Serving the Catholic Church for over 50 years

SIXth AnnualChrist is AliveEssay Contest

Your parish and/or school is invited to participate in Christ Is Alive! National Essay Contest. The contest is open to children in grades 3 through 8 who are enrolled in a Catholic school or in a parish religious education program. We will select two winners in each grade from across the United States.

“Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive!
He is in you, he is with you and he never abandons you.”

– Pope Francis, Christus Vivit

  

Contest Info Packet

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CONTENTS
• Contest Announcement
• Contest Rules
• Student Info Sheet
• Essay Cover Sheet
• Bulletin Board Flyers

Important Rules

• Each school may submit one entry per grade, and each parish program may submit one entry per grade.
• Essays are limited to one side of one 8.5 x 11 piece of paper.
• Staple completed Essay Cover Sheet (included in the Info Packet) to each entry submitted.
• Entries must be sent by mail and postmarked by April 1st.
• In May we will contact the winners and then post the names of the parishes and schools that submitted winning entries. (We won't post the name of any child.)

For complete list of rules, see Contest Rules on page 2 of the Info Packet.

 

Contest Awards

$100 + ANY BIBLE
Each student winner will receive $100 and any Bible from comcenter.com
$100 CLASS CELEBRATION
Each winner's class will receive $100 for a class celebration.
 $100
The religion teacher of each student winner will receive $100
$200
The parish or school of each student winner will receive $200

Essay Topic

Describe a moment when you felt close to God in the past year.

For example, it could have been when you were praying, on a retreat or at Mass. Or it could have been in an answer to one of your prayers, on in the mercy or kindness of someone you know.

God is at work in the world all the time. He is close to his people in their daily lives, in all their joys and sorrows. He comforts us, heals us and help us. That's the good news: God is with us! For this essay, think of a time when you felt God was with you and write about it.

 

Family Participation

This contest provides a wonderful opportunity for families to talk about times when they have experienced God in their lives.

  

2023-2024 Winning Entries

Read winning entries: Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8.

Grade 3

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church
Greenwood, SC

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School
Bend, OR

Grade 4

Our Lady of Victory School
Mt. Vernon, NY

St Polycarp Catholic Church
Stanton, CA

Grade 5

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish
New London, OH

Sacred Hearts School
Lahaina, HI

Grade 6

Trinity Catholic School
Massena, NY

St. Clare of Assisi Church
(Homeschool student)
Ellisville, MO

Grade 7

St. Joseph School
Oradell, NJ

St. Joseph Parish
Bristol, CT

Grade 8

Villa Victoria Academy
Ewing, NJ

St. Simon the Apostle School
St. Louis, MO

 

2022-2023 Winning Entries

Read winning entries: Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8.

Grade 3

Holy Family Catholic School
Orlando, FL

Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish
Northglenn, CO

Grade 4

Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish
Woodinville, WA

Saint John’s – Clear Lake
Glenwood City, WI

Grade 5

Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church
Naples, FL

St Rocco School
Johnston, RI

Grade 6

Holy Family Catholic Community
Copperas Cove, TX

St. Louis de Montfort Catholic School
Fishers, IN

Grade 7

Saint Gregory the Great Catholic School
Virginia Beach, VA

Immaculate Conception School
North Little Rock, AR

Grade 8

Santa Cruz Catholic School
Buda, TX

Saint Gregory the Great Catholic School
Virginia Beach, VA

 

2021-2022 WINNERS

Grade 3

Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish School
Plymouth, MI

Saint Agnes Academy
Dalton, MA

 

Grade 4

Assumption Catholic School
Denver, CO

St. Mary School
Cranston, RI

 

Grade 5

Christ the Teacher Academy
Fort Lee, NJ

St. Mary School/Precious Blood Parish
Milford, CT

Grade 6

St. Philip School
Greenville, RI

St. Bernard Academy
Nashville, TN

 

Grade 7

St. Bernard Academy
Nashville, TN

Cathedral of St. Raymond School
Joliet, IL

 

Grade 8

John Paul the Great Academy
Lafayette, LA

St. Anastasia Catholic School
Fort Pierce, FL

2020-2021 WINNERS

Grade 3

Sts. Peter and Paul Church
North Branch, MI

The Church of Saint Dominic
Southington, CT

 

Grade 4

St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School
Orlando, FL

St. John the Evangelist Catholic School
Uniontown, PA

 

Grade 5

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School
Washington, MO

Sts. Philip and James School
Saint James, NY

Grade 6

St Gerard School
Lima, OH

Saint James School
Waynesburg, OH

 

Grade 7

Sacred Heart Parish
Stamford, NY

St. John the Baptist School
New Haven, IN

 

Grade 8

St. Anastasia Catholic School
Fort Pierce, FL

St. Rose of Lima School
Haddon Heights, NJ

 

2019-2020 Winners

Grade 3

Queen of Peace Catholic School
Salem, OR

St. Gregory School
North East, PA

 

Grade 4

St. Giles Catholic School
Oak Park, IL

Cathedral School of St. Mary
Austin, TX

 

Grade 5

Cheverus Catholic School
Malden, MA

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Elementary
Rapid City, SD

Grade 6

Prince of Peace Catholic School
Taylors, SC

St. Joseph Catholic Church
Bertha, MN

 

Grade 7

St. Catherine of Siena School
Trumbull, CT

St. Stephen Protomartyr School
St. Louis, MO

 

Grade 8

Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Savannah, GA

St. Hilary of Poitiers School
Rydal, PA

Due to the personal nature of the essays, we will not post the names or other personal information of the student winners.

 

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