30 Jun 2021
The rope skipping fund-raising event among Diocesan schools was climaxed with the Fun Day on 30 June, participated by Cardinal John Tong, Rev Benedict Lam, other clergy and invited guests at Yaumati Catholic Primary School (Hoi Wang Road). Highlight of the Fun Day was a rope skipping relay by student representatives of 99 secondary and primary schools as well as kindergartens; exercising while raising fund for the Church and manifesting the communion of the Church, love and the inheritance of Catholic values.
As words of encouragement to the students, Cardinal Tong said, “Although modern technology is fast advancing, there are things and values that never get outdated. In Catholic schools, we uphold the core values of truth, justice, love, life and family to develop students spiritually, ethically, intellectually, physically, socially and aesthetically under a whole-person approach.” This activity has indeed merged moral and physical education into one, giving the students an opportunity to go in for physical training, nurturing a kind and benevolent heart at the same time.
Cardinal Tong said he too loved skipping when he was small and jokingly added that his tall figure and reasonably good health even in his eighties were to a certain extent attributable to rope skipping that had laid a good foundation for his physical development.
Due to the pandemic, students have to attend classes from home. They have been deprived of opportunities to attend physical education classes, extracurricular activities and other inter-school competitions. This activity presented a long-waited opportunity for active exercise and has thus drummed up enthusiastic response from the students; rope skipping has now become very popular among them and their parents.
Following the fancy rope skipping performance by members of the Hong Kong Rope Skipping Team, the rope skipping relay of student representatives and the kicking off of individual schools’ rope skipping activities, participating guests were all motivated to join in rope jumping in high spirits.
Rev. Benedict Lam, the chairperson of the Diocesan Fund-raising Commission for Church Building and Development, thanked the Catholic Education Office for putting together the event, the Hong Kong Catholic Diocesan Schools Council for co-organizing it, and the Hong Kong Lions Club, the Hong Kong Rope Skipping Federation, China and various other organizations as well as the teachers, students and stakeholders of schools for their support and assistance in making the fund-raising activity a success. Small drops of water make an ocean. Rev Benedict hoped that the students, parents and other stakeholders would all play a part in the Diocese’s church building and development initiatives, enabling the Church to unite her faithful as one to share with the world the Lord’s peace and benevolence.
The Fun Day was originally scheduled on 28 June and was postponed to the 30th due to inclement weather. Rev. Benedict recorded his most sincere gratitude to the Schools Council, its Executive Committee, the management team of all the schools and in particular, the Principal, teaching and maintenance staff of YCPS (Hoi Wang Road) in accommodating the last-minute changes to make the day a happy one for all.