Montfort school was featured in the news for the special brand of education they provide. Below is a translation of the Tamil Murarasu report which appeared on the main newspaper, front page and youth section. The originals can be found outside the school office for parents, students and teachers to read.
Summary of Student Reports
“It was a day when our hearts felt heavy and our eyes shed tears. We had a special assembly today to send our condolences and to spare a thought for those who were affected by the China and Myanmar disaster. We prayed for the continued safety of the survivors. All of us also observed a moment of silence to pay our respects to those who had lost their lives in the disaster.
The assembly was very informative. With the use of visual aids, teachers explained the causes for earthquakes and cyclones. Students saw devastation and destruction caused by nature. They also say the crying faces of pain. A girl was screaming because her legs had been amputated.
Our Principal, Mr Simen Lourds, also shared his personal experience with us. He told us what death and sorrow meant to him. We were almost in tears and our hearts ached and hurt for those affected by the disaster.
Because our school vision is to be Men for Others, we decided to help the victims of he disasters. All the students came forward to donate generously. The donation will be channeled through the Singapore Red Cross Society to the disaster victims. Parents also supported our effort whole-heartedly.
The Day I Still Remember
We can only imagine the suffering of the victims of the China and Myanmar disaster. 14-year old Mohamed Jameel of Montfort Secondary School has however, personally experienced both war and the Tsunami disaster from a first-hand account.
He had returned to India from Kuwait when war broke out in 1991. He had also seen the Tsunami tragedy when he was in India. “My memories returned to those events I experienced when I saw pictures of children crying and the elderly people waiting to be rescued”, he said, “These memories sadden me”.
He said,” I saw vehicles burning and bomb blasts from the windows of of my plane while I was waiting to take off from the airport. Even now, the scene remains vivid to me”.
In Our Hands
Every Thursday morning, as part of the Mother Tongue Reading Program, 30 minutes is spent reading the Tamil Newspaper at Montfort Secondary School.
Tamil teachers encourage all students to read the newspapers and to summarize interesting news. They must also reflect on the news in writing. This helps the students improve their linguistic skills and vocabulary.
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Friday, May 23, 2008
14th ASEAN Schools Badminton Championship in Manila
The following students from Montfort will represent us in the 14th ASEAN Schools Badminton Championship in Manila, Philippines from 22nd June to 29th June 2008.
Agrippina P P
Andrianus Prasojo A
Christian Yahya C
We wish them well and know that they will do us proud!
Agrippina P P
Andrianus Prasojo A
Christian Yahya C
We wish them well and know that they will do us proud!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Morning Reflection for 15 May 2008 - Mr Azman
Morning Reflection on 15th May 2008 - Building a contributive community
In the past few days, we’ve heard the news about the cyclone that hit Myanmar, killing thousands of people.
Recently, we’ve also read the news on the earthquake in China that killed more than 8,000 people. When we sit and ponder, we couldn’t help but feel how fortunate we are to be safe from such natural disaster.
However, the self-satisfaction and contentment we feel about being spared such tragedy needs to breed in us understanding, compassion, charity and action.
Always think of how we can contribute effectively and meaningfully to help others, no matter how small.
In the holy book of Islam, the Quran, it was mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah verse 148:
“Then strive together (as in a race), toward all that is good, wheresoever ye are, Allah will bring you together. For Allah hath power over all things.”
The meaning is that "It is only when we begin to move and compete to do good, that change that we desire will come".
By doing this, our thoughts, sympathy, prayers and donations are few of the many ways we can contribute to help others in need.
Mr Azman then led us in united and universal prayer,
"Oh Allah (God), the compassionate , the merciful, grant us peace and safety. Save this earth from harm. Grant our country and the entire world safety, peace, calmness and tranquility. Amin"
In the past few days, we’ve heard the news about the cyclone that hit Myanmar, killing thousands of people.
Recently, we’ve also read the news on the earthquake in China that killed more than 8,000 people. When we sit and ponder, we couldn’t help but feel how fortunate we are to be safe from such natural disaster.
However, the self-satisfaction and contentment we feel about being spared such tragedy needs to breed in us understanding, compassion, charity and action.
Always think of how we can contribute effectively and meaningfully to help others, no matter how small.
In the holy book of Islam, the Quran, it was mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah verse 148:
“Then strive together (as in a race), toward all that is good, wheresoever ye are, Allah will bring you together. For Allah hath power over all things.”
The meaning is that "It is only when we begin to move and compete to do good, that change that we desire will come".
By doing this, our thoughts, sympathy, prayers and donations are few of the many ways we can contribute to help others in need.
Mr Azman then led us in united and universal prayer,
"Oh Allah (God), the compassionate , the merciful, grant us peace and safety. Save this earth from harm. Grant our country and the entire world safety, peace, calmness and tranquility. Amin"
Monday, May 19, 2008
Special Morning Assembly Program - Sichuan Earthquake & Nargis Cyclone
1. PRAYER
Morning prayer was led by our Hindu & Tamil Language teacher, Mr Perumaland Mr Christopher Foran who is our Catholic English Language teacher from India.
Mr Lloyd Yeo also led a prayer about how to pray, how to give charity and how to give love.
On Love
He makes his sun shine on band and good people alike, and gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil. Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you? Even the tax collectors do that! And if you speak only to your friends, have you done anything out of the ordinary? Even the pagans do that! You must be perfect – Just as your father in heave is perfect.
On Charity
When you give something to a needy person, do not make a big show of it as the hypocrites do in the houses of worship and on the streets. They do it so that people will praise them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. But when you help a needy person, do it in sucha way that even your closest friend will not know about it. Then it will be a private matter. And your Father, who sees what you do in private will reward you.
On Prayer
And when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private will reward you.
2. SHARINGS
Earthquakes
Mr Kevin Pang, led off with the geographical causes for earthquake and explained that Mount Everest and the rest of the Himalayas form part of the Tibetan Plateau and are still rising because of the collision, 45 million years ago, between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Wenchuan was the epicentre of the earthquake and was especially bad because the quake occured only 6.2 miles below the surface. The nearer the quake is to the surface, the more devestating the quake. It also measured 7.8 on the richter scale and the tremors, could be felt in Bangkok, Hong Kong and in Shanghai, more than 930 miles away.
Earthquakes could never occur in Singapore but tremors could be fault. He warned that the best way to survive an earthquake indoors was to couch under a heavy desk or table, well away from windows or glass dividers and to crouch your body so that heavy debris would not hurt you. Outside, stand away from buildings, trees, telephones and electrical lines. On the road, drive away from underpasses and overpasses; stop in safe area; stay in vehicle.
2. Cyclones
Miss Xu Wanjing explained the main source of energy for tropical cyclones is the warm water in the tropical regions. To initiate a tropical cyclone the sea-surface temperature generally needs to be above 26.5°C.
Miss Xu demonstrated how Cyclone occur by getting boys to demonstrate low pressure, moist air and high pressure. She asked the boys to imagine that she was warm water and moist air. Because there is low pressure there and high temperature, the moist air rises. HEat A cyclone develops when it taps into heat released from nearby air particles. This results in condensation of water vapour contained in the moist air.
While tropical cyclones can produce extremely powerful winds and torrential rain, they are also able to produce high waves and damaging storm surge. They develop over large bodies of warm water, and lose their strength if they move over land. This is the reason coastal regions can receive significant damage from a tropical cyclone, while inland regions are relatively safe from receiving strong winds. Heavy rains, however, can produce significant flooding inland, and storm surges can produce extensive coastal flooding up to 40 kilometres from the coastline. If the conditions around the system deteriorate or the tropical cyclone makes landfall, the system weakens and eventually dissipates.Windspeed was close to 190 km per hour, that is three times the speed of a car travelling on the highway.
Morning prayer was led by our Hindu & Tamil Language teacher, Mr Perumaland Mr Christopher Foran who is our Catholic English Language teacher from India.
Mr Lloyd Yeo also led a prayer about how to pray, how to give charity and how to give love.
On Love
He makes his sun shine on band and good people alike, and gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil. Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you? Even the tax collectors do that! And if you speak only to your friends, have you done anything out of the ordinary? Even the pagans do that! You must be perfect – Just as your father in heave is perfect.
On Charity
When you give something to a needy person, do not make a big show of it as the hypocrites do in the houses of worship and on the streets. They do it so that people will praise them. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. But when you help a needy person, do it in sucha way that even your closest friend will not know about it. Then it will be a private matter. And your Father, who sees what you do in private will reward you.
On Prayer
And when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what you do in private will reward you.
2. SHARINGS
Earthquakes
Mr Kevin Pang, led off with the geographical causes for earthquake and explained that Mount Everest and the rest of the Himalayas form part of the Tibetan Plateau and are still rising because of the collision, 45 million years ago, between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Wenchuan was the epicentre of the earthquake and was especially bad because the quake occured only 6.2 miles below the surface. The nearer the quake is to the surface, the more devestating the quake. It also measured 7.8 on the richter scale and the tremors, could be felt in Bangkok, Hong Kong and in Shanghai, more than 930 miles away.
Earthquakes could never occur in Singapore but tremors could be fault. He warned that the best way to survive an earthquake indoors was to couch under a heavy desk or table, well away from windows or glass dividers and to crouch your body so that heavy debris would not hurt you. Outside, stand away from buildings, trees, telephones and electrical lines. On the road, drive away from underpasses and overpasses; stop in safe area; stay in vehicle.
2. Cyclones
Miss Xu Wanjing explained the main source of energy for tropical cyclones is the warm water in the tropical regions. To initiate a tropical cyclone the sea-surface temperature generally needs to be above 26.5°C.
Miss Xu demonstrated how Cyclone occur by getting boys to demonstrate low pressure, moist air and high pressure. She asked the boys to imagine that she was warm water and moist air. Because there is low pressure there and high temperature, the moist air rises. HEat A cyclone develops when it taps into heat released from nearby air particles. This results in condensation of water vapour contained in the moist air.
While tropical cyclones can produce extremely powerful winds and torrential rain, they are also able to produce high waves and damaging storm surge. They develop over large bodies of warm water, and lose their strength if they move over land. This is the reason coastal regions can receive significant damage from a tropical cyclone, while inland regions are relatively safe from receiving strong winds. Heavy rains, however, can produce significant flooding inland, and storm surges can produce extensive coastal flooding up to 40 kilometres from the coastline. If the conditions around the system deteriorate or the tropical cyclone makes landfall, the system weakens and eventually dissipates.Windspeed was close to 190 km per hour, that is three times the speed of a car travelling on the highway.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Exam Week - The Week of Compassion & Tragedy
Montfort For Myanmar's Aid
12 May 2008
Morning prayer for the week was dedicated to the victims of Cyclone Nargis which hit Myanmar on May 2 and 3. Total death toll may be between 68,833 and 127,990. More than 100,000 may have died. Between 1.6 million to 2.5 million people are in urgent need of food, water and shelter. Only 270,000 have been reached so far.
Members of the Ecumenical Council led morning prayers for the week and shared about 'compassion' and 'charity', common denominators found in all religions. They also prayed for all who were suffering and lost loved ones in Myanmar
.
During the week, another earthquake hit Sichuan, China. The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Wenchuan County, about 159 km northwest of the provincial capital of Chengdu, has severely affected an area of more than 100,000 square kilometers, according to the rescue headquarters. The confirmed death toll in Sichuan was 19,509 on 15 May, and more than 50,000 people were feared dead.
There was also some special pictures and information put out on the tragedies
outside the office. On 21st May, Wednesday, there will be a special collection for Myanmar and the Sichuan victims
Death of Former Montfort Boy (2005 Batch)
Montfort School also said prayers for one of our Montfort boys, Roslan Saharo, 18, who was just two months into his basic training. He was a police trainee and passed away on 16 May 2008 after collapsing during a 2.4km. A cheerful, helpful and good-natured student, he will be remembered by his form teacher, Ms Vivian Tan & those who taught him.
The Principal, Vice-Principals, Mr Faizan, Mr Vincent Loh and Ms Vivian Tan visited him to pay their final respects and to offer their condolences to the family.
On their own, more than 20 former Montfort boys had also gathered at the wake and funeral to give their final respects and to offer their condolences to the family. It was indicative of the class unity and special experience they shared with Roslan.
Straits Times Article
Police trainee, 18, dies 2 days after collapsing during run
By Esther Tan. 16 May 2008
A GROUP of 120 full-time police national servicemen set out on a 2.4km run early Tuesday morning around the parade square of the Home Team Academy.
But one of them never completed the run and was found lying unconscious in the camp in Old Choa Chu Kang Road.
Mr Roslan Saharo, 18, who was just two months into his basic training, would never wake up again.
After two days in a coma, his family decided yesterday morning to take him off life support.
Relatives said doctors told them he had heat stroke which caused multiple-organ failure and left him brain dead. An autopsy will be performed today to determine the cause of death.
Family members and relatives were devastated by his sudden death. 'He was such a lively and jovial boy. We will miss his laughter and never-ending smile,' said uncle Dzulkifli Wasnam, 33.
They are now trying to find out the circumstances of his death.
Two of his uncles said a police officer told them at the hospital that Mr Roslan was discovered missing from the group only after the run ended.
But last night, a police spokesman told The Straits Times an instructor had seen him 'stumble and fall' and he was given 'prompt medical attention'.
His brother, Mr Riduwan Saharo, who was a combat medic during his national service days, said there should have been a 'last man' at the back of the group to ensure no one lagged behind.
'Where was the last man when my brother fell?' asked the 26-year-old. 'And where was his buddy?'
Mr Roslan's family said he was healthy and active - he played floorball for Institute of Technical Education College Central.
But on Sunday, when he had to report back to camp, he was coughing badly and told his father he was ill, said his sister Rubiah Saharo, 29. She advised him to see a doctor, but he said he was rushing back to camp.
One of Mr Roslan's uncles said the police told them an instructor had asked the group before the run if anyone was not feeling well, but Mr Roslan did not speak up.
Police said they will render support and assistance to Mr Roslan's family.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Montfort Feast Day Special
1. Books of Montfort
Among his books are " The Secret of the Rosary" and "True Devotion to the Virgin" first published as " Preparation for the reign of Jesus Christ." The title of which, in the light of revelations given to Sister Faustina Kowalska, makes his teachings on spirituality relevant for today.H
ere are a few lines from his "True Devotion" book;(54)" ...Mary will always triumph over Satan, the proud one, so great will be her victory that she will crush his head, the very seat of his pride. She will always unmask his serpent's cunning and expose his wicked plots, she will scatter to the winds his devilish plans and to the end of time keep her faithful servants from his cruel claws.But Mary's power over the evil spirits will especially shine forth in the latter times, when Satan will wait for her "heel" that is; her humble servants.Her poor servants she will rouse to fight against him. In the eyes of the world they will be little and poor, and like the heel, lowly in the eyes of all, downtrodden and crushed, as is the heel by the other parts of the body.But in compensation for this they will be rich in God's graces, which Mary will bestow abundantly upon them.They will be superior to all creatures by their great zeal and so strongly supported by Divine Assistance that in union with Mary, they will crush Satan's head with their heel. That is; their humility.(59)....Such are the great men who are to come. By the will of God, Mary is to prepare them to extend His rule over the impious and unbeleivers. But when and how will this come about? Only God knows.
St Louis Marie's death in 1716, his followers in the Company of Mary continued to make this devotion a major part of their teaching and preaching, but, for some reason, they never thought to publish his book, although they possessed the manuscript. They did, however, value the manuscript sufficiently that, when the French Revolution brought chaos to the Vendée region where the Mother-house of the Company of Mary was, they hid it, along with other precious papers, in a field nearby. After the revolutionary fury had abated, they retrieved these papers and put them back in the library of the Mother-house, but then, it seems, forgot about them. It was only in 1842 that one of the members of the Company of Mary, doing some research in the library, came across the old manuscript and recognised the handwriting of St. Louis Marie. The manuscript was quickly authenticated, and in 1843 was published for the first time as "Traité de la Vraie Dévotion à la Sainte Vierge" (Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin).
Legacy of Montfort
His greatest contribution to the Church is "Total Consecration to the Blessed Virgin." Such did Pope John Paul II, embrace this devotion that he consecrated himself and every place he visited as pope to Mary.
The phrase of " Totus Tuus" on his Papal flag was taken from the prayer of St. Louis:Totus TuusTotus tuus ego sum, et omnia mea tua sunt, O Virgo, super omnia benedicta. All YoursI am all yoursand all that is mineis yours O VirginBlessed above all.
Totus tuus (completely yours) was Louis's personal motto; Karol Wojtyla/ Pope John Paul III chose it as his episcopal motto
On 8 December 2003, Pope John Paul II wrote to the Religious of the Montfortian Congregations, a letter to commemorate the 160th anniversary of the publication in 1843 of the "Traité de la Vraie Dévotion à la Sainte Vierge" (True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin). In the letter he reflects on certain aspects of the teaching of St. Louis Marie de Montfort concerning consecration of oneself to Jesus through Mary.
http://www.montfort.org/English/Letter160.htm
Biography of Montfort
Louis Marie de Grignion was born 31 January 1673 in the small town of Montfort-sur-Meu, just West of Rennes in Brittany, France. He was the eldest surviving child of the large family of Jean-Baptiste Grignion and his wife Jeanne Robert.
Louis Marie passed most of his infancy and early childhood in Iffendic, a few miles from Montfort, where his father had bought a farm known as "Le Bois Marquer". According to those who knew him at this early stage, he showed signs even then of a spiritual maturity uncommon in one of his age.
At the age of 12, he entered the Jesuit College of St Thomas Becket in Rennes, where, as well as doing well in his studies, he developed some of the enthusiasms which were to mark his later life. Listening to the stories of a local priest, the Abbé Julien Bellier, about his life as an itinerant missionary, he was fired with zeal to preach missions. And, under the guidance of some other priests he began to develop his strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin. At the same time, he began to experience the deprivations suffered by the very poor, and his love and care for them grew, not only in theory but in a practical way.
At some time during his college days, he became aware of a call to the priesthood, and at the end of his ordinary schooling, began his studies of philosophy and theology, still at St Thomas in Rennes. However, he was given the opportunity, through a benefactor, to go to Paris to study at the renowned Seminary of Saint-Sulpice. He set out for Paris towards the end of 1693.
Preparing for the Priesthood
As he left Rennes, to begin a new stage in his life, Louis Marie acted out a little drama which was symbolic of the life-style he had now determined to pursue. His family had offered him a horse to ride to Paris, but this he refused; his mother provided him with a new suit of clothes, and his father presented him with 10 écus to cover the expenses of his journey. Some of his family accompanied him as far as Cesson, where the road to Paris crossed the River Villaine, and there said their good-byes to him. Crossing over the bridge, Louis Marie took the first opportunity offered to him to give away his 10 écus, and then to exchange his new clothes for those of a beggar, and continued on his way, determined from then on to rely solely on Providence for his needs, and to live close to the poor.
When he arrived in Paris after a 200 mile journey, it was to find that his benefactor had not provided enough money for him to enter even the "Little Saint-Sulpice", as it was called - a separate college linked with the main seminary, but provided especially for the poorer students. So he lodged instead in a succession of boarding houses run by some of the Sulpician priests, where the diet was poor and the accomodation sparse, in the meantime attending the Sorbonne University for lectures in theology. Perhaps with rash over-enthusiasm .he added his own penances to the rigours of this life, with the result that, after less than two years, he became very ill and had to be hospitalized in the Hotel-Dieu. It was almost a miracle that he survived both his illness and the blood-lettings administered as part of his hospital treatment; and perhaps even more of a miracle that, on his release from hospital, he found himself with a place reserved at the Little Saint-Sulpice, which he entered in July 1695.
Saint-Sulpice had been founded by Jean-Jacques Olier, one of the leading exponents of what came to be known as the "French School of Spirituality". With its emphasis on the mystery of the Incarnation, and on the place of Mary in God's Plan of Salvation, it was an ideal place for Louis Marie to develop the themes of his personal spirituality. Yet, other aspects of Sulpician spirituality do not seem to have attracted him so much: the tendency to place the clergy on a pedestal, to the point where there was a danger of their becoming "settled", not to say smug. His time at Saint-Sulpice, however, gave him the opportunity to study most of the available works on spirituality and, in particular, on Mary's place in the Christian life, especially when he was appointed librarian, nor did he waste the opportunity. He also had time to develop catechetical skills, especially among the deprived youth of Saint-Sulpice parish.
The time arrived for him to be ordained a priest in June 1700, and a few days later he said his first Mass at the altar of the Blessed Virgin in the church of Saint-Sulpice. He remained for a few more months in Paris, before setting out on his priestly ministry.Early Priestly Ministry
Louis Marie's first appointment as a priest was to the Community of Saint-Clément in Nantes. As his letters of this period show, however, he felt frustrated there owing to the lack of opportunity to preach as he felt he was called to do. He considered various options, even that of becoming a hermit, but the conviction that he was called to "preach missions to the poor" increased, and he began to think, even at this early stage, of founding "a small company of priests" to do this work under the banner of the Blessed Virgin. After a few months, he was persuaded to go to Poitiers by Mme. de Montespan (the repentant former mistress of King Louis XIV), whom he had first met in Paris. There he agreed, although somewhat reluctantly (since he did not think he was called to "shut himself away in a poor-house") to become chaplain to the inmates of what was known as the "Hôpital Général" - a sort of work-house where the very poor were incarcerated in order to keep them off the streets. Here Louis Marie set about serving these poor people with all the enthusiasm which he normally reserved for such as these. In the course of his reforming efforts, he seems to have fallen foul of the authorities at the poor-house, and around Easter 1703 he left for Paris.
The next year was to be a particularly painful one for him. He first went to join the team of chaplains at the Salpétrière, the first "Hôpital Général" set up by St. Vincent de Paul; but after a few weeks he was asked to leave (we do not know why). This was the beginning of a period when almost all his old friends and acquaintances rejected him. As with many other saints, it seems that his extraordinary sanctity challenged those less inclined to follow the gospel literally, and they accused him of pride and self-deception. He spent almost a year living in a very poor lodging in the Rue du Pot de Fer, without friends and without any definite ministry. This gave him the chance, however, to develop his thoughts on Jesus Christ, as the manifestation of the Wisdom of God, and he probably wrote his book The Love of Eternal Wisdom at this time.
The poor of Poitiers, however, had not rejected him, and they wrote to ask him to return to them. With the agreement of the Bishop, he returned to Poitiers to become the Director of the "Hôpital Général", and once again set about his reforms. He was helped in this by a young woman, Marie-Louise Trichet, who felt called to be a religious and to dedicate herself to the service of the poor. Louis Marie persuaded her to come to work with him at the "Hôpital Général", where later she was joined by another young woman, Catherine Brunet. These two, after many years of waiting, were to become the first members of the Daughters of Wisdom.
Louis Marie still continued to attract opposition by his reforms, and after several more months, he was persuaded by the Bishop and Marie Louis Trichet to leave the Hôpital for the second time. He began preaching missions in and around Poitiers, and probably felt that at last he was doing the work God had called him to do. Among the first missions was one in the very poor suburb of Montbernage, where he put into practice many of the features of his later missions: the call to a renewal of Baptismal Vows, the processions and lively liturgies which attracted the people who had often been neglected in the past. But his success seems to have aroused the jealousy of some who had the ear of the Bishop, and at the beginning of Lent 1706, he was forbidden to preach any more missions in the Diocese of Poitiers.
What was he to do now? He had become more and more convinced that he was called to preach missions, yet here was the Bishop of the Diocese forbidding him to do so. His thoughts turned to the Foreign Missions but he felt he needed some higher guidance. So he set off to make a pilgrimage to Rome, to ask the Holy Father, Pope Clement XI, what he should do. The Pope recognised his real vocation and, telling him that there was plenty of scope for its exercise in France, sent him back with the title of Apostolic Missionary. On his return to France, Louis Marie headed for Mont-Saint-Michel to make a retreat before seeking another field for his missionary endeavours in Brittany.
Missions in Brittany
After making his retreat at Mont-Saint-Michel, Louis Marie set off to find the missionary band headed by one of the greatest of Breton Missioners, Father Leuduger, and having caught up with them in Dinan, was accepted as a member of the team. Over the next few months he was involved in many missions in the dioceses of Saint-Malo and Saint-Brieuc, including one in his own birth-place, Montfort-sur-Meu
and others at Plumieux and La Chèze (where he rebuilt an ancient chapel, long since fallen into ruins, dedicated to Our Lady of Pity). Always he would choose for his own attention the poorest areas of the towns where the missions were held , and would often introduce some new initiatives for the relief of the poor, for example a soup-kitchen which was set up in Dinan.
He was perhaps not at his best, however, working with a team and, after several months, he left the mission band to spend a year at Saint-Lazare, just outside Montfort-sur-Meu, with two lay-brothers who had joined him. Here he occupied himself with teaching catechism to those who came to this ancient priory and schooling the two brothers in the art of community living. At the end of a year, he must have felt that other places offered him more opportunites for preaching missions and in 1708 he left to work in the Diocese of Nantes.
For two years, he preached many missions in and around Nantes, the vast majority of which proved extraordinarily successful in terms of the conversions wrought among the people. His reputation as a great missioner grew, but most of all he began to be known everywhere, by the ordinary people, as "the good Father from Montfort". He tried to perpetuate the spiritual results of his missions by setting up confraternities and associations which would encourage the people to be faithful to their renewal of Baptismal commitment, and by erecting physical reminders of the mission in the form of mission crosses. At Pontchateau, he attracted many thousands of people to help him in the erection of a more imposing reminder of the love of God, in the shape of a huge Calvary.
The Calvary of Pontchateau, however, was to be the cause of one of his greatest disappointments. On the very eve of its blessing, the Bishop, having heard that it was to be destroyed on the orders of the King himself, forbade its benediction. The whole sorry affair of the condemnation of the Calvary was the result of jealousy and petty revenge, but the Bishop evidently felt he had no choice but to curb the "excesses" of this extraordinary priest, and a few days later he forbade Louis Marie to do any more preaching in his diocese. This was just one, though perhaps the greatest, of the many instances where Louis Marie was called to share in the Cross of Christ. He did not let it get him down, but on the contrary reflected and meditated on it, and set down his reflections in one of his short writings, the Letter to the Friends of the Cross.
Although he was not banned from all work in the Diocese of Nantes, it was clear that if he wished to continue his preaching, he would have to go elsewhere. On the invitation of the Bishop of La Rochelle, he left Nantes in 1711 and entered the last period of his life, preaching missions in the Dioceses of La Rochelle and Luçon, in the Vendée region of France.
Last Years
The next five years, until his death in 1716, were extraordinarily busy ones for Louis Marie. He was constantly occupied in preaching missions, always travelling on foot between one and another. Yet he found time also to write - his True Devotion to Mary and The Secret of Mary, rules for the Company of Mary and the Daughters of Wisdom, and many Hymns which he used in his missions, often set to contemporary dance tunes. He made two major journeys, to Paris and to Rouen, to try to find recruits for his Company of Mary, of which he dreamt more and more as he drew towards the end of his life. And from time to time, he felt it necessary to withdraw to a place of quiet and isolation, in the Forest of Mervent or in his little "hermitage" at Saint-Eloi near La Rochelle.
His missions made a great impact, especially in the Vendée. It has been said that one of the reasons for the vigourous resistance of the people of this region to the anti-religious and anti-Catholic tendencies of the French Revolution 80 years or so later, was the strengthening of their faith by the preaching of St. Louis Marie. Yet he found it very difficult to persuade other priests to join him in his work as members of his Company of Mary. Finally, in the last year, two priests, Fr René Mulot and Fr Adrien Vatel, did join him, and he also gathered a certain number of lay-brothers to help him in his work.
The Bishop of La Rochelle, Mgr Stephen de Champflour, proved a great friend to him, although others continued to oppose him, and there was even an attempt made on his life< Together with the Bishop, he established free schools for the poor boys and girls of La Rochelle, and called Marie Louise Trichet and Catherine Brunet, who had waited patiently in Poitiers for 10 years, to come to help him. At last, they made their religious profession and the congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom was born. Soon there were others too who joined them.
Worn out by hard work and sickness, Louis Marie finally came in April 1716 to Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre to begin the mission which was to be his last. During it, he fell ill and died on 28 April. Thousands gathered for his burial in the parish church, and very quickly there were stories of miracles performed at his tomb. The two priests of the Company of Mary, Fathers Mulot and Vatel, retired to Saint-Pompain, with the handful of Brothers, where they waited for two years before taking up again the mission preaching so beloved of Louis Marie.
He had hoped after his ordination in 1700 to go to the foreign missions, favouring the French colonnies of Canada. His spiritual director however, sent him to minister to the needs of the French Church.
Recognising there was a lack of priests to minister to the people, he prayed for and eventually began a small society of priests. Walking from diocese to diocese his outspokenness on wrongdoing and the erroneous doctrines of the day made him many enemies.He met continuously with opposition and disapproval. He began to wonder (as had Saint James!) whether he was truly following the path of God.
To find his answer he travelled the thousand miles or so on foot to a private audience with Pope Clement XI. The Pope encouraged him to continue his apostolic works and evangelisation of France.
For the next sixteen years He travelled throughout the west of France, preaching, teaching catechism, organising the building of shrines and schools and renovating delapidated churches.All of this strenuous work, his heavy penances and an attempt on his life by poisoning eventually took its toll.
At a mission in the village of St. Laurent - sur Sevre, having struggled to give his sermon on "the kindness of Jesus" he became seriously ill. That afternoon on the 28th of April 1716, it beame certain that death was near. Holding his little statue of Our Lady in his hands, and kissing his crucifix he exclaimed " In vain do you attack me; I am between Jesus and Mary. I have finished my course; all is over. I shall sin no more". Then he died peacefully.Thousand came to pay their respects, and his tomb in St- Laurent has been a place of pilgrimage ever since.
He was canonized by Pope Pius XII on July 20th 1947, and his feast is kept on the anniversary of his death, April 28th.
You who pass this way, what do you see?
A light quenched,
A man consumed with the fire of charity,
Who became all things to all men,
Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort.
If you would know his life,
there was none more holy;
If his penance, none more mortified;
If his zeal, none more ardent;
If his devotion to Mary, none more like Bernard.
A priest of Christ, he showed forth Christ in his actions,
and preached him everywhere in his words;
unwearied, he rested only in the grave.
A father to the poor,protector of orphans,reconciler of sinners,his glorious death was the image of his life.As he lived, so did he die.
The epitaph engraved in Latin on his tomb is an excellent summary of his life:
Visit
http://bobandpennylordblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/saint-louis-marie-de-montfort.html for a clip on the lift of Montfort
Among his books are " The Secret of the Rosary" and "True Devotion to the Virgin" first published as " Preparation for the reign of Jesus Christ." The title of which, in the light of revelations given to Sister Faustina Kowalska, makes his teachings on spirituality relevant for today.H
ere are a few lines from his "True Devotion" book;(54)" ...Mary will always triumph over Satan, the proud one, so great will be her victory that she will crush his head, the very seat of his pride. She will always unmask his serpent's cunning and expose his wicked plots, she will scatter to the winds his devilish plans and to the end of time keep her faithful servants from his cruel claws.But Mary's power over the evil spirits will especially shine forth in the latter times, when Satan will wait for her "heel" that is; her humble servants.Her poor servants she will rouse to fight against him. In the eyes of the world they will be little and poor, and like the heel, lowly in the eyes of all, downtrodden and crushed, as is the heel by the other parts of the body.But in compensation for this they will be rich in God's graces, which Mary will bestow abundantly upon them.They will be superior to all creatures by their great zeal and so strongly supported by Divine Assistance that in union with Mary, they will crush Satan's head with their heel. That is; their humility.(59)....Such are the great men who are to come. By the will of God, Mary is to prepare them to extend His rule over the impious and unbeleivers. But when and how will this come about? Only God knows.
St Louis Marie's death in 1716, his followers in the Company of Mary continued to make this devotion a major part of their teaching and preaching, but, for some reason, they never thought to publish his book, although they possessed the manuscript. They did, however, value the manuscript sufficiently that, when the French Revolution brought chaos to the Vendée region where the Mother-house of the Company of Mary was, they hid it, along with other precious papers, in a field nearby. After the revolutionary fury had abated, they retrieved these papers and put them back in the library of the Mother-house, but then, it seems, forgot about them. It was only in 1842 that one of the members of the Company of Mary, doing some research in the library, came across the old manuscript and recognised the handwriting of St. Louis Marie. The manuscript was quickly authenticated, and in 1843 was published for the first time as "Traité de la Vraie Dévotion à la Sainte Vierge" (Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin).
Legacy of Montfort
His greatest contribution to the Church is "Total Consecration to the Blessed Virgin." Such did Pope John Paul II, embrace this devotion that he consecrated himself and every place he visited as pope to Mary.
The phrase of " Totus Tuus" on his Papal flag was taken from the prayer of St. Louis:Totus TuusTotus tuus ego sum, et omnia mea tua sunt, O Virgo, super omnia benedicta. All YoursI am all yoursand all that is mineis yours O VirginBlessed above all.
Totus tuus (completely yours) was Louis's personal motto; Karol Wojtyla/ Pope John Paul III chose it as his episcopal motto
On 8 December 2003, Pope John Paul II wrote to the Religious of the Montfortian Congregations, a letter to commemorate the 160th anniversary of the publication in 1843 of the "Traité de la Vraie Dévotion à la Sainte Vierge" (True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin). In the letter he reflects on certain aspects of the teaching of St. Louis Marie de Montfort concerning consecration of oneself to Jesus through Mary.
http://www.montfort.org/English/Letter160.htm
Biography of Montfort
Louis Marie de Grignion was born 31 January 1673 in the small town of Montfort-sur-Meu, just West of Rennes in Brittany, France. He was the eldest surviving child of the large family of Jean-Baptiste Grignion and his wife Jeanne Robert.
Louis Marie passed most of his infancy and early childhood in Iffendic, a few miles from Montfort, where his father had bought a farm known as "Le Bois Marquer". According to those who knew him at this early stage, he showed signs even then of a spiritual maturity uncommon in one of his age.
At the age of 12, he entered the Jesuit College of St Thomas Becket in Rennes, where, as well as doing well in his studies, he developed some of the enthusiasms which were to mark his later life. Listening to the stories of a local priest, the Abbé Julien Bellier, about his life as an itinerant missionary, he was fired with zeal to preach missions. And, under the guidance of some other priests he began to develop his strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin. At the same time, he began to experience the deprivations suffered by the very poor, and his love and care for them grew, not only in theory but in a practical way.
At some time during his college days, he became aware of a call to the priesthood, and at the end of his ordinary schooling, began his studies of philosophy and theology, still at St Thomas in Rennes. However, he was given the opportunity, through a benefactor, to go to Paris to study at the renowned Seminary of Saint-Sulpice. He set out for Paris towards the end of 1693.
Preparing for the Priesthood
As he left Rennes, to begin a new stage in his life, Louis Marie acted out a little drama which was symbolic of the life-style he had now determined to pursue. His family had offered him a horse to ride to Paris, but this he refused; his mother provided him with a new suit of clothes, and his father presented him with 10 écus to cover the expenses of his journey. Some of his family accompanied him as far as Cesson, where the road to Paris crossed the River Villaine, and there said their good-byes to him. Crossing over the bridge, Louis Marie took the first opportunity offered to him to give away his 10 écus, and then to exchange his new clothes for those of a beggar, and continued on his way, determined from then on to rely solely on Providence for his needs, and to live close to the poor.
When he arrived in Paris after a 200 mile journey, it was to find that his benefactor had not provided enough money for him to enter even the "Little Saint-Sulpice", as it was called - a separate college linked with the main seminary, but provided especially for the poorer students. So he lodged instead in a succession of boarding houses run by some of the Sulpician priests, where the diet was poor and the accomodation sparse, in the meantime attending the Sorbonne University for lectures in theology. Perhaps with rash over-enthusiasm .he added his own penances to the rigours of this life, with the result that, after less than two years, he became very ill and had to be hospitalized in the Hotel-Dieu. It was almost a miracle that he survived both his illness and the blood-lettings administered as part of his hospital treatment; and perhaps even more of a miracle that, on his release from hospital, he found himself with a place reserved at the Little Saint-Sulpice, which he entered in July 1695.
Saint-Sulpice had been founded by Jean-Jacques Olier, one of the leading exponents of what came to be known as the "French School of Spirituality". With its emphasis on the mystery of the Incarnation, and on the place of Mary in God's Plan of Salvation, it was an ideal place for Louis Marie to develop the themes of his personal spirituality. Yet, other aspects of Sulpician spirituality do not seem to have attracted him so much: the tendency to place the clergy on a pedestal, to the point where there was a danger of their becoming "settled", not to say smug. His time at Saint-Sulpice, however, gave him the opportunity to study most of the available works on spirituality and, in particular, on Mary's place in the Christian life, especially when he was appointed librarian, nor did he waste the opportunity. He also had time to develop catechetical skills, especially among the deprived youth of Saint-Sulpice parish.
The time arrived for him to be ordained a priest in June 1700, and a few days later he said his first Mass at the altar of the Blessed Virgin in the church of Saint-Sulpice. He remained for a few more months in Paris, before setting out on his priestly ministry.Early Priestly Ministry
Louis Marie's first appointment as a priest was to the Community of Saint-Clément in Nantes. As his letters of this period show, however, he felt frustrated there owing to the lack of opportunity to preach as he felt he was called to do. He considered various options, even that of becoming a hermit, but the conviction that he was called to "preach missions to the poor" increased, and he began to think, even at this early stage, of founding "a small company of priests" to do this work under the banner of the Blessed Virgin. After a few months, he was persuaded to go to Poitiers by Mme. de Montespan (the repentant former mistress of King Louis XIV), whom he had first met in Paris. There he agreed, although somewhat reluctantly (since he did not think he was called to "shut himself away in a poor-house") to become chaplain to the inmates of what was known as the "Hôpital Général" - a sort of work-house where the very poor were incarcerated in order to keep them off the streets. Here Louis Marie set about serving these poor people with all the enthusiasm which he normally reserved for such as these. In the course of his reforming efforts, he seems to have fallen foul of the authorities at the poor-house, and around Easter 1703 he left for Paris.
The next year was to be a particularly painful one for him. He first went to join the team of chaplains at the Salpétrière, the first "Hôpital Général" set up by St. Vincent de Paul; but after a few weeks he was asked to leave (we do not know why). This was the beginning of a period when almost all his old friends and acquaintances rejected him. As with many other saints, it seems that his extraordinary sanctity challenged those less inclined to follow the gospel literally, and they accused him of pride and self-deception. He spent almost a year living in a very poor lodging in the Rue du Pot de Fer, without friends and without any definite ministry. This gave him the chance, however, to develop his thoughts on Jesus Christ, as the manifestation of the Wisdom of God, and he probably wrote his book The Love of Eternal Wisdom at this time.
The poor of Poitiers, however, had not rejected him, and they wrote to ask him to return to them. With the agreement of the Bishop, he returned to Poitiers to become the Director of the "Hôpital Général", and once again set about his reforms. He was helped in this by a young woman, Marie-Louise Trichet, who felt called to be a religious and to dedicate herself to the service of the poor. Louis Marie persuaded her to come to work with him at the "Hôpital Général", where later she was joined by another young woman, Catherine Brunet. These two, after many years of waiting, were to become the first members of the Daughters of Wisdom.
Louis Marie still continued to attract opposition by his reforms, and after several more months, he was persuaded by the Bishop and Marie Louis Trichet to leave the Hôpital for the second time. He began preaching missions in and around Poitiers, and probably felt that at last he was doing the work God had called him to do. Among the first missions was one in the very poor suburb of Montbernage, where he put into practice many of the features of his later missions: the call to a renewal of Baptismal Vows, the processions and lively liturgies which attracted the people who had often been neglected in the past. But his success seems to have aroused the jealousy of some who had the ear of the Bishop, and at the beginning of Lent 1706, he was forbidden to preach any more missions in the Diocese of Poitiers.
What was he to do now? He had become more and more convinced that he was called to preach missions, yet here was the Bishop of the Diocese forbidding him to do so. His thoughts turned to the Foreign Missions but he felt he needed some higher guidance. So he set off to make a pilgrimage to Rome, to ask the Holy Father, Pope Clement XI, what he should do. The Pope recognised his real vocation and, telling him that there was plenty of scope for its exercise in France, sent him back with the title of Apostolic Missionary. On his return to France, Louis Marie headed for Mont-Saint-Michel to make a retreat before seeking another field for his missionary endeavours in Brittany.
Missions in Brittany
After making his retreat at Mont-Saint-Michel, Louis Marie set off to find the missionary band headed by one of the greatest of Breton Missioners, Father Leuduger, and having caught up with them in Dinan, was accepted as a member of the team. Over the next few months he was involved in many missions in the dioceses of Saint-Malo and Saint-Brieuc, including one in his own birth-place, Montfort-sur-Meu
and others at Plumieux and La Chèze (where he rebuilt an ancient chapel, long since fallen into ruins, dedicated to Our Lady of Pity). Always he would choose for his own attention the poorest areas of the towns where the missions were held , and would often introduce some new initiatives for the relief of the poor, for example a soup-kitchen which was set up in Dinan.
He was perhaps not at his best, however, working with a team and, after several months, he left the mission band to spend a year at Saint-Lazare, just outside Montfort-sur-Meu, with two lay-brothers who had joined him. Here he occupied himself with teaching catechism to those who came to this ancient priory and schooling the two brothers in the art of community living. At the end of a year, he must have felt that other places offered him more opportunites for preaching missions and in 1708 he left to work in the Diocese of Nantes.
For two years, he preached many missions in and around Nantes, the vast majority of which proved extraordinarily successful in terms of the conversions wrought among the people. His reputation as a great missioner grew, but most of all he began to be known everywhere, by the ordinary people, as "the good Father from Montfort". He tried to perpetuate the spiritual results of his missions by setting up confraternities and associations which would encourage the people to be faithful to their renewal of Baptismal commitment, and by erecting physical reminders of the mission in the form of mission crosses. At Pontchateau, he attracted many thousands of people to help him in the erection of a more imposing reminder of the love of God, in the shape of a huge Calvary.
The Calvary of Pontchateau, however, was to be the cause of one of his greatest disappointments. On the very eve of its blessing, the Bishop, having heard that it was to be destroyed on the orders of the King himself, forbade its benediction. The whole sorry affair of the condemnation of the Calvary was the result of jealousy and petty revenge, but the Bishop evidently felt he had no choice but to curb the "excesses" of this extraordinary priest, and a few days later he forbade Louis Marie to do any more preaching in his diocese. This was just one, though perhaps the greatest, of the many instances where Louis Marie was called to share in the Cross of Christ. He did not let it get him down, but on the contrary reflected and meditated on it, and set down his reflections in one of his short writings, the Letter to the Friends of the Cross.
Although he was not banned from all work in the Diocese of Nantes, it was clear that if he wished to continue his preaching, he would have to go elsewhere. On the invitation of the Bishop of La Rochelle, he left Nantes in 1711 and entered the last period of his life, preaching missions in the Dioceses of La Rochelle and Luçon, in the Vendée region of France.
Last Years
The next five years, until his death in 1716, were extraordinarily busy ones for Louis Marie. He was constantly occupied in preaching missions, always travelling on foot between one and another. Yet he found time also to write - his True Devotion to Mary and The Secret of Mary, rules for the Company of Mary and the Daughters of Wisdom, and many Hymns which he used in his missions, often set to contemporary dance tunes. He made two major journeys, to Paris and to Rouen, to try to find recruits for his Company of Mary, of which he dreamt more and more as he drew towards the end of his life. And from time to time, he felt it necessary to withdraw to a place of quiet and isolation, in the Forest of Mervent or in his little "hermitage" at Saint-Eloi near La Rochelle.
His missions made a great impact, especially in the Vendée. It has been said that one of the reasons for the vigourous resistance of the people of this region to the anti-religious and anti-Catholic tendencies of the French Revolution 80 years or so later, was the strengthening of their faith by the preaching of St. Louis Marie. Yet he found it very difficult to persuade other priests to join him in his work as members of his Company of Mary. Finally, in the last year, two priests, Fr René Mulot and Fr Adrien Vatel, did join him, and he also gathered a certain number of lay-brothers to help him in his work.
The Bishop of La Rochelle, Mgr Stephen de Champflour, proved a great friend to him, although others continued to oppose him, and there was even an attempt made on his life< Together with the Bishop, he established free schools for the poor boys and girls of La Rochelle, and called Marie Louise Trichet and Catherine Brunet, who had waited patiently in Poitiers for 10 years, to come to help him. At last, they made their religious profession and the congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom was born. Soon there were others too who joined them.
Worn out by hard work and sickness, Louis Marie finally came in April 1716 to Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre to begin the mission which was to be his last. During it, he fell ill and died on 28 April. Thousands gathered for his burial in the parish church, and very quickly there were stories of miracles performed at his tomb. The two priests of the Company of Mary, Fathers Mulot and Vatel, retired to Saint-Pompain, with the handful of Brothers, where they waited for two years before taking up again the mission preaching so beloved of Louis Marie.
He had hoped after his ordination in 1700 to go to the foreign missions, favouring the French colonnies of Canada. His spiritual director however, sent him to minister to the needs of the French Church.
Recognising there was a lack of priests to minister to the people, he prayed for and eventually began a small society of priests. Walking from diocese to diocese his outspokenness on wrongdoing and the erroneous doctrines of the day made him many enemies.He met continuously with opposition and disapproval. He began to wonder (as had Saint James!) whether he was truly following the path of God.
To find his answer he travelled the thousand miles or so on foot to a private audience with Pope Clement XI. The Pope encouraged him to continue his apostolic works and evangelisation of France.
For the next sixteen years He travelled throughout the west of France, preaching, teaching catechism, organising the building of shrines and schools and renovating delapidated churches.All of this strenuous work, his heavy penances and an attempt on his life by poisoning eventually took its toll.
At a mission in the village of St. Laurent - sur Sevre, having struggled to give his sermon on "the kindness of Jesus" he became seriously ill. That afternoon on the 28th of April 1716, it beame certain that death was near. Holding his little statue of Our Lady in his hands, and kissing his crucifix he exclaimed " In vain do you attack me; I am between Jesus and Mary. I have finished my course; all is over. I shall sin no more". Then he died peacefully.Thousand came to pay their respects, and his tomb in St- Laurent has been a place of pilgrimage ever since.
He was canonized by Pope Pius XII on July 20th 1947, and his feast is kept on the anniversary of his death, April 28th.
You who pass this way, what do you see?
A light quenched,
A man consumed with the fire of charity,
Who became all things to all men,
Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort.
If you would know his life,
there was none more holy;
If his penance, none more mortified;
If his zeal, none more ardent;
If his devotion to Mary, none more like Bernard.
A priest of Christ, he showed forth Christ in his actions,
and preached him everywhere in his words;
unwearied, he rested only in the grave.
A father to the poor,protector of orphans,reconciler of sinners,his glorious death was the image of his life.As he lived, so did he die.
The epitaph engraved in Latin on his tomb is an excellent summary of his life:
Visit
http://bobandpennylordblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/saint-louis-marie-de-montfort.html for a clip on the lift of Montfort
Monday, April 28, 2008
Montfort Alumni Yercaud - India (1917 - 1972 batches)
“Old” Boys and Girls of Montfort and SHY, with their partners are cordially invited to a combined Schools Reunion, to be held in Yercaud from 22nd to 24th January 2010.
(Because of the large numbers of old boys and girls who have passed out of the schools it is not practical to have a reunion for all. Therefore it is proposed to concentrate on the senior brigade of boys and girls who passed out up to year 1972. We are trying to create an opportunity and incentive to get as many of our buddies to return to India to renew their acquaintances with their school colleagues. The fun and laughter at this happy event can only make you feel good, so come along and reminisce with us with a drink or two.)
This is a unique event, organised by the Australian Overseas School Groups with the guidance and assistance of various school members in India.
The concept of the combined schools reunion follows on from successful reunions held in Perth (2005) and in Melbourne (2007). These two meetings were filled with warmth and nostalgia, which confirmed the strong bonds we have with our alma mater.
The event is also an opportunity for overseas residents to plan that holiday in “Incredible India” and to make this reunion a part of the holiday itinerary.
An internal package for overseas travellers can be arranged to cover the following, however you will need to custom make your own return air travel arrangements into India and then on to Madras (Chennai) or Bangalore to meet up with the batch travelling to Salem:
Train Travel with the Batch from Madras or Bangalore Stations to Salem Junction and back.
Bus transportation from Salem Junction to the Hotel in Yercaud & back
Hotel Accommodation and breakfast for the 3-4 day period. (Grand Palace Hotel)
For those making their own way to Yercaud, accommodation can be found at various other Hotels and Resorts.
Costs and details will be advised closer to the date of the reunion once numbers have been confirmed. Please register your interest so that we can plan ahead and keep you informed.
Finally, we ask each and every one of you to pass this “Invitation” to all your colleagues in the relevant year batches and have them contact us at the earliest.
Best Wishes to you and your families
Reunion 2010 Committee
MONTFORT SCHOOL 92ND FOUNDER’S DAY
It is indeed my privilege and honour to be invited to our school’s 92nd Founder’s Day celebrations. Its been more than 30 years since I left the School. My 10 years here have given me lots of pleasant memories which I still share with my 3 kids, the youngest being 16 years old. I actually taught my children to sing our School Song.
The Montfort School that I knew did not have all the modern facilities that you all now enjoy. But trust me, I had as great a time as a student as all of you here today. Modern facilities and air-conditioned classrooms do not make a school – these are just the hardware. What makes the difference are the teachers, parents, students and most importantly the values that the School represents – these are what I would call the software.
Since I left Montfort, I have kept in touch with some of my schoolmates whose children attended the school. I have also been involved in some of the School’s fund raising activities, and I know that Montfort continues to impart the great values and all rounded education that I enjoyed in my days.
Unlike all of you, when I first attended Primary 1, I did not even know my alphabet. My parents do not speak English. They had little formal education. My Dad was from China and worked as a clerk. My Mum sold soon kueh at Serangoon Gardens wet market. Some of your parents would probably know her cos she made the best soon kueh around. They would usually be sold out by 10 am. Mine was indeed a very humble family.
I spoke only Teochew, with a sprinkling of colourful Hokkien which I would only use only on very special occasions. I stayed in Hougang for the first 15 years of my life. English was never spoken at home. Hence, the China man accent that I still have today!!
Where I am today, is due largely to the strong foundation and guidance which I received from my teachers and the Brothers of St Gabriel. The theme for this year’s Founder’s Day is “Thanks be to our Lord”. As we give thanks to God, we must remember those whom God places in our path to guide us and lead us. I “Thank You” – Montfort and all my teachers.
At Montfort, I was taught not only the maths, sciences, languages and other academic subjects – I was also equipped with strong core Christian values which formed the cornerstone of many decisions in my life.
Don’t get me wrong. I had my fair share of scuffles and fights in school. I was probably sent out of class more times than any of you!! One of my favourite and most memorable spots in school was the place behind the church where we settled our differences by slugging it out until the discipline master came along. Those were fun times and what memories are made of.
When I completed my secondary 4 education here in Montfort, I was one of 2 from the school who decided to go to National Junior College. NJC was the first and only junior college at that time. I must say when we went to NJC we were pitted against the best in Singapore – that was the real test of a Montfort education.
I am pleased to say that both of us did Montfort proud. We were awarded Colombo Plan Scholarships to study overseas. I took up engineering in New Zealand. I should add that without this scholarship, I would never have been able to afford a tertiary education. The scholarship was truly a blessing. I am grateful that I am blessed with a Montfort education that helped pave the way for my scholarship.
Now you may wonder how an engineer ended up a lawyer?
It is only by the grace of God that I was offered another scholarship to read law when I was a young civil engineer of 4 years. It was a daunting move – from a predominantly science background which dealt mainly with steel and mortar, to one involving humanities.
I took up the challenge as I always remember our school motto, "Age Quod Agis" which means "Do well in whatever you do." This guiding principle is something which I hold close to my heart even to this day. I have no doubt that the 10 years of education in my formative years was instrumental in giving me the confidence to take the leap.
This is a motto which exemplifies our school and what it represents. It is something that I would ask all of you to hold on to dearly. Let this be a guiding principle in YOUR lives.
During my time, our school had one of the best school bands in Singapore. Our soccer, badminton and softball teams were also amongst the best. That was over 30 years ago.
I am pleased to learn that this tradition to “Do well in whatever you do” has continued. This year, Montfort won the National Badminton Championships B & C Divisions. Our students emerged the e-gaming champions in the National competition. We have a Wushu national gold medalist and a student representing us in canoeing for the pre-Olympics event.
There will always be challenges in life. To Do Well, you will need hard work and perseverance.
Our school motto calls for us to “Do well in whatever you do”. This is not measured by how much you earn. It simply means doing your best in WHATEVER you do.
When you do well, do it not only for yourself, but also for your parents, your loved ones, your Alma Mater and your Country.
As you Do Well, never forget your roots and those who helped you along the way.
Maintain your friendships. Friends will be the ones you need as you venture forward in life. I still play tennis every week with friends I made 30-40 years ago.
I would like to conclude by inviting all of you to remember our School Creed which is the Prayer to St. Louis Marie de Montfort. In this prayer, we pray for:
Faithfulness and Integrity
Care, compassion and filial piety
Wisdom and discernment
Loyalty to the Alma Mater and the Country.
You will all Do Well, if you strive as best as you can to uphold these values.
May God bless all of you.
Mr Tan Chee Meng, Senior Counsel
Guest of Honour, Founder’s Day
26 April 2008
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