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What do Pope John Paul II, Catholic social justice and Satanism have in common?
They are all topics of education classes this semester at St. Isidore’s.
Emily Bergkamp, campus minister, is teaching a class on the writings of Pope John Paul II, while Father Keith Weber, chaplain, is holding a class on Satanism and campus minister Brian Ziegler is offering a class on Catholic teachings on social justice. The variety of class topics has helped students find something that interests them to help them grow in their faith.
“The Catholic faith is so broad that it has teachings on every subject we can think of,” Father Keith said. “No one on earth knows everything the Catholic Church teaches, so that is why we should all attend continuing education about the Catholic faith. The more we learn, the better we are able to follow Christ in the right way.”
While there are many ways that students can grow in their faith, Bergkamp pointed out that education classes have some special benefits.
“Education classes at St. Isidore’s are one great place to deepen our knowledge of the faith because you can learn with your peers, ask questions, and discuss the topic. Students often ask for good books to read and that is a wonderful way to learn a lot in a short amount of time, but an education class is more dynamic and community based,” Bergkamp said.
Writings of Pope John Paul II
Bergkamp’s class on the writings of Pope John Paul II has helped students understand one of the most influential popes of modern time. Jason Colette, a 5th-year senior in geography from Olathe, Kan., has participated in the class and is grateful that he found it.
“I had stumbled into an encyclical of Pope John Paul II about a year ago and I had a hard time digesting it,” Colette said. “Pope John Paul II has a unique style of writing that can turn you off if you don’t understand his point.”
Colette was surprised at the many different types of writing John Paul used – the late Pope wrote screenplays, poetry and books to name a few. Though the writing was deep and the style varied, Colette explained that Bergkamp helped him learn to understand it.
“I learned a vital piece of information about the Pope’s writing style. As Emily explained it, his thought process spirals away from and back to his main point throughout his writings,” Colette said.
One of the writings Bergkamp covered more in-depth was John Paul’s encyclical “Laborem Exercens,” which means “On Human Work.” Colette said the most interesting thing he learned was from this letter.
“We learned that, ‘Man is made to be in the visible universe an image and likeness of God Himself, and he is placed in it in order to subdue the earth,’” Colette said.
Satanism and the Catholic Church
More than 40 people have attended Father Keith’s three-week class on Satanism. With so many misconceptions and myths surrounding Satan, Father Keith hopes that participants will come away with a better understanding of not only Satan, but the power of God in their lives.
“There is so much confusion about Satan. Some people think he doesn’t really exist and others think he is hiding behind every rock and tree. It is good for students to know that he is real, but with God’s help, we don’t need to live in mortal fear,” Father Keith said.
The class covered topics such as the history of Catholic teaching on Satan, demonic possession, and the Church of Satan. Father Keith explained that while Satan is real and active in our world, God always wins in the end.
Permanent community member Alex Evert came to this class to increase his knowledge of the faith. He said he learned interesting facts about demonic possession, but the most important thing he learned was more than just a tidbit of information.
“I have come away with an awareness of the fact that God is there for us no matter what we encounter and that He can get us through it,” Evert said.
Torie Reilly, a senior in agricultural education from Cherryvale, Kan., also found the topic compelling.
“I was really intrigued by the power that Satan can have over people,” Reilly said. “I didn’t know anything about the history of the devil and how our beliefs about him have changed through time.”
Reilly also realized that while Satan can have power over people, we also have the power to open ourselves to God.
“If we open our hearts more fully to Jesus, He will be there with us and protect us,” Reilly said.
Catholic Social Justice
Campus minister Brian Ziegler who just joined the staff of St. Isidore’s in July feels passionately about the principles that make social justice so important.
“Social justice is important because it is an essential part of the message of the Gospel,” Zielger said. “My favorite thing about this class is helping people more fully grasp an understanding of themselves and why it is important to go out and serve.”
Ziegler’s class covered the foundations of Catholic social justice and the seven principles that fuel Catholic social teaching.
Allison Coy, a freshman in secondary education from Junction City, Kan., said she decided to attend the class because she is going on the Spring Break Mission Trip next March and wanted to learn more about how social justice plays a role in our faith.
“I think it was really interesting the way that the foundation of social justice starts out with the love of God and then links to us and how we live our faith,” Coy said. “Realizing how God’s love for us translates into God’s love for others has been really meaningful to me.”
While the Church’s teachings on social justice can seem complicated, Ziegler said he felt everything really comes down to how we view our innate worth as children of God.
“The most important principle is our human dignity. Without a proper understanding of our human dignity, we may overlook people in our society who need help the most,” Ziegler said.
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