A ‘different’ school term: more prayers, patience, family time

Archbishop Jason Gordon had messages of encouragement to teachers and parents for the start of the new academic year 2020–2021 and first term.

Referring to the use of virtual classes as children are not back at schools, he said teachers have an incredible task of teaching and formation from home, doing so sometimes while caring for their own children.

In a message to teachers September 2, he said they were giving “incredible” service. They are in charge of the most precious gift of the country, “to be moulded and shaped to become that mature human being”.

He asked the public to pray for teachers to have grace for their vocation. Archbishop said those who knew teachers should contact them and let them know prayers were being said on their behalf and they were heroes.

Parents should be conscious of their children’s need while they are restricted to home. “Let’s recognise that we are the adults so what we need to do is bend and give to what they need,” Archbishop Gordon stressed.

He told parents in a message on September 3 the school term was going to be “very different” from what children were accustomed because they were unable to interact with their friends and be involved in physical activities.

“We are restricting them,” he said. Tension is created when they are confined and have to be on the computers for hours a day. Archbishop Gordon said, “They are not created for that but in these days, this is where we are”.

The challenge for parents is to be very patient and understanding. “Whatever we are going through, they are going through something that is even more crazy,” he said.

More than anything else families have to make time to laugh, play and connect because this is what children need now, no matter their age.

Archbishop Gordon said, “social interaction which they are so accustomed to which is so necessary for the development of a child, this is what is going to be missing in this new semester of school”.

Families fill this need by structuring times for play, prayer, coming together to “hang out”.

He invited parents to pray constantly for their children as he was praying constantly for them.