St Mary’s 2020 Theology Essay Competition Prize Winners Announced

The winners of the popular annual Institute of Theology and Liberal Arts Essay Competition at St Mary’s University Twickenham were announced at a recent virtual awards celebration.

The ceremony was hosted by St Mary’s Vice-Chancellor, Anthony McClaran and was attended by the students who entered the context and their families and teachers.

The attendees were treated to a recorded message from St Mary’s Chancellor, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, where he congratulated the winners and everyone who took part. He went on to note the controversial nature of the subject, 'Euthanasia is wrong, discuss’, stating that it is a topic that we need to go beyond an emotional response and look at the deeper issue of the very nature of the human person, how we understand ourselves and whether life is a possession or a gift.

Cardinal Vincent acknowledged the challenging nature of the essay and suggested that the topic of euthanasia is one that really speaks about human suffering and this can lead to a spiritual response.

Imogen from The London Oratory School in Chelsea, London won the competition and the £250 prize. The five honourable mentions (£20 book voucher) went to Jack from St Bonaventure’s in Forrest Gate, London; Yelena from Salesian School in Chertsey, Surrey; Anna from St Mary’s Catholic High School in Derby, Derbyshire; Hattie from Prior Park College in Bath, Somerset; Michael from The London Oratory School in Chelsea, London.

The academics within the Institute of Theology & Liberal Arts at St Mary’s, were very impressed with the standard of all of the entries and look forward to next year's entries. The essay competition is open to Year 12 students and details of the 2021 essay will be sent out to schools early in the new year.