Two books focus on the spiritual needs of young adults

SPIRITUALITY 101: THE INDISPENSABLE GUIDE TO KEEPING -- OR FINDING -- YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE ON CAMPUS, by Harriet L. Schwartz, Skylight Paths (Woodstock, Vt., 2004). 254 pp., $16.99. THE GOODNESS WITHIN: REACHING OUT TO TROUBLED TEENS WITH LOVE AND COMPASSION, by Mark Redmond, Paulist Press (New York, 2004). 191 pp., $17.95.

Author Harriet Schwartz rightly calls her new book, "Spirituality 101: The Indispensable Guide to Keeping -- or Finding -- Your Spiritual Life on Campus," a conversation. Faith explorers tell their stories in their own words. We hear from young college students who are seeking "the other," the God who is beyond them, and beyond their religion or faith experience.

The book also offers guidelines on college spiritual questions: what students should know about cultic behavior, dating someone of another faith, dealing with bigotry toward your faith, who to ask for guidance, how to find a faith community, how to have a social life without compromising your beliefs, dining halls and dietary laws, how to have a productive mentoring relationship, how to start a campus group, and much more.

Schwartz’s stories of campus life carry this message: Challenge your faith; seek what others believe; form your own critical faith tradition. Among the stories are: a young Jewish woman who finds new expressions in her college Shabbat community, a Hindu student who learns about her own tradition as a student at a Catholic college, a Lutheran at a Catholic university who finds that until we struggle in faith, faith cannot be owned.

Too often we worry about college students falling away from their faith. We see the folly of this insecurity when we read Schwartz’s stories of these spiritual searchers.

"The Goodness Within" by Mark Redmond is a primer on reaching out to troubled teens, lessons learned from a long career working with this difficult group. Redmond’s horror stories of out-of-control teens in group homes and shelters smack the reader upside the head with the challenges those who work with them must face. His message is simple: love, understanding and respect for troubled teens will go further than disdain.

Redmond’s book is frightening, funny and moving. There are stories of drug addiction and death, including the murder of a colleague. When he writes of the staff taking the teens on a bike race and ski trip it is not just a story of "rah-rah, we done good" but an account of adults providing joy for those in pain and sorrow most of the time.

"The Goodness Within" simply tells the truth: This is tough work and it doesn’t always have a happy ending. With a no-nonsense style that describes rather than preaches, Redmond writes gripping tales that focus on what’s important. Money and rank mean little; but helping a boy who lost his mother and is struggling to learn to read -- that’s the Gospel talking.

Holy Family civic oration finalists, winners

GREAT BEND -- Students from Holy Family School recently gained the opportunity to demonstrate their public speaking skills. The students recently took part in a speech contest sponsored by Modern Woodmen of America, a national provider of fraternal financial services and programs.

Students competing in the contest, held at Holy Family School, shared the topic, "A Great American Leader."

The winners were Taylor Fry, first place, Kiaja Thomas, second place, and Brianne Schartz, third place. Each of them received a trophy and a gold award pin, and their names will be engraved on the school’s speech contest plaque. Gold award pins were also given to the other four finalists: Samantha Dreiling, Megan Brown, Jami McVay, and Kylee Spray. All participants received certificates of participation for their hard work.

Modern Woodmen’s School Speech Contest is one of six free youth educational programs that Modern Woodmen offers to schools nationwide. Nearly 100,000 students compete in the contest each year.

OAKLAND, Calif. (CNS) -- Police officer Steve DeWarns is convincing as a 13-year-old girl. In his Internet safety presentations, he logs onto his computer as "Cindy13," and chooses from a list of chat rooms. He quickly enters and exits, without typing a word. But DeWarns has not gone unnoticed. Online predators have captured his phony name and fabricated personal profile. "They see it’s a kid," DeWarns said. "Within minutes, I’m solicited by someone." He said the messages have ranged from a seemingly benign "Where are you from?" to a very forward "Do you like older guys?" to a disturbing "Do you want to see naked pictures?"

DeWarns, a San Francisco Bay Area police officer with 16 years’ experience, teaches Internet safety courses to parents and children around California. His demonstration is designed to show how quickly solicitation can happen. The parents and students are "usually pretty speechless by the end," he said.

Nancy Libby, Safe Environment Project coordinator for the Diocese of Oakland, hired DeWarns for five two-hour programs in response to persistent requests for Internet safety training from diocesan volunteers and employees. More information is available on DeWarns’ Web site at: www.InternetChildSafety.net.