Students put Catholic knowledge to the test

By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger

DeWITT — Twenty-one middle school students from four diocesan Catholic schools filled the gathering space of St. Joseph Parish on April 3 to battle it out in the second annual Religion Bee competition.

Sharon Roling, principal of the parish’s St. Joseph Catholic School, led the effort to bring the schools together for the event. The other participating schools were Lourdes Catholic School in Bettendorf, Burlington Notre Dame School in Burlington and Regina Catholic Education Center in Iowa City.

Nine alternates took seats behind judges Lola Blaser, Darrel Schnurr and Joe Shadle. The other 12 students’ names were drawn out of a bowl to determine their seating in the front of the room. Roling told students that after two misses, they would move to seats in the audience.

The competition began with a practice question, “How was Peter martyred?” The contestants wrote their answers in marker on white boards.  One by one, the students showed their responses: “crucified,” “crucified upside down” and “crucified on a cross upside down.” All students answered correctly.

Throughout the rounds, each student stood up one at a time to answer a question. The judges responded with the correct answer. Topics included practices at Mass, people in the Bible, Catholic U.S. presidents, the Blessed Virgin Mary and more. The three finalists answered the same questions by writing down their answers on the white board.

The first question for finalists Joseph Camarena of Lourdes, Sofia Contreras of Regina and Amelia Eapen of Regina: “What is the name of the feast in which Mary entered heaven both body and soul?” All three answered correctly, “the Assumption.”

The next question, which addressed the dignity of all, especially the poor and vulnerable, stumped the students. They thought the answer would be the beatitudes, corporal works of mercy and spiritual works of mercy. The correct answer was Catholic Social Teaching.

“What happens to the pope’s ring when he dies?” All three answered correctly. It is destroyed.

“What is the first prayer of the rosary after the sign of the cross?” Joseph and Amelia answered “Apostle’s Creed.” Sofia’s answer was incorrect.

“What sacrament is performed by a bishop?” “Confirmation,” Joseph and Amelia responded correctly. “What prayer connects all Christians?” Both answered correctly, Joseph saying, “The Our Father” and Amelia saying, “The Lord’s Prayer.” Neither student answered correctly a question about the first five popes after St. Peter. The final question: “What does Jesus’ name mean?” Joseph ran out of time to respond. Amelia wrote, “God is with us” and she was named the winner.

Amelia, Joseph and Sofia will compete at the state competition at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids in early May. Two alternates, Taylor Camarena of Lourdes (Joseph’s twin) and Trinity Tague of St. Joseph will join the three finalists.

“I thought some of the questions were hard. I got most right,” Amelia said after the Religion Bee. She and her teammates have practiced for some time at school in preparation for the event.  Joseph said the event was fun and he felt some of the questions were challenging. “I’m excited to go to state.”

Sofia also thought the competition was fun. She is excited to go to the state level and meet up with students from Catholic schools from throughout Iowa. “I’m not alone. I have a teammate (with Amelia), so that will help.”