Sophomore Religion Blog

1.  I found many traits about the Sisters of Notre Dame interesting.  To begin, I admire their courage and determination.  When a school was being opened in Ohio in 1844, some sisters moved as well.  They did this knowing they would most likely not return home.  Also, I admire their perseverance and hard-working attitudes.  The sisters tried their hardest to maintain their presence in most of the schools that were built throughout the years.  The Sisters of Notre Dame live out the Hallmarks and are amazing role models to have because of their kindness, courage, and perseverance.      2.  During the Alumnae Panel, the four women all mentioned the sisterhood that Notre Dame provides.  They still have some of the friendships they made while attending this school, which I find very impressive.  This stood out to me because most people I know don't keep very many friendships they had made when they were younger.  The com...

1.  I found the presentation about the Eastern Schism the most interesting.  Tensions through the differences between the Eastern and Western Churches arose, such as language, Nestorian heresy, and whether Constantinople should have been part of Rome.  The Churches then split and the East became known as Eastern Orthodox, and the West as Roman Catholic.  I found this to be the most interesting event because today, the two churches are extremely similar and only have a few differences.  The constant conflict was what led to the split, and the small details about the teachings of the Bible gave an opportunity for fighting to arise.  Even in the modern world, the churches hope to be in communion with each other once again.  2.  I found the presentation on Pope Benedict XVI the most interesting.  He showed that he was concerned for our faith through his frequent meditations and teachings.  On February 28, 2013, he resigned because he did ...

1.  I could possibly see myself sharing the same messages my Letter Writer shared.  I agree with the messages Saint Peter preached about being proud to be a Christian and never feeling insulted for suffering in the name of Christ.  Since Jesus died and suffered for us as a human, we must do our part and devote our lives to following Him and worshiping Him.  Also, it is crucial to know that if you suffer in the name of God, you are blessed.  I would spread these messages by posting about them on social media.  I would do this because it would be a quick and effective way to preach to others. 2.  I learned many new things about the Virgin Mary through the Marian apparition projects.  Specifically, in the story of Our Lady of Fatima, I learned that she appeared to three children and gave them visions over the period of a several months.  She shared with them three predictions that she had, known as the "Secrets of Fatima."  These vision...

1.  The 12 apostles went through much suffering for believing in and preaching about Jesus.  They suffered through threats and actions prohibiting them from spreading their news with others.  For example, Peter and a few other unnamed apostles were arrested from preaching at the temple.  In fact, the high priest was so jealous of the attention that the apostles were receiving, that he tried to have them killed.  Thankfully, he was convinced not to do so and later set them free.  Although the apostles were most likely afraid for their lives during these situations, they never lost hope.  They reacted by continuing to pray to God and were granted His strength and protection. 2.  The story I found most inspiring was Acts 14:8-20,  In Lystra and Derbe .  Paul and Barnabas had healed a crippled man because of this miracle, people began praising them as gods.  Paul was given the name Hermes, and Barnabas was called Zeus.  The two a...

1. The original disciples were all called by Jesus to follow Him.  Although they were ordinary men with ordinary jobs, they left everything behind and decided to devote their lives to God.  While some of the disciples followed Jesus immediately, such as Peter and James the Greater, others needed more information to be certain in their decision.  For example, Bartholomew finally decided to follow Jesus after Jesus told him of a vision that he had of Bartholomew that was true.  The original disciples also were killed for their beliefs and preaching about Jesus.  All of them were martyred, except John who died of old age.  In addition, some of the 12 disciples were greedy and unkind before they decided to follow Christ.  After being with Him and learning from Him, they all began to care for others and enlighten them with the word of God. 2.  I found Thomas the most interesting disciple.  He was born into a Jewish family and was most likely a f...

1.  Through this project,  I learned many new things about the Beatitudes.  For example, I learned that they can be interpreted in different ways.  Since the Beatitudes were created for people 2,000 years ago, they have a different meaning now than they did then.  This allows for open interpretation to the meaning behind each beatitude.  I also learned that they are a guideline for how to live in order to be blessed.  Those who are humble, compassionate, and forgiving will receive mercy from God. 2.  A certain beatitude affects me more than the others.  This beatitude is, "Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted."  This gives me hope because no matter how much someone suffers, they will always have a better outcome.  No matter how much pain they endure, God will always be there to comfort them and love them.  This gives me comfort because I know that everything will work out, even when it doesn't seem like it....