MANILA, Oct. 2, 2012—Prayer is a steady source of motivation and inspiration for educators especially with their demanding yet rewarding vocation of training future professionals and raising Filipino citizens imbued with Christian values.
As such, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) has encouraged students and administrators of its 1,345 member-schools to pray for their teachers especially during the national teachers’ month, which will culminate on Friday.
CEAP president Fr. Gregorio Bañaga, C.M. personally endorsed the praying of the National Prayer for Teachers issued earlier by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
Bañaga, who is also the president of Adamson University, said it is important for teachers to be prayerful and to be prayed for.
“The demands of the teaching profession is so heavy yet the rewards are not immediate. Teachers do not see what they build on their students until later on. This is why they need to be motivated and inspired, and this is where prayer comes in,” he said.
“This is why we ask our teachers to pray for their own vocation of teaching and ask also the students to pray for their teachers,” he added.
Bañaga said a Thanksgiving Mass will be a staple way to celebrate teachers’ day in Catholic Schools but he said administrators are encouraged to be creative in coming up with activities to entertain and appreciate teachers.
For instance, Bañaga said, teachers of Adamson University have attended a special seminar on “Laughter Yoga” last week to help them relieve the stress of their profession by laughing and smiling.
In the past, Adamson University has also put up a wall where students can write thanksgiving notes for their mentors and encouraged students to give tokens of gratitude to their professors.
Bañaga said there is no specified formula on how to celebrate Teachers’ Day but prayer should be a given. (YouthPinoy)
The CBCP National Prayer for Teachers is as follows;
Giver of all Wisdom and Greatest of all Teachers,
look upon our teachers with love.
Grant them the resolve to nurture our eager minds
and to never give up on us who fall behind.
Bless their hearts for they rejoice when we succeed
and encourage us when we fail.
Endow them with gentle patience
for the path of learning is never easy.
Kindle a spirit of passion in them.
It is the flame that ignites the love of learning in us.
Help them to see the potential in each student.
Their belief in us means much more than the grade we make.
Instill in them a commitment to keep on learning.
It shows us to not fear new knowledge and experiences.
Inspire them to touch the future.
They influence how big a dream we dream for ourselves.
Bless our teachers who have come before
for their work endures to this day.
Let the light of Your example shine upon all teachers.
To build up with their words.
To love with their mind.
To share with their heart. AMEN.
