Do you allow sports to compete with God for the number one spot in your life? Do you celebrate receiving Jesus in the Eucharist much more enthusiastically than you celebrate your team scoring a touchdown? Are you willing to tell your child’s hockey coach that he will have to miss one game in the tournament because he will be going to Sunday Mass with the family?
With the significance of sports in our society, it is vital that the Catholic Church captures this energy by engaging and evangelizing people of all ages through creative ideas in sports. This is where Bruce Wawrzyniak comes in.
Wawrzyniak is a devout Catholic and Benedictine Oblate who was born in Buffalo, New York. With his wife Wendy and his stepchildren Tom and Samantha, he currently lives in the Tampa Bay, Fla. area. From there he hosts the Catholic Sports Radio podcast, which he refers to as “The intersection of sports and faith.”
As I write this column, Catholic Sports Radio had just completed its 200th interview with Catholic athletes, administrators, and clergy who have unique sports experiences and accomplishments. There is even an interview with actor Mark Wahlberg (episode #167). Catholic Sports Radio currently has listeners in 87 countries around the world. Listeners can tune in at catholicsportsradio.net or on Spotify, Apple podcasts, iHeartRadio, and more.
Wawrzyniak was invited to speak at the Third Global Congress on Sport and Christianity. I recently had a chance to interview Wawrzyniak about his background in sports, his faith, and the evolution of Catholic Sports Radio. The interview has been lightly edited.
BCC: Did you grow up in a Catholic home?
BW: Absolutely.
BCC: Did you have favourite prayers?
BW: When I go to confession, I say the same act of contrition that I did as a little boy. I wonder if the priest is thinking, “I am not sure that I know that one, but I will allow it.”
BCC: Were your parents influential in your faith?
BW: They sure were. My father actually went to the seminary discerning the priesthood when he was a teenager. So there was a solid foundation of faith in the house for me, my brother, and my sister.
BCC: Did you attend Catholic schools?
BW: Yes, from kindergarten to eighth grade. We had a nun who was principal. We always had First Friday Mass each month. I had great experiences. I was eighth grade class president.
BCC: Are you very involved at your parish?
BW: At my parish, Nativity Catholic Church in Brandon, Fla., I have helped with the Life Teen band and multimedia. I have been part of the Cursillo movement and a men’s Emmaus retreat.
BCC: Did you play sports when young?
BW: Yes, many. My dad would flood the backyard so that we could skate and play hockey. I also bowled and played floor hockey, but basketball was my sport. I played right through high school. My brother was the top player for St. Paul’s, and he passed the torch to me, and I became the top player.
BCC: Where did you attend college?
BW: Medaille College [now named Medaille University] in Buffalo, where I earned a B.S. in media communications. [BCC: Wawrzyniak graduated cum laude.]
BCC: What inspired you to do a sports/faith podcast ministry?
BW: It was 2018 and as a devout Catholic I had worked in sports for many years: 10 with an NHL team, three with the National Lacrosse League, and 10 more with the Olympic movement. I had all the equipment and experience as I had done podcasts since 2014. It just made sense to answer the call that I was feeling.
BCC: What were the biggest obstacles you have faced?
BW: Audience building for sure. A second obstacle that I thought I would face was finding enough guests to interview who meet the criteria, but three and a half years in, I still have lots more people to get to and the list is growing. It is like the story of the loaves and the fish. Cost is another obstacle. There are guests and listeners who make a financial gift to my ministry, but I don’t have any sponsors, so I have to find a way out of my own pocket to cover all the bills. I hope that people see value in all that I put into it, as I am a one-man show (booking guests, preparing/recording interviews, editing, website, social media…). In reality, however, it is God’s show. The Holy Spirit will guide the conversation wherever it is meant to go.
BCC: Are you encouraged with where the podcast is right now, and where would you like to take it?
BW: Yes, I am encouraged, but there is definitely room for improvement. Currently CSR is in the top 5 per cent of the more than 2.9 million podcasts globally. It has been exciting to have Mark Wahlberg, Mario Andretti, Lou Holtz, and TV personality Mario Lopez come on my show. I would love to see my ministry reach the ears and touch the hearts of more people and create more engagement with the audience (emails, social media, virtual and in-person talks).
BCC: Clearly you see sports as a great tool for evangelization.
BW: I sure do. Many of my guests have spoken of ways that they have integrated their faith into their sports life. It might take one small gesture to ignite a spark. A few stories from my guests include a boxer who would put a scapular in his boots and pray with his opponent before a fight. Another would offer up a gruelling training exercise for a teammate. I thank God for using me as a vehicle for these things.
BCC: From a Catholic perspective, what are some of the biggest problems in sport?
BW: Sadly, there are many. Betting has become such big business. Of course, performance enhancing drugs remain a big issue. Then there is fanaticism that leads to domestic abuse when someone’s team (or the team they bet on) is losing. Parents who want their child to be a millionaire pro athlete, so they will scream at their kid, coaches, officials, or other parents. Crowds, especially at soccer games, getting totally out of hand. There are a lot of wonderful sportsmanship stories, but the bad headlines are overshadowing them.
BCC: How could pro sports leagues help Catholic athletes more?
BW: It’s important that Catholic athletes can get to Mass and have access to a priest. There should also be no penalty for missing a practice or conditioning session due to a Catholic commitment. Also, as I was someone who used to be responsible for a team’s media guide, teams should ask a player if they would like their faith life noted in their bio.
BCC: Do you have a favourite Catholic interview?
BW: Mark Wahlberg was certainly fun. It was great to see how proud he is of his Catholic faith. Father Michael Lightner, who tried out for the Cleveland Browns and his incredible experience at Medjugorje and his journey to becoming a priest.
BCC: Any favourite quotes and last thoughts?
BW: “For nothing will be impossible for God” (Lk 1:37).
I strongly recommend checking out Catholic Sports Radio and trying to use your own sports experiences to show Christian virtues.
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