The Catholic Standard and Times

DeSales sponsors Catholic high school essay contest

The second National Catholic Essay Contest sponsored by DeSales University asks high school students to examine the role of art in culture.

The contest is open to high school seniors throughout the country. Its goal is to recognize excellence in distinctly Catholic writing by young people.
In this year’s contest, students are asked to interpret the place of art in their culture, using a quote by Pope John Paul II from his Letter to Artists on Easter Sunday, 1999.

The quote from the late John Paul II is: “You well know that there are many impulses which, either from within or from without, can inspire your talent. Every genuine inspiration, however, contains some tremor of that ‘breath’ with which the Creator Spirit suffused the work of creation from the very beginning. Overseeing the mysterious laws governing the universe, the divine breath of the Creator Spirit reaches out to human genius and stirs its creative power. He touches it with a kind of inner illumination, which brings together the sense of the good and the beautiful, and he awakens energies of the mind and heart which enable it to conceive an idea and give it form in a work of art.”

The completed essays should reflect the individual voice of each writer. Students should show how Catholic thought about the purpose of art interacts with and influences contemporary culture. Entries must be received on or before Monday, Jan. 9, 2006.

Awards include the first prize of a $2,500 scholarship to DeSales. Second and third place essays will be awarded $1,500 and $1,000 scholarships, respectively. The scholarships are not transferable and may be used only for tuition at the university. To access information about the essay contest, including an entry form and flyer, go to the university’s Department of Philosophy and Theology Web page: www.desales.edu/default.aspx?pageid=290.

Maryknoll, Christophers offer essay, poster contests for students

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Maryknoll and The Christophers each are sponsoring contests designed to harness the creativity of students. Maryknoll’s student essay contest, open to students in grades six to 12, asks entrants to tell Pope Benedict XVI about the biggest concerns of youths around the world and how the Church might help, or tell him what they have learned from someone of another faith. The Christophers’ 16th annual poster contest asks students in grades nine to 12 to interpret the theme, “You Can Make a Difference,” in an original poster, which can feature paintings, photographs, pencil sketches and computer-generated artwork. The deadline for the Maryknoll contest is
Dec. 1. Entries in The Christophers’ contest must be submitted by Jan. 20. Instructions and a cover sheet for the Maryknoll contest are available online at: www.maryknoll.org/essay. Complete rules and entry forms for The Christophers' contest are available online at: www.christophers.org/contests.html.