Marian Catholic High School - Mariner Yearbook (Chicago Heights, IL)

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Religion 'A group of laughing teenagers bunched together at the rear of the church, black-jacketed greasers wandering momentarily into Mass, an emotional teenage non-conforrnist denying the existence of a God these are the patterns upon which adults form their impressions of adolescent religion. The adult church bemoans apparent apathy. Yet because of the diverse ways young people express their beliefs many adults do not realize how deeply teenagers are involved in their religion. Quite a few older people fail to see the sign of the cross before a foul shot, or the quick prayer before a test, signs of faith that creep into tense moments. Somehow many adults manage to ignore the high percentage of active participation in Catholic youth groups, in folk Masses, and in charity programs. They don't realize how many students pay their own tuition in order to go to a Catholic school. Not many of those from a generation in which prejudice is generally accepted as inevitable can understand the unbiased and ecumenical feeling that today's teens show so willingly. Brought up in an age of cut-and-dry catechism, many adults cannot comprehend the fears and doubts that young people have about God and religion in general. But as long as adolescents care enough to question and to search for the answers to their questions, the Church will grow stronger not weaker. As Martin Marty, the prominent jewish theologian, put it, The young people of today are true theologians in as much as they attempt to relate the ways of God to the problems of men. i 1- 'lllllii ,1'u.l1l -,im 1- - -f 4 - la , . L,--i.i..:i: 1fgii,,giiiii ..... ilu .V in' ., Z- I .,, 1. f ww ii ' 4wr3-1-lifgu-tif i ii in. .- ..... ' it ,H vi, ' M l iii:i,il'. l',,ll'af:4ux , ,limi- , H , ' hi' 5 ' E -.H Q ,, . . .-i' , iq., ., A. - ... W, . . will-i...,.3.Pilig,3-j'g.,,,,,'Iggl -gnygyl-ggi.. i--mg., 3, A-,g

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Greg Cary taker note: during 4 religion clan lecture. Who made me? God made me? Why did God make me? To show His goodness and kindness and on and on and on. Catholic students all over the world have had these questions pounded into their heads. Many times they haven't felt free to question the existence of God or to raise their doubts. While departing from this strict question-answer pat- tern, religion classes at Marian are usually formal sessions in which the Bihle is studied from the Challenge of Christ religion series. Some students dislike this type of class, as Bill Murphy remarked, When people reach the age of fifteen or sixteen, it's a little late to teach religion from a book. However, other students feel it's best to study the background of religion. They agree with Sandy Natale: Once you have a strong, supported belief in God, you're less likely to fall away from Yet the classes aren't completely formal. Films are shown to underclassmen on topics ranging from friendship and personality to the French film Evasion . In many classes, additional magazine articles such as The Happening are used. During frequent discussions, topics vary from Teen- Agers and Drugs to Changes in the Church Today. While minds churn doubts and questions, answers are formed. This is why, as Mary Quinn said, Most students feel they have come a long way from the grade school question of 'Who made me P' 1 I l john Bmzrzr and jim Flamini stage zz happening in o sophomore religion flair.