“Heaven lies about us in our infancy,” sang the poet Wordsworth. It need not be for all infants. Each and every baptised child has a right to Christian education. From the security of a home, when the child is transported into a nursery school, the parents expect the child to grow up into a healthy personality. The school starts playing an important role in the life of this growing child. In olden days, in the case of Catholics, admission in a Catholic school run by educated priests and nuns was considered to be a great blessing. When it was time for a Catholic girl to get married, the advertisement in the matrimonial column ‘convent-educated girl’ was highly appreciated by the bridegroom’s party. Girls and boys educated in Catholic schools and colleges had special qualities. They were spiritual, and they appreciated the values inculcated in them in Catholic Institutions.
Today, in following the established process of admission, institutions face rigid constraints and all Catholic students do not get access to Catholic education.
Inspiring Pioneers
As a child, I had the good fortune to study in one of the leading Catholic educational institutions of Kerala, St Teresa’s Convent School, Kochi, run by the Carmelite Sisters. The majority of nuns at that time were Europeans. They were all well versed in the art of teaching, singing, dancing and all other extra curricular activities. Great importance was given to the Catechism classes everyday. The holy nuns inculcated in the students the values of Jesus Christ. Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament and attendance at Holy Mass on special feast days was looked forward to with great longing. Everyday a short passage from The Word of God was read and explained by the sister in the Catechism class. The holiness, kindness and love of the sisters was so transparent that we sat awestruck at their demeanour and the words of wisdom. This much is ‘emotion recollected in tranquility’ about those good old days – that is, about seventy years back!!
Professor Kunjannam Andrews
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