Essay Contest Winner Will Meet The Pope

WASHINGTON DC (WUSA) - A senior biology major was chosen among 126 Catholic University students who entered a "meet the pontiff" contest.

The students had to write a 500 word essay about "How Catholic Education Has Changed My Life." Peter Osgood was named this morning as the winner. His essay focused on his 22 year journey from being an elementary student at a Catholic school to a high schooler in the public school system. He chose to go back to the Catholic style of learning.

"I felt like I wanted to have that faith integrated in my learning so that I could be a person who really stood for something," he said during an interview before he knew he had won. "If I don't get it that's great. I still had this opportunity and I'm still excited to see the pope when he comes."

However, the 22-year-old from Penn Yan, N.Y., did get it. His essay earns him the honor of being personally introduced to Pope Benedict XVI when the pontiff visits The Catholic University of America on Thursday, April 17.

More than 125 CUA students entered the contest. Osgood was one of 18 contest finalists selected by six faculty and staff members.

"All the essays were wonderful," said Very Rev. David O'Connell, C.M., CU's president. "It was amazing to me - how they were able to capture the difference that education did make in their lives. Reading these things - I was sitting there in tears at some points."

Though Osgood went to public schools for junior high and high school, he longed for faith to again be a central part of his learning as a college student, and enrolled as an undergraduate at Catholic University. He wrote about this:

"What I found," he wrote, "was an undeniable passion for learning and a faith community that embodied a true spirit of ministry ? one that was willing to meet people at whatever stage they were at and walk with them on their individual journeys."

An excellent Catholic education, he says, "cannot remain a 'best kept secret,' but will inevitably be shown in the words and deeds of each of its students."

Father O'Connell will personally introduce Osgood to Pope Benedict XVI when the pontiff visits campus to give an address on Catholic education to more than 400 university presidents and diocesan education leaders from around the country.

The essay contest runner-up is Christopher Seibt of Syracuse, N.Y., who earned a CUA bachelor's degree in philosophy in 2007, is working toward a master's degree in philosophy and is studying to become a priest in the university's seminary, Theological College.

In his essay, he writes about how a Catholic elementary school education led to his (and his mother's and sister's) conversion to Catholicism, how the priests and nuns who taught at his secondary school became his role models, how his education helped him develop a passion for service and reasoning, and how, as a junior at Catholic University, he joyfully entered CUA's seminary in order to study to become a priest.

Both the contest winner and runner-up will attend Pope Benedict XVI's CUA address on Catholic education. Both students will also attend the private post-address reception for those invited to the pope's address.

The following three students won honorable mention for their essays, and will receive tickets to sit in a special VIP suite at the Mass that the pope will celebrate the morning of April 17 at Washington, D.C.'s Nationals Park:

Craig Mariconti, a junior psychology major from Warwick, N.Y.