As a practicing Christian, religion is a big part of Rosmery’s life, how she identifies, and how she has grown up. Aileen is a student who prioritizes religion in her life and considers it a big aspect of how she identifies and lives. Together they discovered other aspects of other students with similar religious backgrounds.
The community of Mission High School includes many different religions and religious practices. Based on some data collected by a Google Form that was made and sent to students around the school, and in a particular Christian club named The Kingdom Club, the data shows that 35% of students are Christian, 5% Buddhist, 5% Islamic, 2.5% Hindu, 25% Catholic, and 30% are other. 44% of the students said that they were not religious at all, while the other 56% said that they were.
Many say that their practices look like going to church and praying for every meal they eat. Other practices look like rituals. According to the Hindu calendar, fasting for festivals, daily pooja (worship) for 10 minutes, offering food, and lighting a jyot in front of the idol is practiced in Hinduism.
A Muslim student says that “daily prayers, fasting during Ramadan, giving charity, and following a halal diet, which excludes pork and alcohol” is part of the Islamic religion.
An Islamic Student, Safiyah Harrag, says, “It’s peaceful, and it protects women and their rights completely. We fast during Ramadan and pray every single day to prove ourselves to God/Allah so we can go to heaven, do good deeds, etc. I have to cover up and wear my hijab all the time. Sometimes people would assume that I’m being forced, no I’m not, this is mandatory to do.”
Another Islamic student, Mohamed Ahmed, says that “it emphasizes the Five Pillars as core practices, provides a comprehensive way of life covering all aspects of living, and fosters a strong sense of global community (Ummah), daily prayers and the widespread memorization of the Quran further highlight its distinctive nature. As men we dress modestly, covering from the navel to the knees.”
Christian and Catholic students at school pray and go to church mostly on Sundays.
Ryan Coleman, a senior, says that his life as a Christian “is like a personal relationship”.
Although Christianity and Catholicism seem similar, Catholicism “talks about Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the intercessions that saints and Mary can do through God” as Axel Tostado, a senior says.
Christianity and Catholicism are different because Christianity is an important world religion that stems from the life, teachings, and death of Jesus and catholicism is different in how its beliefs about the sacraments, the roles of the Bible and tradition, the importance of the Virgin Mary and the saints, and the papacy.
Mily Juarez, a freshman, says “My religion influenced my life by giving me the advice I needed to hear and making me think about my decisions. The most important thing for me about my religion is being closer to God and being able to pray for what I want and need in my life.”
They also talk about how they pray for the rosary and believe in the history of the birth of Jesus Christ. Christians talk about how it looks like a personal relationship praying even when you may feel down. Also how students talk about fasting and spreading God’s word to everyone and that includes being kind.
In our community, we have a diversity of religions, and religions that we may understand but don’t truly know how important it is for our students here. Religion helps build communities with people who share the same beliefs. The Kingdom Club is a club that helps students grow their beliefs and be able to have a better understanding and be able to grow better relationships. Our religions have differences but we have a variety of things we have in common. This is a great and beautiful part of our Mission High community.