less able to organise my time and there was

less structure to my life. It was at SJI that I learnt

to better structure my time and at SJI that I had

many opportunities to live out the values in my

everyday life,” he added.

In Secondary Two, Russell went on to

become a junior prefect, and quickly became a

positive role model for his peers and juniors. He

also joined the Legion of Mary, and the SJI Guitar

Ensemble, which won Gold in the 2011

Singapore Youth Festival. To top it off, at the end

of Secondary Two, Russell took the prize for the

top academic student. This strong ability to

The Junior Josephian Award is presented toa Secondary Two student who has displayedall-round excellence in academia and Co-Curricular Activities, while at the same timebeing a man of integrity and of service toothers. For the first time in 2011, two JuniorJosephians were selected instead of one.They are Russell Yip (Class 201/2011) andHubert Yeo (Class 212/2011), who are nowin the same Secondary Three class in 2012.

A Double Bonus:

Two Junior Josephians


by Daryl Tay


Facing page: Russell and Hubert

This page (top): The avid member of the Guitar Ensemble

This page (bottom): Hubert all prepared for training

engage fully in his school life and emerge with

excellent results is a strong testament to Russell’s

great zeal to serve, grow and excel.

Russell is also quick to point out he could

not have done without the help of many of his

teachers. “Ms Deborah Goh, in particular, is one

teacher I’m very thankful for,” Russell says of his

Secondary Two English language tutor. “I’m a

perfectionist at heart and I was constantly

dissatisfied. Ms Goh gave me confidence and kept

reassuring me that perfection should not be a

goal.”


“ “Always do yourbest in whatever youdo. If you fail don'tgive up.

Russell Yip

Russell puts in 100% and even more when

tasked to do anything. Teachers can be assured

that when he undertakes a responsibility, he is

one student who will try to accomplish it to the

very best of his ability.

The other winner of the 2011 Junior

Josephian of the Year, Hubert Yeo is another fine

example of a well-rounded young Josephian who

is living up to the call of being a Man of Integrity

and a Man for Others. The school canoeist

attained a Silver medal for the C1 500 metres and

a Gold medal for the C2 500 metres at the

National Inter-School Canoeing Championships.

He also topped his cohort academically in

Secondary One while maintaining stellar results

throughout Secondary Two.

The teacher in charge of Canoeing, Mr

Bernard Teo commented, “Hubert is an

unassuming leader in the canoeing team, well

respected and highly regarded as one of the Vice-

Captains of the ‘C’ Division team. He puts in his

best effort for all tasks assigned to him and leads

by example during trainings and competitions.”

One of his peers was heard asking him,

"How do you do it? Do you eat during recess?"

He was probably echoing the sentiments of many

who were curious about how Hubert could juggle

so many things and yet enjoy what he does.

“SJI changed me. Canoeing is time

consuming and it has taught me that balance is

essential. I also have my family to thank for, for

being understanding. When they think I’m getting

out of hand they will tell me, and I’ll try to correct

myself,” Hubert said gratefully.

Hubert is always there for his friends. He

administered the class website, created notes and

built the class wiki knowledge base for all

subjects and shared them openly with the level

and anyone who needed them. He also initiated

and planned many activities for the class

including several camps, outings and gatherings

to encourage class bonding. He inspires through

example; and he rallies his peers through pure

inspiration.

Enjoy Everything You DoRussell and Hubert have made SJI proud with

their strong sense of values and achievements.

Both agree that passion is important. “Be

passionate and enjoy everything that you do,”

says Russell, “Always do your best in whatever

you do. If you fail don’t give up.”

“ “SJI sort of forced meto structure my timeand practise goodvalues in my everydaylife...

Hubert Yeo



LeavingLegacy

‘’I was not discounted,”said Wai Hong. Laid back

and possessing muchpotential but hardly

maximising it would bethe impression many

teachers and even friendshad of him while

he was in SJI.

By Daisy Chia

a



the teachers taught.” Values imparted then had

made an impact.

His unannounced visit to SJI during his

vacation in February this year saw him being

dragged by his Secondary Four class tutor to two

of her graduating English classes to give an

impromptu talk. The audience sat listening to him

enraptured by his anecdotes of failure, actions he

‘was not proud of’ but which he deemed necessary

in forming him. When he finished regaling them,

one student actually went up to him and opined,

“You speak well.” Unbeknownst to him, Wai

Hong’s planted little seeds appear to have taken

root and were already sprouting, hopefully, to great

things one day.

Even with his company making significant

headway in the online retail industry in Australia,

having a turnover of $291,000 to $2.6 million

within three years, attracting media attention in

countries like Australia, Malaysia, Brunei and

Singapore and being named StartupSmart’s best

young entrepreneur and considered The Age

However, one teacher believed in Wai Hong.

Mrs Rosy Goh, the teacher in charge of

Micromouse Club, looked beyond his

faults and gave him an opportunity to represent the

school in an international micromouse competition

in Japan. This is but one of the many fond

memories Wai Hong has of his school days.

25-year-old Fong Wai Hong Founder and

Managing Director of Ozhut is a far cry from the

lackadaisical lower secondary student who had to

be literally dragged out from his Catholic Junior

College hostel room for oversleeping to attend

lessons in SJI only to be served with the dreaded

pink form (issued for serious disciplinary cases).

He was instilled with the fear his student record

would be marred as a result. His Asean

scholarship was also at stake when he hacked into

the computer system in the hostel – an act meant

to benefit his hostel mates and him from coughing

out the $5 hourly fee. These, however, are not his

regrets.

When asked if he had faced any major

disappointments, Wai Hong wistfully replied, “I

guess you can count my not scoring an A2 for

Literature but a C6 in the ‘O’ Levels.” He had been

passionate about the subject and had studied

diligently for it. To date he still recalls one of the

famous quotes from To Kill a Mockingbird: ‘You

never really understand a person until you

consider things from his point of view... until you

climb into his skin and walk around in it.’

Like the book, SJI had also played an

instrumental role in his formative years as he put

it, “The fact that SJI is a Catholic school and many

of the teachers are Catholics somehow shaped how

You never reallyunderstand a personuntil you consider thingsfrom his point of view...until you climb intohis skin and walkaround in it.

Facing page: On the Age's Melbourne Magazine's list of theTop 100 Most Influential

This page (top left): Hard at work

This page (top right): Wai Hong on the extreme right of thesecond row - a member of the winning Micromouse Team

This page (bottom): Receiving his Young Entrepreneur 2011Award

Melbourne Magazine’s top 100 most influential

people all in 2011, Wai Hong remains

unassuming. He likens himself to Moses in the

Bible, as having to always ask himself the

fundamental question: What’s in my hands? Moses

had his staff and used it; Wai Hong employs what

he has to do more and bless others. In 2010, his

company contributed $25 (the cost of a cataract

operation in a third world country) for every

telescope it sold to the Fred Hollows Foundation.

$14 250 was raised and so was awareness for this

programme – returning sight to those who need

not be blind.

Wai Hong has a strong sense of community

and leaving a legacy, he will continue to make his

mark just like the way his eyes glistened as he

spoke purposefully to his juniors when he returned

to his alma mater.


18

JosephianJourney

There is always the risk of over-glossing the

past with the forgiving lens of retrospection,

or even of presenting only the more glossy

aspects of my experience but I’ll try to avoid this

while describing my Josephian journey.

I ended up in SJI due to my PSLE score that

had disappointed both my parents and me. However

it turned out to be the choice that has made such a

positive impact on my life that I cannot fully

describe.

A few situations and periods that defined my

Josephian life, directly influence the values and

principles I chose as mine to live and answer to. The

first time I encountered the strong sense of

community was in Brother Jason Blaikie’s and

Madam Lily Kwang’s class of 109 and 209. Both

teachers always encouraged us to speak up and

voice our views. Being able to speak confidently and

boldly is something I came to learn later in my

Josephian experience. Our class was united despite

the diverse personalities, dispositions, and

backgrounds. This sense of community really made

its mark on me. Whenever I am part of a committee

or organisation, I inevitably try to emulate that same

sense that I had experienced in my years at SJI.

Another of these experiences was that of being

the Drum Major of the Military Band. It was a very

trying and stressful time for me trying to juggle my

academic work, the demands of organising and

meeting the expectations of the band’s 50th

Anniversary, my other co-curricular commitments,

and just the whole process of growing up during

one’s adolescence. My grades were suffering

because I did not manage my time well, and on top

of that I had many responsibilities within the band

from daily practices, boosting members’ spirit,

preparing for the Singapore Youth Festival

competition, Renaissance concert, Anniversary

Parade to mace work. Nonetheless, being part of the

band gave me an immense sense of belonging and

pride, especially in leading it.

By choosing to be involved in so many things,

I was either challenging myself and hoping to see

the rewards reaped for the band and myself, or just

running the foolhardy risk of taking too much on my

plate. It was my teachers who reached out to me: Mr

Lim Meng Chye in class, Mr Sirhan Ahmadiah and

Mr Colin Lai in the band, Ms Deborah Goh in the

Legion of Mary, and of course my friends who saw

me through this period. I will always be thankful for

their support because I do not think I could ever

achieve much in life without it. These formative

years in SJI had taught me how to balance my

responsibilities and academic work. The grades

mattered, but so did my friends and the people I was

working with.

Thus I was rather silly in expecting 8 A1s with

the amount of time, or lack thereof, that I was putting

into my studies. What I gained was skills like time

management, communication and my thinking and

writing skills improved. SJI has helped me grow

holistically more than can be captured by mere words.

The next part of my journey took place in SJI

International. Prompted by my godfather, I seriously

considered the prospect of applying for the

scholarships offered to SJI boys. I decided on it as

being part of a pioneer batch was an exciting, if not

scary prospect. It was a rare opportunity to build a

school culture and community from scratch, found

societies and new CCAs, if ever there was a test of

my leadership and communication skills that I had

learnt thus far, it would be this.

Moreover, I had also decided if I continued

with the instructive, didactic ways of learning

that characterised the ‘O’ and ‘A’ Level

syllabus, I would not do well. Often I felt

like a sponge soaking up information in

class and from notes, and fell asleep,

on one hand due to a lack of sleep,

on another because I would feel

very bored in class. Let me clarify,

while SJI teachers were quite

possibly the most interesting

teachers with tongue-in-cheek

jokes, the demands of the

syllabus made it such that

boredom was sometimes inevitable.

So, I took the plunge and joined the school

When he was in SJI Junior,he was perhaps best

remembered as the finalistin the game show

Singapore’s Brainiest Child.At SJI, he was Drum Major

of the SJI Military Band, andat SJI International, he was

part of the pioneer batch ofthe school’s International

Baccalaureate DiplomaProgramme, and becamePresident of the Student

Council. He is now pursing aLaw course at Oxford

University under a PublicService Commission

Overseas Merit Scholarship.LUMEN invited Ian to share

about his journey in theLasallian schools, and about

his life at Oxford now.

By Ian Ernst Chai

LUMEN | JOSEPHIANS

My


that had no historical record.

SJI International proved to be all the

things I had expected. In my first week, I was

anxious about fitting in, whether I could get to

a good university, and most importantly if I

could be happy in the school. By the end of

the International Baccalaureate (IB), I knew I

had made the right choice. I was always

engaged in class as I could explore new

scientific, philosophical and cultural horizons

through lab experiments in almost every science

class, books of esteemed authors and their

philosophical and literary persuasions, and I also

learnt to appreciate speaking my mother tongue

again.

All of these was situated against a backdrop of

asking about the value of things, ethics, morality,

and more. We were often exposed to social issues

facing the world, having to do commentaries on

current economic situations related to a part of our

syllabus, and going on fieldtrips to less developed

parts of Asia. My own experience included visiting

the villages around the Mahindra United World

College of India and getting to know about the

microcredit schemes, literacy schemes and female

empowerment programmes that were undertaken by

both the school and local Non-Governmental

Organisations to improve the economic well-being

of the area, as well as a trip to teach English in rural

Chiang Mai, Thailand. If the Community

Involvement Programme in SJI allowed me to

realise the social realities of Singapore, these trips

and projects exposed me to the global dimension of

such issues, which in turn enhanced my ability to

appreciate the realities of my subjects and taught me

how to express my views more confidently than I

was previously capable of.

The way classes were conducted and

assessment was weighted in all my subjects enabled

me to improve how I expressed my views and my

thoughts. Thus how I developed and articulated my

views with the nuances, precision, accuracy and

necessary force to persuade people, was a very

important part of the IB experience; the ultimate

lesson I took home was essentially a Josephian one:

that all of my skills and abilities are useless unless I

put them to use for the good of the community I am

a part of. Therein lies one of the reasons why I chose

to apply for the Public Service Scholarship, and to

read Law as I believe it will train my mind to

understand, analyse, and ameliorate social

problems. After two internships I knew I could not

work simply based on a profit motive, and needed

an ideal to work towards. It is one of the many ways

in which the Josephian experience has shaped my

view of life and the choices I make. It is my desire to

help ameliorate the income gap that is becoming

more prominent in Singapore in the future.

I was immensely fortunate to be successful in

my application to the University of Oxford. Not only

is Oxford a very beautiful place that inspires due to

the sheer beauty of its surroundings, ancient

libraries and buildings but it is here that I have also

been inducted into a very close knit community of

law students in my college, St John’s College1 . It is

only after you leave school that you realise that

sense of community one has in SJI, or SJI I, and

that belief in caring for the last, the lost, and the

least, does not permeate all parts of society. Yes,

there are many people in Oxford who believe in

serving the last, the lost and the least, but it does

not have the same Josephian sense of community.

People are not as sensitive about other socio-

economic realities in their actions and this

becomes apparent, making me realise I had taken

many parts of my Josephian experience for

granted.

The pressure and stress of learning does not

come from competition like it tends to back home,

but from the sheer challenge of the material

and work that are given to us. There is some

level of competition, but it is friendly. While

Josephians tend to be a more generous

group, the difference is that the people here

are more likely to help each other out, as a

bell curve system is not used. If your work

reaches a certain standard, it does not suffer

simply because more people have the same

standard, or if it is simply the case that you

are part of a cohort that is more intelligent on the

whole.

The system of learning here is also different.

There are weekly tutorials, a one hour session in

groups of one to three with a tutor who reviews your

weekly essay and work with you2 . To be honest, I

have not found my views and understanding of my

work more challenged, probed, and analysed than

before my tutors, to the extent that I do feel quite

inadequate sometimes in the sheer face of their

intellect. But I feel that this is also the best way to

learn. The rest of the learning is self-directed and

one can choose which lectures to go for albeit one is

encouraged to go for them all.

My experiences in SJI and SJI I have helped

me to no end to cope with this new educational

experience. I have learnt to manage large amounts

of material, in a variety of subjects, giving me tools

to look at things in a variety of ways. But I think the

one important lesson the Josephian experience has

given me is the lesson of empathy, and to use that to

identify and solve problems that are within one’s

sphere of influence. They say that you can take the

boy out of SJI, but you never quite take SJI out of

the boy. I would say that and more: the boy tends to

bring SJI to others in his life as well.

1 Oxford is a collegiate university, made up of a federation ofautonomous colleges governed by academic faculties and a centralgoverning body; almost like classes within a school as it were.2 At least, this is the way it is for essay-based subjects like mine.

Facing page: On an Oxbridge varsity ski trip to the FrenchAlps organised for students of Oxford and Cambridge

This page (top): Ian with his friends at matriculation

This page (bottom): With his St John's College Boat ClubNovice 'B' team mates


They say that you cantake the boy out of SJI, butyou never quite take SJIout of the boy. I would saythat and more: the boytends to bring SJI toothers in his life aswell.


It was especially after the demise of his father

when he was in Secondary Three that Fareez

came to a realisation there was more to life

than the pursuit of wealth and personal

gratification. Thus began his journey in

discovering which profession was best suited for

him. The choice became clearer during his

college years and National Service. He said, “I

realised that I had a penchant for listening to my

friends’ worries and difficulties, and veered

towards pursuing counseling due to the feedback

they provided.” He then like a typical

Singaporean, planned for a safety net while

deciding on his career path. Initially, he wanted to

do a double major in English and Psychology as

English was meant to be the possible back up

plan should counseling not work out for him.

However after attending a talk on Social Work

during his orientation, he found its mission of

supporting the vulnerable, which include groups

such as low income families, women or children

facing violence, the elderly and disabled

resonated with him. He reflected, “Being from a

low income single-parent family myself, I felt

responsible to advocate for the needs of the

vulnerable and work with them through the issues

that were possibly similar to mine during my

formative years.” Social Work was not just about

‘talk therapy’ but also about playing different roles

of enabler, advocate, researcher, mediator towards

the goal of social justice.

Fareez believes the Lasallian education he

received in SJI had created an impact on his

career choice and set the necessary foundation he

needed to become a social worker. There were the

Personal and Social Education and Religious and

Moral Education lessons that paid special

emphasis on Josephians becoming men for

others. He was also inspired by teachers, who

Being a policeman, fire fighter, teacher, counselor, and vigilantesuperhero had all crossed Mohammed Fareez Mohamed Fahmy’smind at one point of his childhood. The glamour and fame of asuperhero in particular was very alluring to young Fareez, butpragmatism won as he puts it: “Being a superhero might notmake much economical or rational sense.” He then dwelled onthe possibility of the other four professions.

By Daisy Chia

with aServing Heart



went the extra mile to get to know their students

and their problems instead of merely fulfilling

their teaching duties. Having been on the

receiving end of strong fraternity support

provided by his classmates and form tutor who

visited him on the very day that his father passed

on, he feels it is only right he passes this on –

something his role as a social worker enables

him to do naturally.

While Fareez is ever ready to extend that

hand of help to his clients he maintains a fine

balance between the social work ideal of ‘doing

no harm’ to the family and preserving the

relationship he has with the clients’ parents,

especially if the clients are minors. In cases of

child protection and suicidal ideation, he often

finds decision making a challenge. He explained,

“When I feel that children might be at risk, I may

have to link the children to the Child Protection

Services under the Ministry of Community

Development Youth and Sports, an action which

may make the children’s parents become upset

with me.” The other thing he needs to keep in

check is also that of managing his own emotional

involvement with his cases. There is always the

temptation to come into the family system and

take over certain functions of the family members,

but this action can in fact be disempowering for

the family, and create dependence on the social

worker. Hence, Fareez continually reminds

himself: “As social workers we are not

superheroes but are enablers.”

So has receiving the Most Promising Social

Worker Award 2011 changed Fareez in any way?

He said, “Winning the award is just an added

bonus on top of what I should already be doing

as a social worker,” but more importantly, he

added, “It’s a win for the social workers in my

entire agency (The Ang Mo Kio Family Service

Centres) as we have worked hard to ensure high

standards of service delivery for our clients.” If he

had his way, he would rather give an award to all

social workers as he feels their jobs are tough

and many people are doing a lot of good work out

in the field.

As we were about to part ways, he

mentioned, “Now that the so called excitement is

over, it’s back to work and doing what I love.”

Spoken like a true blue superhero.

As social workerswe are not superheroesbut are enablers.

This page (top): Fareez receiving his award from thePresident

This page (bottom): At his 1997 cohort's 10th year reunion

Facing Page: Fareez and some of his 4C1 classmates



When I first encountered GerardLouis six years ago at my

Secondary Three Religious andMoral Education Retreat, it wasimpossible to tell that beneaththe veneer of a somewhat shy

and restrained disposition lay anindividual genuinely passionate

about his work with the youth inSingapore schools.

to the

ReachingOutYouth

By Julian Wong


Imet him again in February this year and one of the firstthings he said to me was, “Many of the parishioners hereat Novena Church actually don’t know who I am”. While

this remark was expressed casually without intention oragenda, it reflected a similar reality in SJI whereJosephians encounter the Redemptorist Mission Team(currently spearheaded by Fr. Gerard) at least once in thecourse of their four-year education. Many studentscontinue to be ignorant of the other work that the team isinvolved in, work that is beyond what we see of them in theRetreat; work that takes place in the wider community.

As a young man, Fr. Gerard went out to clubs andchased girls just like anyone else his age. There wasnothing different about him that immediately set him apartfrom his friends, hinting at the possible future of becominga member of the religious. However, he graduallydiscovered that being like everyone else was an existencehe found lacking. How or why remains a mystery, but heeventually saw this as an indication that the life of a lay


refuted my suggestion of being‘brainwashed’. The Josephianapproach has never been aboutforce-feeding or dictating a set ofvalues that the student should abideby. With regards to characterbuilding, students are constantlyreminded that they are free to maketheir own choices. The concept ofchoice is strongly emphasised, andvalues are always proposed rather

than imposed. He suggests very simply that aslong as students are made to realise that theypossess the capacity to make mature andcalculated decisions under their own personalprerogative, they will be able to do it.

This is the tone and attitude that hascharacterised his work with other Catholicschools, where it is more common for theRedemptorist Mission Team to encounterstudents who are ‘at risk’, and less open todirection. Such students may either come frombroken families, are involved with gangs or evencaught in potentially abusive or destructiverelationships. The reality is that such occurrencesare less common among Josephians, and so it iswith these other schools that his work becomesmore challenging. These students are those ‘whoare convinced that there is no way out of theircircumstances.’

He admits that the extent of his efforts islimited, simply because the team’s involvementwith these students ends with the conclusion ofthe retreats they organise. Any kind ofcommitment to these students is consequentlyleft to the schools themselves to follow up on. Itis with regards to this that Fr. Gerard expresseshis regret at not being able to do more. With onlya team of four that reaches out to over 16 differentschools, he admits that there is only so much thatthe team can do.

Despite this, he says that he derives fromhis work an extreme sense of satisfaction,knowing that he is not only preaching to the lostand abandoned, but also reaching out to them.He encourages all Josephians to do the same inwhatever capacity they can.

person might not be the life hewas meant to lead. He alsoconcedes, “I was never one toexcel academically”, and this wasanother indication that he mightbe called to take a road lesstravelled. This of course, referredto a religious vocation. Even so,he was not intimidated by thispossibility. He suggested thatwhile some of us might see it as“something other people did”, this was never thecase for him.

Fr. Gerard grew up into a family alreadyfamiliar with the religious vocation. Two of hisuncles are priests and one of his aunts is areligious sister. Naturally then, his family hassince the very beginning been extremelysupportive. His vocation story is not a dramaticor tumultuous one, originating from a simplerealisation that the lifestyle enjoyed by most isnot one that suits his disposition.

Drawn above many other things to thecommunal dimension of the Redemptorist way oflife, Fr. Gerard recognises that if not for his team,it would never have been possible to accomplishwhat they have done. Without a doubt, the appealof this was the result of his Josephian experience.The core of his social circle he says, “continuesto be the people I met when I was in SJI”.Moreover, the Redemptorist mission of ‘reachingout to the youth regardless of their religiousbackground especially to the lost and abandoned’is one that resonates with Josephians.

The retreats the team has organised inCatholic schools often carry the theme of ‘Whatkind of man do I want to be?’ as opposed to (forinstance) ‘What kind of Christian do I want to be?’The difference between these two essentialquestions makes it very clear that a universalmessage is preached. The focus is not onChristians, but everyone regardless of their race,religious persuasion or social background. Themessage is one of ‘choice’, rather than one of astrictly religious morality. A typical retreat wouldtackle issues relating to faith, family, sexualityand self acceptance - issues pertinent to anyoneexperiencing and struggling with adolescence.

A phrase that came up often in ourconversation was what Fr. Gerard passionately This page: Touching base with the Sec 3

Josephians in 2011


calls ‘the life-giving way to live’. The implicationof this statement distinctly contrasts the messageof a strict Christian morality, immediatelyincluding everyone and not just Christians. Thedifference lies in the belief that any decisionmade by the individual should be made in fullawareness of the consequences that one mayeventually have to face. Students are not taughtthat any decision made must be made inconsciousness of the reality that they willeventually be answering to God. Rather, the onlyperson that they should be answering to isthemselves. The slightly unconventionaldimension that such a message entails remindsus that with everything we do, we do in thecontext of our relationships to those around us.The Josephian ethos is distinctly evident in this,since we are called first to be “men for others”.This is not done to reject the Christian dimensionof our value system. Instead, this ensures thateveryone discovers a sense of community andsolidarity in the approach that we are allencouraged to take towards the importantdecisions we make in life. Accordingly,Josephians realise the immense responsibilitythat comes with each choice they make. Fr.Gerard is a firm believer in this.

This comes as no surprise, considering thathe comes from a family that has producednumerous Josephians - almost too many tocount. As such, it was a foregone conclusion thathis secondary school of choice would be noneother than Saint Joseph’s Institution.

It was during his time there that the beliefshe continues to hold firm were cemented. Whilecynics may be quick to dismiss this as theoutcome of growing up in a very Josephianenvironment, the conviction in his voice isbeyond question. Playing the devil’s advocate, he


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