India observes Teachers’ Day on Sept. 5, commemorating the birth anniversary of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, philosopher, teacher and former president of India. While the day recognizes the contribution of educators, Catholic teachers see their work as extending beyond academic instruction to the formation of character, relationships and responsible citizens.
A Calling to Form Hearts
For Jessica M. Pereira, headmistress of St. Joseph’s High School, her journey in education began as a catechist for post-Confirmation children at Navelim parish in South Goa, a coastal region of western India with a long Catholic tradition.
“My noble journey in the field of education began with a divine calling,” she recalls. What began as “a small seed of faith” has grown into 20 years of teaching and service.
For Pereira, every student deserves to be valued regardless of “religion and caste and class.” She sees education as a process of developing the whole person, not simply preparing students for examinations.
“Technology can give information, but only love and Christian values can mould a child holistically—in mind, heart and soul,” she says.
A Mission Written on the Heart
For Lusiano Rodrigues, a teacher at Our Lady of Carmel High School in Curtorim, South Goa, teaching is a responsibility to help young people discover their abilities and develop into mature adults.
“I truly feel blessed that God has chosen me as an instrument to shape young minds, guide young hearts and inspire souls,” he says.
For Rodrigues, the classroom extends beyond the curriculum. Respect, patience and empathy are essential in helping students navigate academic, emotional and social challenges.
He believes schools should cultivate truthfulness, compassion, integrity and a willingness to contribute to the lives of others. Academic achievement, he says, should be accompanied by the development of sound judgment and character.
Unwrapping the Gift in Every Student
Melba Dias, a teacher at St. Sebastian’s High School in Loliem, southern Goa, identifies social media, technology, peer influence and changing values as major challenges facing young people.
Students today are often confident, competitive and technologically adept, she says, but some struggle with attentive listening, respect and accepting correction. “The most basic thing, praying, has become a mere ritual,” she says.
Dias believes teachers must first lead by example. She emphasizes treating students honestly and fairly, maintaining communication with parents, recognizing good behavior publicly and correcting mistakes privately.
Her approach to students is captured in an image: “Some are wrapped in shining paper, some with ordinary newspaper. What matters is the gift inside.”
A Loving Witness on the Journey of Faith
For Sr. Sabina Fernandes MSP, a member of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Pilar and a teacher at Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Valpoi, North Goa, teaching and religious life are “two expressions of the same calling to serve God and His people.”
Much of her work centers on accompanying young people through the pressures of adolescence, offering encouragement, discipline and understanding while helping them grow personally and academically.
She believes educators must demonstrate through their own conduct the values they expect from students. For a teacher in a Catholic school, she says, being “a loving and positive witness to Christ” remains important.
Her greater concern is helping students recognize their dignity and abilities and develop into responsible and caring people.
Living the Lesson Beyond the Classroom
For Mavel Fernandes, a teacher at St. Andrew’s Higher Secondary School in Vasco da Gama, western India, Catholic education does not mean imposing beliefs on students.
Teaching young people from different backgrounds, she considers their diversity “a blessing” and respects each student’s convictions.
“For me, being a Catholic teacher is not about making every student believe what I believe. It is about showing through my life what my faith has taught me,” she says.
Kindness, fairness, compassion, forgiveness, truth and justice guide her approach. Even when inviting students to pray, she tells them, “Take a moment to pray to your Creator in whatever way you believe,” emphasizing that prayer should unite rather than divide.
For Fernandes, mistakes should provide an opportunity to “learn and start again.” Every student, she says, deserves “understanding, guidance and another opportunity to grow.”
The Teacher Who Believed in Them
For Fr. Milton Rodrigues SFX, assistant professor at Fr. Agnel College in Pilar, North Goa, education is about “forming hearts and shaping lives” as much as academic instruction.
He believes teachers must combine knowledge with “compassion, patience and love,” while recognizing the individual abilities and circumstances of their students.
Young people need mentors who “listen, understand and walk with them,” he says. Families, schools and the Church can work together to help students identify their gifts, make thoughtful choices about their future and understand that success is measured by more than academic achievement.
On Teachers’ Day, Fr. Milton offers a simple reminder: “Students may forget a lesson, a formula or a date, but they rarely forget a teacher who believed in them.”
For these educators in Goa, teaching is ultimately about more than what happens at the blackboard. It is about knowing students, recognizing their potential, correcting them with dignity and giving them the confidence to grow into responsible adults who can contribute to their families, communities and society.
