Founder's Day Updates

28 April 2008

Mr Simen spoke about the grand celebration held on Founder's Day. He highlighted the humble backgrounds of the Guest of Honour, Mr Tan Chee Meng and the Special Guest Chew Hua Seng who donated both time, effort and resources to the school.

"On their behalf...because they wanted me to convey this to you", Mr Simen said, "Thank you for the many things you have done for Founder's Day and for the school. Live up to the expectations and motto of Age Quod Agis and contribute back to the school"

Mr Simen also mentioned that 28 April was the feast day of St Louis Grignion de Montfort, the Founder of the school. He passed away on the same day in 1716. t is no coincidence that 200 years later, in 1916, Montfort School was founded.

A special prayer was said to St Louis Grignion de Montfort with the school principal leading the whole school

"St Louis Grignion de Montfort, please intercede for us. Continue to give our school great years ahead. We pray through you on our feast day that we will continue to follow in your footsteps and for the many blessings that you have bestowed upon us. Continue to shower your blessings down on us, to give us the same spirit, the same zeal, the same enthusiasm that you had to do good and to always be that Man for Others. Bless the staff, school helpers, vendors that you will also give them the strength, spirit and zeal to continue the good work that you did and that we will live up to the Great School on whose namesake we keep. All this we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen"

Prayer by Brother Emmanuel

Brother Emmanuel said a special prayer on Founder's Day. It has deep meaning because it speaks of a special prayer to St Louis Marie de Montfort

"Before I recite the prayer of St Louis Grignion de Montfort, which has become part of our (Brothers of St Gabriels) daily devotion and routine, I would like to read a brief passageon the writings of St Louis Marie de Montfort on the 292nd anniversary of his death.

It is amazing that our students and a large number of the Catholic population of the world, let alone, of the people of Singapore be so ignorant of who that great saint is.

St Louis Marie de Montfort's motto or slogan was God Alone = D + S = Dieu Seul!. The writings of St Louis motto are of great interest today for many reasons

Firstly, it is because the motto is centered on Christ, the Eternal and Incarnate Wisdom.
Secondly, because they focus attention on the importance of Mary's role in the Mystery of Christ and of the Church - a subject of renewed interst both within the Catholic Church and other Christian churches. Thirdly, because they eobdy a form of Marian Spirituality that goes far beyond mere Marian devotion, as Pope John Paul II pointed out in his Marian Year encyclical: St Louis Marie de Montfort proposes consecration to Christ through the hands of Mary as an effective means for Christians to live faithfully their baptismal commitments. Fourthly, because they reflect the thinking ans pastoral experiences of a man of vision whose writings have a definite prophetic ring relative to the latter times. They likewise reflect his unusually profound understanding of the scriptures concerning Christ, Eternal and incarnate Wisdom, as well as his personal discovery of Mary, the "easy, short and perfect and sure way" to obtain full possession of Divine Wisdom in our souls. In a sense, we can say that his writings have revolutionized the whole concept of true devotion to Mary by presenting it as a way of life, a very special way of living our initial baptismal commitment to Christ, namely, with and through Mary. His writings also reflect an indtense desire to present a clear, dynamic and convincing nature of the authentic Church teaching along with practical help for Christian living. His motivation was unservingly: To Do All for God Alone."

The prayer which Brother Emmnauel read was as follows:

Dear St Louis Marie de Montfort
Grant us the grace to be true Gabrielites
that is to say true sons of Montfort,
Faithful to our duties at all times
'Striving always for the highest
standard in behavior, sports and academic performance.
Give us the love to be caring people
Helpful to all especially to the poor,
The weak and the disadvantaged.
Imbue us with the courage to face and overcome
All difficulties and hardship
And the wisdom to tell right from wrong.
Sustain us in all our endeavors
That we may uphold the Gabrielite School motto: Age Quod Agis
And be always true and loyal to our Alma Mater and our country
Amen

St Louis Marie de Montfort, Protector of children and Youth,
Pray for us