Catholic teachers in Vietnam urged to promote humanity

Bishop's message on Teachers' Day calls for students to accept disadvantages for the common good.

Ho Chi Minh City:  A bishop in charge of Catholic education in Vietnam has asked teachers to build a humane society by training students in humanity, morality and flair.

Bishop Joseph Dinh Duc Dao, head of the Catholic Education Commission of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam, said in a society where anxiety about livelihood is rampant, many people become insular and selfish. Powerful and wealthy people not only abandon poor people but also get rich from abusing their bad conditions.

Bishop Dao said many people are in high dudgeon and grow weary of looking to a gloomy future, so most people strive to make a living for themselves and their families.

The bishop of Xuan Loc Diocese said Catholic educators can build a better and humane society where all people live with dignity and love one another by educating the young generation on standards of humanity, care and ethics.

"Teachers should teach students how to receive God and love the nation, people in need, patients, disabled people and the elderly without relatives," he said in a congratulation message sent to Catholic teachers on Vietnamese Teachers' Day on Nov. 20.

Teachers, educators and students across the country held activities including entertainment to celebrate the event. Students expressed their deep gratitude to teachers.

Bishop Dao said students must be coached to sacrifice themselves, accept disadvantages for the common good, and respect things useful for others rather than their own interests and fame.

The prelate said Catholic educators should teach students to be careful of their speech, especially on social media, so as to promote forgiveness, sympathy, magnanimity and unity. Students should be taught to "consistently give up tendencies to use their influence, positions and talent to do unjust things."

Bishop Dao urged educators to bravely live out what they teach students despite a crisis of confidence in schools. Local media have reported cases of teachers using violence against students, sexually abusing students, treating students unfairly and making students attend extra classes under their tuition.

He said educational crises not only damage teachers' good names and conscience but also deprive students of time with their families and religious duties.

Bishop Dao said if they want to train young people to reinvigorate society, teachers should see their jobs as a mission to cooperate with God and help the church and society. "You are God's messengers, do for God and in His name," he said.

Teachers should see students as those who are sent to them by God, he said.

Vietnam has 1,251,718 teachers training 23.5 million students from nurseries to universities in the 2018-19 academic year.

Source: UCAN