The Address of Anba Shenouda on the 71st Anniversary of the Opening of the Clerical College and the Honoring of Archdeacon Habib Girgis
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III speaks about the Clerical College and its important role in forming, educating, and raising servants of the Church. He states that the Clerical College had a great influence on his own formation and education, and therefore he speaks about it with love and appreciation. He emphasizes the importance of caring for the Clerical College because it is different from other schools, as its existence is connected with preparing people for service and teaching in the Church.
His Holiness presents the history of the Clerical College and the circumstances, movements, and difficulties it experienced, explaining that it began in a simple way and then moved from one place to another until it settled in its present location. The College went through periods in which it did not have sufficient resources or a fixed budget, yet it continued to fulfill its mission.
His Holiness particularly highlights the role of Habib Girgis, who made great efforts to establish and serve the Clerical College. He traveled throughout the country seeking assistance and donations until he was able to build the College, and he also established other Church projects beside it.
His Holiness also speaks about several teachers who served at the College and mentions their contribution to his education and to the education of generations of servants, including Father Ibrahim Attia, Father Mikhail Mekka, and the scholar Father Pachomius Benharai.
Spiritual Message
His Holiness explains that every work of God may pass through the difficult road and the narrow gate, and that the Clerical College itself carried its cross and endured hardships, exhaustion, neglect, and contempt in order to fulfill its mission.
He emphasizes that a servant should not complain about hardship, because serving God requires labor, endurance, and sacrifice. When a person accepts hardship with joy and asks for God’s help, God will be with him, carry the hardship on his behalf, and give him the crown.
The message clearly calls for steadfastness in service and for not retreating because of difficulties, because works built for the glory of God require faithfulness, patience, and perseverance.
Educational Lesson
The lesson presented by the lecture is that preparing servants requires serious education, careful selection, and practical training. This is evident from the beginning of the Clerical College, when a large number of students applied and only a small number were chosen after careful personal examination, with some continuing their studies and service until they became influential servants in the Church.
The history of the College also shows that the success of Church work does not depend on having abundant resources, but on people who faithfully give themselves to service. Despite limited resources, Habib Girgis was able to work, build, prepare teachers, and serve the Church.
The lecture also emphasizes the importance of practical training. Clerical students go out to serve in villages and poor neighborhoods surrounding Cairo, Giza, and Qalyubia, teaching children and serving different meetings of the people.
Practical Application
The practical application is that a person should work positively for the Church and should not allow difficulties to prevent him from fulfilling his mission. The Clerical College continued its service despite moving between different places and despite limited resources, providing an example of steadfastness in work.
The servant should also endure exhaustion and hardship and ask God to be with him in his work of evangelism and teaching.
The fruit of this work appears in the practical service carried out by the students in more than fifty villages, where they serve children, youth, men, and women and hold various meetings and Sunday Schools.
Thus, the lecture calls for caring for and encouraging the Clerical College and for preparing servants who are capable of teaching and serving, while relying on God and enduring hardship in order to fulfill the mission.
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