Congratulations to the winners of the 2013 St. John Neumann Essay Contest

This year we asked Catholic school students in grades 6-12 to reflect on the topic, "What are some of the obstacles to pursuing a religious or priestly vocation that young men and women face today, and how can they be encouraged to answer God’s call?"

 

As a young man, St. John Neumann wanted to be a priest, but there were too many priests in his home country. But he did not let that stand in the way of his dream. He decided to become a missionary to America where the need for priests was great, and became the first Redemptorist to profess vows in the United States. He was a man committed to his faith and to his vocation!

 

Special thanks to the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) for their help in publicizing the contest and in encouraging participation across the country.

 

First-place winners in each category will be awarded a $300 scholarship, and two honorable mentions in each category will receive a $100 scholarship.

 

The winners in the Middle School Category are:

 

First Place
Matthew Steiert
(Visitation BVM, Norristown, PA)

 

Honorable Mention
Nathan Dell Isola
(Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Ephrata, PA)
Karleena Rybacki
(Assumption School, Atco, NJ)

 

The winners in the High School Category are:

 

First Place
Cassandra McHugh
(Pope John Paul II High School, Royersford, PA)

 

Honorable Mention
Shelby Martin
(St. Patrick Catholic High School, Biloxi, MS)
Sydney Sherman
(Archbishop Wood High School, Warminster, PA)