2008 Annual Essay Contest
January 15, 2008
Dear Pastors, Principals, Directors of Religious Education and Home Schooling Families:
We are pleased to send you information for the 19th Annual Archdiocese of San Francisco Respect Life Essay Contest. This year’s theme: “As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant in her womb leaped for joy.” Our hope is that students will contemplate and grasp the humanity of the unborn, thus building a solid foundation for a life-long respect for the sanctity of every human life at every stage of development.
Enclosed are Essay Contest Guidelines explaining entry requirements. The enclosed Essay Contest Questions are broken down by grade levels 1&2, 3&4, 5&6, 7&8, 9&10 and 11&12. U.S Savings Bonds awarded as prizes range from $50 to $300, depending upon the grade level. Please forward this information, along with the enclosed Teacher Response Form, to all teachers in your school or parish religious education program so they can encourage their students to participate. Over the past few years we have been overwhelmed by the positive response to this contest by principals, teachers, parents and students. Each year we are pleased to see increased contest participation by our schools, parishes, home schoolers and religious education programs.
The Essay Contest can be included as a class activity during the early months of the new year. March 31, 2008 is the final date that entries will be accepted. Winners will be notified by April 30, 2008. Prizes will be awarded at a special Respect Life Liturgy and Reception, which will be held on Sunday, May 18, 2008 at the 11:00 am Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Archbishop George Niederauer will celebrate Mass and award prizes to our winning students and those receiving honorable mentions.
We trust that the Essay Contest will continue to be a valuable tool for teachers and students in promoting respect for human life before, as well as after birth. Thank you for your participation in this year's Essay Contest. If you have any questions, please contact our office at 415-614-5533 or evansv@sfarchdiocese.org.
Very truly yours,
Vicki Evans
Respect Life Coordinator
Cinema Vita Film Festival
Inspired by the recent success of the film "Bella", the Respect Life Program of the Archdiocese of San Francisco has inaugurated its first annual Cinema Vita Film Festival in cooperation with the Oakland Diocesan Respect Life Ministry, Marriage for Life and Ignatius Press.
The Festival will take place at the Delancey Street Theater, 600 Embarcadero, San Francisco, on Friday evening, March 7, 2008 from 6 to 10 PM. Sponsorships are currently being sought with one of the benefits being admission to a Pre-Screening Cocktail Reception at St. Mary's Cathedral on February 26.
Our premier presentation is the internationally acclaimed movie, "After the Truth", a German film that portrays the fictional trial of Dr. Josef Mengele, the 'angel of death' of Auschwitz. Shown at the Montreal and San Sebastian Film Festivals in 1999, this historic film poses ethical questions about experimentation on human life that are still relevant today---perhaps more relevant.
Cinema Vita means "Films for Life". Art, particularly the medium of film, shapes the popular imagination and influences culture. The Film Festival is dedicated to encouraging emerging filmmakers, showcasing movies about contemporary issues concerning life and exploring life's deep significance. To that end, we invite the submission of 3-to-5 minute original films to compete in three divisions: high school, college and an open category.
For submission guidelines and other information on sponsorships, timetable and prizes, please visit our website at www.cinemavita.org or call 415-387-2324.