Speaking Out

This summer, God asked me to trust and I am pleased to announce that this trust has not been spurned.

I have, in a reckless fury of hopeful confidence, spent the last four months, with no funding or experience, putting together a full-length, acoustic, folk-style album of my original music. And I am amazed I can say it is now, in co-operation with an excellent producer and manager, in the final phases and near completion.

Throughout every stage of our lives we feel the need to be accepted by our peers. We first realize this during our school years. And by the time we reach high school, we often find this need supersedes all else.

As a Catholic youth, I am no different. That said, the question comes to mind: can I be Catholic and still be cool?

Allow me to take you back to the early Roman Empire in the first few hundred years after the death of Christ. Although fully aware of the persecution that would result if they are caught practising their religion, the early Christians still made the effort to gather on Sundays.

Growing old is inevitable — so it’s important to view aging with the right perspective and not undervalue its importance. Aging should be seen as a privilege, a new chapter in life, that must be accepted with open hearts.

Sadly, and too frequently in our modern world, it is not always seen that way. Ageism is rampant. Ageism is a form of discrimination that does not show moral Christian conduct but denies the freedom and responsibility of older adults. Ageism is all around us, and I am sure each of us can identify an incident in which ageism has occurred.

I recently took my Grade 9 piano exam at the Royal Conservatory of Music. And while I love playing piano, an exam is a very nerve-wracking experience.

The weeks leading up to the exam seemed interminably long and at the same time frighteningly short. It all reached its pinnacle on the day before my exam.

I was extremely stressed because I wanted my practising to be perfect. But it wasn’t perfect and I was nervous because I didn’t want the exam to come so soon.

We’ve all seen them in television and movies — from the small green life form that just wanted to go home to the terrorizing giants that arrived on Earth in UFOs. Extraterrestrials have always been a controversial topic within the realm of religion and politics.

While some will argue their undeniable existence, others will hold the position that life can only exist on Earth. But for the sake of this column, let us assume that their existence could be possible. If that is the case, how should we as Catholics react to this new species?

The youth are the future of our world — and the Church. That’s why it is my pleasure to introduce myself as the new Youth Editor of Youth Speak News.

YSN is an important section of The Catholic Register: It is a place where young writers can reflect on fundamental issues that matter to us as Catholics, all the while building the writing and communication skills that will be transferable to a wide variety of careers.

Self-denial may not be the most popular part of the faith for a lot of Catholics, but by offering up our sacrifices as prayers we can find new ways to carry our cross daily.

Though the topic of self-denial often escapes common dinner-table conversation, it is one of the most fundamental aspects of Catholic and Christian faith. The Ten Commandments and The Beatitudes are teachings that, in essence, simply tell us to deny ourselves. Whether it’s refraining from sin by not stealing or humbling ourselves to a meekness like Jesus, self-denial is taught throughout Catholic doctrine.

While I’m no soccer fan, I paid a great deal of attention to the recent 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The most noticeable thing was the cheating and the reactions these provoked.

I’ve noticed a person’s reaction to the cheating differs depending on who cheated. In the match between Germany and England, my brother, who was cheering for Germany, got angry whenever a German player was fouled, but was silent when a German player committed a foul. And in the game between Ghana and Uruguay when Luis Suarez used his hands to stop what would have been a game-winning goal for Ghana, my brother simply said, “It’s not cheating if the referee doesn’t catch you.”

It appears that Suarez and his fans think the same way. Many Uruguayans have defended Suarez’s actions and have said they were “proud” of his behaviour.

While I hate to admit it, there are many people who view cheating in life the same way as my brother and Suarez. As long as it benefits them or the team they like, they see nothing wrong with it. However, when they see someone cheating them, they cry foul.

This attitude extends to education too. A survey by the Canadian Council on Learning seems to confirm this. According to the council, approximately 60 per cent of high school students admitted to cheating on a test or an assignment. The rate was even higher among university students, with 73 per cent admitting they committed a major “act of academic dishonesty.”

Right now, these students may find this is no big deal, but I wonder how they would react if they learned their doctor cheated on his or her medical exams or if they missed out on a scholarship because another person obtained a higher mark through cheating.

This way of thinking is not only unethical but un-Christian. The Bible says to “do unto others as you would have others do unto you” and “rejoice not in wrongdoing but rejoice in the truth.” Rejoicing when cheating benefits you but throwing a fit when cheating disadvantages you or someone you care about violates these principles.  

Furthermore, holding double standards concerning cheating in sports sends the wrong message to sports fans, particularly impressionable youngsters. I am worried those who saw the match between Uruguay and Ghana will think that cheating is okay as long as it gets results or you get lauded for it. After all, if cheating turns you into a local hero as it did with Suarez it seems wrong not to cheat. Such a message degrades professional sports, turning it from a great pastime to a free-for-all where it doesn’t matter how you behave as long as you win or bring your team good fortune.

Such an attitude also goes against Christian values. The Bible says that hypocrites “blaspheme the name of God” among unbelievers and that anyone who “thinks he is religious… but deceives his heart” has a worthless religion. In the same way that players who cheat and apply double standards degrade sports, Christians who do so represent Christianity poorly, not living up to the Christian mandate of showing love and integrity. Approving of dishonesty no matter who’s engaging in it is unethical in sports, Christianity and life.

That’s a lesson today’s Catholic youth should take to heart, whether they’re sports fans or not.

(Mair, 19, is a second-year communications student at Carleton University).

This summer I have my first-ever paid job, where my boss hands me a rewarding paycheque after every two weeks of work. I am employed as a lifeguard at a summer camp. Each day I wake up for my morning routine and bike down to the pool in time to open it up for eager swimmers.

Lifeguarding is definitely one of the most physically demanding responsibilities I have had. In addition to guarding in the sweltering heat — always careful to keep my eye on the pool and its patrons — there is always work to be done after public swimming hours. My co-workers and I have to maintain a clean and healthy pool. This involves vacuuming, brushing, clearing deck garbage, testing chemical levels and ensuring the pumps are working smoothly.