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The student news site of St. Teresa's Academy

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Catholic faith deserves a chance

Catholic+faith+deserves+a+chance
by Emily Wemhoff

As teenagers, we often have a million questions about our faith. After all, we are in a phase of life where everything seems confusing. We are making new friendships, trying out new things, and eventually some of us even develop new beliefs.

 

Along the way, sometimes we tend to fall away from what we believe in for various reasons. However, this time of confusion is when we need faith most. St. Teresa’s Academy was named after a woman who also had a hard time at first jumping into her faith. St. Teresa of Avila was sent to a convent at a young age and at first she hated it, but eventually she began to enjoy it.

 

We do not all have to become saints, but we should all at least give Catholicism a chance like St. Teresa did for many reasons.

 

1.) The Catholic church gives us a moral and ethical standard to live by. We live in a society where our common values have been handed down to us from generations who considered religion to be the driving force to social change. We need a code of ethics to tell us what is right and wrong.

 

2.) The church gives us a sense of community and fellowship. When we attend school mass and see everyone singing “Lean on Me” and reciting prayers together, it makes the sisterhood bond even deeper. It is amazing to look around during a class mass and see your sisters gathered together for a purpose.

 

3.) The church offers us a chance to grow personally. Achieving personal fulfillment means abandoning ourselves and putting others first. In the Catholic tradition, ultimate satisfaction is promised to those who give up their desire for self-satisfaction. When part of the Catholic faith, we are forced to look outside of the self and see what we can can do for others.

 

4.) We have a new and exciting pope that is changing the face of the Catholic church. Pope Francis has raised eyebrows with his statements on homosexuality and when questioning the effects of capitalism. He has examined the church’s “obsession” with issues such as abortion, gay marriage and contraception, instead saying there should be a greater emphasis on helping the poor and marginalized. Some see his fresh perspective as setting a new standard for the papacy. It is easy for teenagers to relate to a man who preaches the Bible’s true message of love and compassion.

 

As Catholicism has evolved over the past few years, teenagers often have a hard decision to make. They must decide whether to stick with the faith in which they have been raised or go their own way and choose a different path. Though each religion is unique in its own way, the Catholic faith certainly has its own benefits.

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