Faith & Reason Essay Contest

In his homily for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist at World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain, Benedict XVI offered a reflection upon the nature and importance of faith in Jesus Christ.  Speaking before a tremendous crowd of well over one million young people, the Holy Father affirmed the necessity of finding and following Jesus in His Church: “We cannot follow Jesus on our own.” In that setting, it was a beautiful affirmation of the joy of friendship in Christ that the pilgrims were experiencing.

When we meet Jesus, we find him already in the company of many of his friends—first his holy mother, the apostles, the disciples, and subsequently the great company of witnesses that has followed him throughout the ages.  We know from our own experience that God’s people present examples of both saintly and sinful behavior, and yet faith in Christ helps us to see beyond the merely human characteristics of Christians to the hidden reality of Christ’s continuing presence among us. Just as Christ sought out sinners and offered them repentance and healing when He walked among us, so does He today open the path of life to those who would follow him.  To walk that path requires faith, but God is always offering the gift of faith anew to every generation and to each of us every day.  And as the Holy Father himself affirmed, the world today is “filled with young people who are looking for something greater” and finding that “something greater” in the person of Jesus Christ.

Encouraged by Benedict XVI’s teaching and witness, Thomas More College is pleased to announce the 2012 Faith & Reason Scholarship Essay Contest.  Applicants are invited to reflect upon the Holy Father’s homily and to submit an essay in answer to the question:

            What does Christ offer to young people today who are looking for something greater?

Submission Information

Essay submissions must be mailed or emailed by January 27, 2012.  Essays that are emailed are due by 11:59 PM on Friday, January 27, 2012. Awards will be made by February 10, 2012. Essays should be two to three pages typed, double-spaced with 12-point Times New Roman font and 1-inch margins on all sides. Applications must include a coversheet listing the applicant’s name, address, telephone number, e-mail, high school graduation date, and age. Completed applications should be sent to Mark Schwerdt at 6 Manchester Street, Merrimack, New Hampshire 03054, or via e-mail at mschwerdt@ThomasMoreCollege.edu.

The Faith & Reason Essay Contest is open to all incoming freshmen at Thomas More College.

Awards

First place prize of $30,000 over four years.
Two second place prizes of $20,000 each.
Three third place prizes of $10,000 each.