Clericus Cup

Each year, there is a rather popular soccer tournament among the major seminaries in Rome, named the Clericus Cup

From the viewpoint of the media, it is an opportunity to show that seminarians and priests can participate in competitive sport in a virtuous manner, contrary to much of what professional sport offers these days. From our standpoint, it is an excellent opportunity to build fraternity with brother seminarians, both those from your own college and other colleges as well. For months, from January to April/May, we practice twice a week, often including rigorous conditioning, in order to prepare for the tournament. I've found that few other things build fraternity as well as conditioning and training week in and week out with the same group. Although our immediate goal is to win the tournament, ultimately we do this for the glory of God. To engage in healthy, friendly, competitive sport is an excellent way to put into practice the fullness of humanity--to manifest God's creation of the human person in the way the Father intended it. Personally, it doesn't get much better than playing my favorite sport, one of my great passions, in the shadow of the dome of St. Peter's basilica in Rome.



Check out the PNAC Clericus Cup website for a review of last season, including photos, videos, and more! You can also take a look at recent news coverage from the NY Times and Fox Sports.

This year, the organizations that run the Clericus Cup pulled together a pool of the "all-stars" of last year's tournament to play against local teams in Rome. Myself, and 2 other men from the PNAC played with men from a number of other seminaries in Rome, including the Brazilian college, Polish College, Rome's Pontifical College for mission countries, and Redemptoris Mater (community of the Neo-Catechumenal way). Our first match was played against the Guardia di Finanza, Italy's branch of the police that deals with currency and other financial matters. The purpose of organizing an all-star team was to show, once again, that "another soccer is possible," as it was phrased by the advertisers. That is to say, through the inspiration of the priests and seminarians who participate in the Clericus Cup, soccer can be played with both a competitive and charitable attitude. This is an especially important message for Italy, and many other countries where soccer is so popular, in which soccer matches can quickly turn into arenas for political campaigning (as is displayed by fascist groups in Italy), hooliganism, and violence. The message that sport can be a way to build bridges and friendships between nations and cultures was evident, at least for the Clericus Top all-star team, as I was able to meet and make friends with other men studying for the priesthood in Africa, South America, Europe, and Asia. Our match against the Guardia di Finanza was quite an extravagant and highly publicized event for what I thought to be an insignificant game in the eyes of the secular world--for that reason, I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, Giovanni Trapattoni, the manager of the Ireland national team, was scheduled to coach us for the day, but was unable to attend at the last minute. The first few hours were spent in a press conference, followed by the match itself, and topped off with a casual dinner hosted by the Guardia di Finanza.

Here is a picture of the team in full taken from an ABC News-Spain article (for our Spanish speakers):
and a slide show of the events from the Clericus Top website.

In the end, it was a great day. For a morning, I felt like a professional, like Steven Gerrard in his early days, but it was important to remember that our purpose, as it is in all that we do, was to glorify God.

Thanksgiving

Finally, my blog post is on time! Here is a thanksgiving homily I had to prepare. One personal side reflection: holidays are especially difficult times to be away from home, simply because they are times for families to get together. As I spend these days away, I reminded of Christ who was not welcome in his homeland, abandoned by his best friends, and crucified by the very people He served. He was able to do all this, firstly because He was God, but He also knew that He belonged in union with the Father and the Holy Spirit in heaven. We, too, must remember that we are pilgrims on earth, journeying to the heavenly Jerusalem--union with the most Holy Trinity. Now for that homily:

“Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. You have given all to me to you, O Lord, now I return it; all is yours, dispose of me wholly and according to your Will. Give me only your love and your grace, for this is enough for me.”

I begin with this quote from St. Ignatius because it captures the very essence of what it means to be grateful, to have a spirit of thanksgiving. Ignatius cuts to the core, to the very fact that there is absolutely NOTHING that we can claim to be ours except for our sinfulness. Everything else, all that we have and possess, is from the Lord. What does this mean practically? It means that we ought to be thankful for everything that we receive. That’s right, everything!

We’ve all had days when it seems like nothing else could go wrong. We are amidst great trial. These are the moments when it is most difficult to be grateful—when we encounter the Cross. Yet, we ought to be grateful even for our suffering! It can seem quite silly to thank God for the Cross, if we look at it by itself. HOWEVER, if we see that the Lord permits our crosses for the benefit of our souls, it quickly turns into an extremely welcome gift.

The book of Sirach puts it best: “My son, when you come to serve the LORD, prepare yourself for trials. Be sincere of heart and steadfast, undisturbed in time of adversity. Cling to him, forsake him not; thus will your future be great. Accept whatever befalls you, in crushing misfortune be patient; for in fire gold is tested, and worthy men in the crucible of humiliation” (2:1-5).

Be assured that there is nothing that God can’t use for good. So thank God for the trying moments, those moments of despair, when we are forced to completely rely on the Lord—those are the moments when we are being tested in fire—that we may become gold.

“Bless the God of all, who has done wondrous things on earth; Who fosters men's growth from their mother's womb, and fashions them according to HIS will!” (Sirach 50:24). Thankfully, the Father doesn’t form us according to our will, for it would only lead to failure. Thankfully, HE forms us to HIS will—for it leads to perfection, even when it seems like it is leading to despair. Have hope!

So, whatever blessings we may receive from the Lord this Thanksgiving day, whether it be a united family, a bountiful feast, or even just a day off of work, don’t forget the good that comes from our trials, our Crosses, and don’t forget to thank God for them!