Bro Spitzig’s educational commitments rewarded
Published on July 15 , 2009
MELAKA: From his first assignment at Singapore's St Joseph's Institution in the late 1930s till helping out marginalised and poor children in the rural and interior regions of Sabah following retirement in 1983, 91-year-old Datuk Bro Lawrence Spitzig’s passion for education seems endless.
Recently, the wheelchair bound Canadian missionary religious undeterred by age was awarded the Jasa Mu Dikenang in conjuntion with National Teachers’s Day for contributions, efforts and dedication in the field of better education for the young.
The Catholic Teachers’ Association (CTAM) of which Bro. Spitzig was spiritual director for the last forty-nine years, honoured the LaSallian Brother with a tribute amidst a Thanksgiving Eucharistic Celebration at Petaling Jaya’s Assumption Church.
In tribute, principal celebrant Fr Simon Labrooy singled out Bro Spitzig as a perfect model and fine example for young people, teachers and other related educators to emulate,in the field of education and related disciplines.
Following the service, Bro Spitzig was presented with a gift of appreciation by CTAM president, Professor Maya Khemlani David.
Besides his datukship conferred by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong, he was also awarded the ‘Order of Canada’ by his country’s Governor- General in 2004 for his six decades of educational services for the young in south east Asia.
Always wanting to be a missionary and teach in a foreign country, Bro. Spitzig left his hometown of Toronto in Canada in 1937 to work as a volunteer in southeast Asia. A religious novice brother, he was then only eighteen years old.
His first assignment was at St Joseph’s Institution in 1938 before he was transferred to St John’s Institution in Kuala Lumpur in 1941. He had two teaching tenures at St John's (1954-1960 and 1978- 1983) and also at Penang’s St Xavier’s Institution (1960-1967) and La Salle Petaling Jaya (1967-1974).
Now enjoying permanent retirement, Bro Spitzig finally concedes that he obtained and secured an immense sense of satisfaction in doing what he always wanted to undertake - teaching and educating the young. — By Percy D Cruz The Herald 19th July 2009