CTAM celebrates 55 years in Malaysia

Oct 23, 2015

 By Angeline Lazaroo
The Catholic Teachers’ Association of Malaysia (CTAM) celebrated its 55th Anniversary with a dinner on 10th October 2015 at the Kelab Golf Negara Subang (KGNS). During the dinner, CTAM recognised the immense contributions of the various Religious Congregations to academic excellence and character building of young people with the Bro. Lawrence Spitzig FSC Award. This award was inaugurated after the death of Bro. Lawrence who was a co-founder and spiritual advisor of CTAM.

At the celebration, the seven award recipients were the Good Shepherd Sisters (RGS), Brothers of St. Gabriel (SG), Marist Brothers (FMS), Canossian Daughters of Charity (FDCC), Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM), Brothers of the Christian Schools (FSC) and Sisters of the Infant Jesus (IJS).

Themed Celebrating 55 Years of Passion and Glory in Education, it emphasised the growth and development of the CTAM and its role in cultivating friendship and co-operation amongst Catholic teachers. Fr. Alvin Ho SJ, Ecclesiastical Assistant for Catholic Teachers, urged all educators to unite in comradeship to participate and promote holistic education for our young generations.

In his message, His Grace Archbishop Julian Leow, D.D., reiterated that “Teaching is more than a profession: it is a vocation to form students.” He considers teaching as a ministry — “a way of Christian sanctification for teacher and student.”

The celebration for the night was attended by more than 400 people which included past recipients of the Bro. Lawrence Spitzig FSC Award, namely, Dato Paduka Sr. Enda Ryan FMM, Mr. Geraldo Gomes, Dato A.R. Peter and delegates from the Roman Catholic-Methodist Joint Commission. The guest-of-honour was His Grace, Most Reverend Julian Leow, Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur. It was a night of fellowship and new friendships forged to remember.