This Christmas, I asked Our Lord to bestow some particular gifts upon the Catholic Church. The list included good health for Pope Francis and Archbishop Miller, the long-term success of the Synod, protection against anti-Catholic attacks, and the reconversion of many young Catholics who have drifted from their faith.
Another wonderful gift for the Church would be many more holy priestly vocations to help inspire and strengthen the flock around the world and especially in North America.
These new priests could, of course, come from any background, but I pray the world of sports provides many. There has been quite a history of professional and top college athletes turning their back on lucrative careers in sports to answer God’s very personal call to the priesthood.
We have even had popes and saints who, in their youth, were very good athletes. Check out the biographies of Pope John Paul II (soccer), St. Philip Evans (tennis), and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (hiking, skiing, soccer). And legend has it that St. Jean Brebeuf named the Canadian sport of lacrosse while he was with the Iroquois.
All of these priests have unique and wonderful stories, many of them hearing the call through silence, prayer, Marian devotion, and, in several cases, the traditional Latin Mass.
I’d like to focus on three journeys in particular: Father Phil Mulryne (soccer), Father Bryan Roe (tennis), and Father Burke Masters (baseball).
Manchester United has produced many incredible soccer stars over its rich history, but the team can now say that one of its players has become a Catholic priest. Phil Mulryne, who also played at Norwich City, was ordained in the Dominican order in 2017, serving in his homeland of Northern Ireland.
Mulryne had become disillusioned with pro soccer and entered the seminary in 2009. He found that he was bored with money, something you don’t hear very often.
“We have a wonderful life as a footballer and I was very privileged ... but there was an emptiness to it,” he said in an interview with The Mirror. He couldn’t understand why he was feeling this way, so he took time off to reflect and pray and to work at a homeless shelter.
It was during this time, in the silence, that he heard God calling. He also saw an idolatry that concerned him. “Football (soccer) is a wonderful vehicle for teaching great virtues, but it must be kept in perspective,” he said.
He sees athletes and fans treating sports much like religion. “The word religion comes from the Latin term religare, which means to bind yourself. We bind ourselves to God and Him to us. In a sense, football people bind themselves to a team, so it is a form of worship,” he told The Irish News.
Bryan Roe was an 18-year-old Australian phenom who had just qualified for the Australian Open by defeating future Grand Slam champion Pat Rafter. In his first match of that ensuing 1988 Australian Open, Roe held set points against Hall of Famer Ivan Lendl before bowing out.
Not long after, Roe suffered serious illnesses, and in 1989, he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome. Today, Roe thanks God for sending him this illness as it ultimately led to the happiest day of his life – his ordination to the priesthood. He currently serves as a parish priest at St. Benedict’s parish in Queensland.
He speaks about struggling with helplessness in dealing with his illness and in not always being able to assist others who are struggling. His new trust in the Lord and acceptance of his will became a turning point. In an interview with Shalom World, he said, “I believe in the call to selfless love, and that is the life of a priest. I love having the opportunity to bring children closer to Jesus and to bring everyone closer to Jesus through the Mass.”
The Chicago Cubs broke a century-long drought by winning the World Series in 2016. Their chaplain was, and still is, Father Burke Masters.
He currently serves as the pastor at St. Isaac Jogues Parish in Joliet, Ill., and when the team is at home, he will offer Mass before games.
Father Burke never got to play an MLB game, but he played college baseball at Mississippi State University (where he participated in the College World Series). This is where he received his vocational calling.
In his book A Grand Slam for God, he writes, “God had other plans for me; I wasn’t to play in the major leagues but instead be a priest who helps major league ball players.”
He enjoys working with athletes and youth on self-consciousness issues and has started Catholic sports camps in Illinois, along with MLB Hall of Famer Mike Sweeney.
“I would encourage parents and teens to invest in your relationship with the Lord. He will show you who you really are,” he Chicago ABC7 Eyewitness News.
I suggest reading Apostolic Athletes by Trent Beattie for more athlete-turned-priest stories. I also ask that we pray for our Archdiocesan priests who work so hard for us. I encourage them to have sports opportunities to help them keep healthy.
I also pray that local sports stars will be called to the priesthood in 2024.
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