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A file photo shows a "Defend Religious Freedom" banner above the front door of St. John Catholic Church in Onawa, Iowa. (OSV News photo/Jerry L Mennenga)

U.S. bishops’ annual religious freedom essay contest opens for high schoolers


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OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, Schools, World News

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — High school juniors and seniors are invited to enter an annual religious liberty essay contest hosted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty, along with the USCCB Secretariat of Catholic Education and Our Sunday Visitor Institute.

The contest, titled “Witnesses to Freedom,” asks entrants to “share the story of a witness to freedom.”

“Participants should choose one person or group, such as an organization or community, who is important in the story of religious freedom,” according to the contest rules, posted on the USCCB’s website.

Essays are due March 29 and can be submitted via email: ReligiousLibertyEssay@usccb.org. Participants also must include with the entry a completed consent form; links to the consent form and contest rules can be found at usccb.org/religious-liberty-essay.

Winners will be announced in May. The first-place essay will be published by Our Sunday Visitor, the newspaper of OSV (the parent company of the OSV News wire service), and the author will be awarded a $2,000 scholarship.

Second place will receive a $1,000 scholarship and third place will receive a $500 scholarship.

“Who are the people that inspire us? Religious freedom is a fundamental right. But the truth of religious freedom has needed, and continues to need, witnesses,” said a USCCB announcement on the contest. “Philosophers and statesmen have articulated key principles and ideas. Advocates have stood up for the freedom of others. Saints have suffered persecution and even martyrdom.”

“These witnesses to freedom,” it said, “show us what it means to promote religious freedom and what it means to be truly free.”

Participants are asked to answer these questions in their essay: “Was there a key moment in the person’s life that bears witness to freedom. Or was it the life as a whole?” “Did the person articulate important concepts for religious freedom, and if so, what arguments did she or he make?” “Why is this person a witness to religious freedom?” “What lessons can we learn from this person’s witness?”

A link to the USCCB essay contest is here: https://www.usccb.org/religious-liberty-essay

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