Macau’s well-known Saint Paul School held its annual charity bazaar on Saturday on Rampa dos Cavaleiros in the Areia Preta district.
Speaking during the one-day event’s opening ceremony, the school’s principal, Fr. Athanasius Chen Xin Wang, said: “Charity is an ongoing process of moral cultivation”.
Fr. Chen pointed out that the bazaar, themed “Let kindness be your light, and love your fire”, aimed to encourage students to engage in charitable sales and acts of care, putting into practice the truth that “it is more blessed to give than to receive”.
He emphasised that education is not only about imparting knowledge, but also about fostering students’ responsibility and commitment. He wished the event every success.
The Post interviewed event participants and bazaar organisers on Saturday.
Fr. Lawrence The Reh, the school’s director of pastoral care, told the Post that the atmosphere at the bazaar was joyful. Teachers, students, and parents all pulled together, demonstrating the true value of community collaboration.
He noted that the essence of charity is love, and that by giving and sacrificing their time, students learn to care for the world and for people in need.
He also noted that the entire event was led and organised by the student association, with teachers assisting from the sidelines, reflecting a spirit of whole-school participation.
Fr. Lawrence underlined that while the students give, they also receive in return, and these acts of kindness will resonate throughout their lives. He expressed his hope that the students would grow up healthy and happy, always accompanied by love and goodness.
A student who heads the student association, surnamed Lam, told the Post that he was responsible for coordinating about 100 staff members for Saturday’s event, expected to attract around 3,000 participants. He felt that organising the bazaar had taught him practical skills not found in textbooks, such as budget planning, resource management, crowd control, and duty scheduling, truly embodying the spirit of service.
Two Primary 5 students, surnamed Kwok and Tai, both said they found the booth games interesting and the lucky draw prizes generous. They were happy that the proceeds would go towards helping disadvantaged groups, adding that they hoped to continue volunteering in the future.
A parent, surnamed Ieong, said the process of queuing and taking turns politely during the event helped instil values and develop interpersonal skills in his seven-year-old son.
Another parent, surnamed Lai, said during the event she believed the bazaar spreads positive energy and has a beneficial educational impact on children. Her child was due to serve as a stall volunteer in the afternoon.
Lam I Teng, the teacher in charge of the religious booth, noted that the stall featured four games designed to help participants learn about Catholic teachings. She added that a successful charity bazaar not only brings joy but also teaches students to care for those in need, thereby serving an evangelising purpose.
Leung Kwok Wai, a teacher running another booth, said that his stall’s main message was that although people are not perfect, they should strive continuously to improve themselves. Despite challenges caused by rainy weather during preparations, both teachers and students remained undaunted.
Karen Lai, the school’s director of student affairs, said this year’s bazaar featured a new booth run by the Catholic school’s moral education department. The theme was “Nourish the heart with virtue, walk forward with kindness”, putting into practice the school motto, “Alere Flammam” (a Latin phrase that translates literally as “to feed the flame”; it is traditionally used metaphorically to mean “feeding the flame of knowledge”).
In terms of fundraising, a clothes donation drive was held at the school last week. Lai thanked the parents for their dedicated support and expressed hope that the total raised would exceed last year’s record of over 345,000 patacas.
Saint Paul School Principal Fr Athanasius Chen Xin Wang speaks to school reporters during Saturday’s charity bazaar at Saint Paul School Macau on Rampa dos Cavaleiros in Areia Preta district. – Photos: Armindo Neves
The school’s Director of Pastoral Care Fr. Lawrence The Reh (sixth from left) and other representatives pose during Saturday’s charity bazaar. – Photo courtesy of Saint Paul School
