Pope Pius XII on Sports

"Sport, properly directed, develops character, makes a man courageous, a generous loser, and a gracious victor; it refines the senses, gives intellectual penetration, and steels the will to endurance. It is not merely a physical development then. Sport, rightly understood, is an occupation of the whole man, and while perfecting the body as an instrument of the mind, it also makes the mind itself a more refined instrument for the search and communication of truth and helps man to achieve that end to which all others must be subservient, the service and praise of his Creator."

– Pope Pius XII,
Sport at the Service of the Spirit
July 29, 1945

A Little Hoops!

Calling All Sponsors

John Paul the Great Catholic University is on the verge of fielding it's VERY FIRST sports team and needs a sponsor help make this a reality. WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!

The Sport is Basketball
The total cost is $779 which includes:

League registration fee
ref fees
jerseys

You can sponsor any part of the fees or the whole kit and caboodle! Just click on the seal below to go to the JP Catholic Website and scroll down to the "Make Your Gift" button on the right hand sidebar. Once you make your gift, simply send an email to the wonderful Lidy Connolly at lconnolly@jpcatholic.com to let her know that your gift is for the JP Catholic Basketball team.

All sponsors giving $25 or more will receive a framed photograph signed by all members of the team. And perhaps more importantly, you will have our undying gratitude!!!

Patrick Lyon's Blog

PATCHVILLE

Check it out when you have some time.

Following in the Fresh Tracks of JP II

I don't think Pope John Paul II ever attempted snowboarding (though I wouldn't be surprised) but he loved skiing. A group of JP Catholic students and faculty ventured to Wolf Creek Resort near Durango Colorado to enjoy the pristine beauty of the Rocky Mountains while hurling themselves down hill at rediculous speeds! Praise God, all returned unharmed:)

What if Michael Jordan Was a Devout Catholic?

Here's a morsel for thought. How would the world be different if Michael Jordan (or Tiger Woods or any sports mega-star) was a devout Catholic? It is impossible to say with any precision, but I am willing to go as far as suggesting it would not be worse off.

Like it or not, in our entertainment and media driven culture, sports stars command the attention of an adoring public. They have a platform. People, particularly kids, want to be like them, "to be like Mike" as the jingle goes. It would be a grand sight indeed to find young people filling up the pews during Eucharistic Adoration to be like Mike.

Which reminds me, don't forget to check out CatholicAthletesforChrist.com . There you will find some athletes who are offering themselves and their celebrity to Jesus to use as He wishes. Which, of course, is a very good thing.

New Links in the New Links Area

Be sure to stop by AJ Kueneman's and Tim Evans' blogs.