Buddhists name three categories of suffering. The first category of suffering is physical or emotional suffering. The second is related to change or transition in one's life. The third category of suffering is the kind of pain brought about even in the midst of please. Buddhists would say that suffering comes when one posses the illusion that something or someone will bring pleasure, and that, in reality, it is illusory. 
Catholics understand suffering as part of the finite human condition. Some suffering is through no fault of ones own, such as natural disasters and disease. 

1. Christianity spread West and Buddhism spread East. Buddhism flourishing anew in the West while Christianity is making new inroads in the East. Very few Christians can be found in their land of birth, modern-day Israel, very few Buddhists can be found in India. 
2. Siddhartha never claimed to be divine and Jesus is human and divine.Jesus was born of humble means and Siddhartha was born into royalty. Siddhartha was married, and Jesus was not. While Jesus' message about the Kingdom of God, Siddhartha's message was about the cessation of suffering. 
3. The two religions both share the common theme of suffering, but they approach the topic with very different points of view. Buddhists all have not reached Enlightenment and Nirvana in this world are prone to suffer. Catholics understand suffering as part of finite human condition.

1. Both religions believe peace and compassion are good. they agree that they are to speak and act in kindness, rather than tear each other down with their words and actions.
2. Monasticism. Buddhist monks were led to establish monasteries to shelter themselves from the weather for months at a time. Christianity believes the monastic lifestyle developed in the fourth century when hermits began to populate the caves of the Middle East before forming the great monasteries of the Eastern and Western Roman Empires.
3. Meditation. the content of meditation is very different between Catholicism and BuInterreligious dialogue between Catholic and Buddhist monks has occured for the past half century. 

Celebrating Los Posada at Muskegon Catholic was a great experience for our school. It was a good way to have lots of students and teachers be involved in celebrating Christmas.  In participating in Los Posada we were able to show other students the trouble Mary and Joseph had to go through to find a place to stay. We went around to nine classrooms singing then had Mary and Joseph knock on the doors and ask for a place to stay. Each classroom would tell us there was no room for us to stay and we would go on to the next room. This represented Mary and Joseph going from place to place and being told there was no room for them. After we went to all the classrooms we went to the nativity to put Mary and Joseph in the stable which is where they finally found a place to stay. Some of the classes came with us when we got to their class and followed us to the next room until we got to the nativity.  Then we all sang another Christmas song before we went back to class. Los Posadas was a positive thing for us to do at Muskegon Catholic because it was a good way for our school to prepare for Christmas during advent together. It would be great if our school could celebrate Los Posadas every year.

Leslie Walters

John Paul ii is the spiritual inspiration behind the down fall of communism for a peaceful revolution in Poland. He gave the Polish people the courage to demand change. John Paul comforted the people with words such like, "Let your Spirit descend and change the image of the land... this land'. and "Don't be afraid". A solidarity revolution in Poland would have been difficult without John Paul II.  He met with Gorbachev at the Vatican and they both should tremendous respect for the other and admiration. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize honoring his life's work trying to decrease Communism. Pope John II was also given the highest civilian honor in America, Presidential medal of freedom. Without John Paul's II efforts, love, and care towards the people the communism in the World today would not be the same.


Morgan Budde