One of the aims of this Section is that of fostering a greater awareness and sensitivity on the part of the local Church to the pastoral opportunities afforded by sporting activities, especially those which are conducted by schools, oratories, parish centers, and other associations affiliated with the Catholic Church. Some countries have an office for the pastoral care of sport within the structure of their national bishops conference and this has been beneficial in providing us with liaisons from around the world with which ideas and best practical experiences can be shared as has been the case at our past international seminars.
Nonetheless, we are interested in learning about the local experiences in this field from those countries which have no national office for sport. The Church and Sport Section recently had just such an opportunity for a rich exchange of ideas concerning the pastoral care of sport in Brazil, a country which does not yet have a permanent liaison or pastoral office for sport at the national level. At the invitation of His Excellency, Don Orani Joao Tempesta, Archbishop of the Diocese of San Sebastian de Rio De Janeiro, Father Kevin Lixey LC participated in the “Sport and Faith” week. This week of various activities which included sporting events as well as moments of pastoral formation and prayer for those engaged in this apostolate, was organized by the diocesan office for the pastoral outreach to sport which is headed up by Fr. Jose Carlos Lino. One of the aims of the “Sport and Faith” week was to raise awareness of the pastoral opportunities to bear witness to one’s faith, whether in a direct way through those sporting activities directly organized by the Catholic Church, or in an indirect way like leaven within society.
Additionally, given the leadership role that Rio de Janeiro will have in light of some upcoming world events, such as the World Youth Day in 2013, the World Cup of Soccer finals in 2014, and the 2016 Olympics, the “Sport and Faith” week also had an international scope. At the heart of the week’s activities was a special “Sport and Faith” forum held in light of the remote preparation of these events. The list of invited speakers included not only city government officials, diocesan clergy, and representatives from Catholic education but also Brazil’s minister for sport; the Catholic Church’s coordinator for pastoral outreach at the London 2012 Olympics; and representatives from “Aliança dos Atletas de Jesus Eucarístico”, an apostolate of the “Canção Nova” Community that reaches out to sports professionals. In the forum’s keynote speech, (“Apologia: A Pastoral do Esporte”), Fr Kevin Lixey explained the Church’s mission to the world of sport and specifically why Blessed John Paul II instituted the Church and Sport Section within this dicastery. In the same forum, Archbishop Tempesta emphasized sport’s important role in the work of evangelization, as he referred to the upcoming major events that will be hosted in the diocese of Rio. He also recognized the valuable work that Fr. Jose Carlos Lino is realizing in promoting this pastoral care to sport which extends to other dioceses as well.
Throughout the week, Fr. Lixey LC visited several youth sports centers which, thanks to the coordinated work of Fr. Lino and a network of priests and laity -and often in close collaboration with city government officials- are able to offer many impoverished neighborhoods an after school program with an array of sporting activities rich in human formation. In light of the fact that children only attend public schools for half the day, sound sporting activities are easily integrated into the rest of the day.
Other activities during the “Sport and Faith” week included a morning seminar with university students who are majoring in physical education. Fr Lixey LC also gave a conference to the seminarians from various diocese studying at Rio De Janeiro’s Archdiocesan seminary São José, in which he was able to offer these future priests an explanation of the Church’s growing concern for a more adequate and determined pastoral action within the field of sport.
The following words of Pope Benedict XVI help to shed further light on these endeavors: “In our time when an urgent need to educate the new generations is evident it is therefore necessary for the Church to continue to support sports for youth, making the most of their positive aspects… and to help people welcome the many valuable opportunities that sports can offer in the pastoral care of youth” (Message, November 3, 2009).
Download the text of the keynote speech “Apologia: A Pastoral do Esporte” in Portuguese
