Bishop Dunne Catholic School

Dallas, TX

 

April  2008

Volume 2, Issue 4

By: Jennifer Suter

By: Steffi Huerta & Jennifer Suter

     Pope Gregory the Great created a list of the seven cardinal sins during the sixth century. These mortal sins included lust, gluttony, wrath, envy, sloth, pride, and greed.

     Now it’s 2008, and Pope Benedict XVI has issued an update. According to CatholicNews.com, Bishop Gianfranco Girotti announced the “new” Deadly Sins in an interview found in the L’Osservatore Romano, the official Vatican newspaper, on March 8.

     For about 15 thousand years, Catholics have understood that they should not commit the original Seven Deadly Sins. So why change them now? The Vatican Council decided to put a modern twist on the fundamental vices because Pope Benedict XVI felt that our society

Check out the new Seven Deadly Sins… Are you guilty?

· Environmental pollution

· Genetic manipulation

· Accumulating excessive wealth

· Inflicting poverty

· Drug trafficking and consumption

· Morally debatable experiments

· Violation of fundamental rights of human nature

worldwide was morally corrosive.

     Mr. Tom Devine says the latest interpretation of the seven deadly sins “provides clarity and direction for contemporary Christians. They are relevant and give new focus and meaning to Christ’s saving grace.”

     Now that the Vatican Council has informed the world of what indiscretions vilify a person’s relationship with God, we can avoid them and come closer to Him.

April Showers Filled with Flowers. Photo courtesy of photobucket.com.

     The itinerary for the 10 days was full of action- packed experiences. On the first day students checked into the hotel and met the tour director. On the second day, the students traveled to Arenal via Poás Volcano, where they looked down over 1,000 feet into the world's largest active crater.

     The third day only became more interesting. The students traveled to Lake Arenal, where they went on an extreme kayaking tour. Later that day they swam in the waterfalls of La Fortuna.

   On the fourth day they traveled to Monteverde to make a school visit and ride horses across the mountains. Afterward they went on a canopy tour where their screams echoed throughout the green forested hills as they zip-lined, rappelled, and swung through the trees. On the fifth day, the 17 lucky students went to the Monteverde Cloud Forest for a guided visit. That night they visited a frog sanctuary.

     The group traveled to Jaco Beach on the sixth day, where the students tanned on the sandy beach and swam in the cool waves for the day. They visited Manuel Antonio National Park on the seventh day, where they saw plenty of wildlife, including howler monkeys and Christo lizards.

     On the eighth day the students traveled to San Jose Sarchi, an artistic city known for its beautifully colored

ox carts with intricately painted designs on the wheels.

     For the ninth day in the wonderful paradise, the students went on a wild adventure through the rapid Reventazón River for a rafting trip. Some students attended Easter Mass in San Jose’s cathedral. The tenth day was the “sad” day. Students had to pack up and say their goodbyes to Costa Rica.

     Now it’s time to look forward to next year’s plans for the school-organized Spring Break trip. Most importantly, Ms. Dies, Ms. Garcini, Mr. Guerrero, Mr. Alfers, Mrs. Dailey, and all of the other teachers associated with the fun and educational vacation, thank you all for the support that you gave to the students who participated.

Inflicting poverty,  excessive wealth, immoral experiments, and pollution: four of the seven “new” deadly sins. Photo courtesy of abcnews.com.

Bishop Dunne students and faculty entertaining a group of Costa Rican children at their school visit. Taken on the fourth day.

La Fortuna waterfalls surrounded by flourishing, lush vegetation. Picture taken by Jennifer Suter.