Tag Archives: Football

Praying That Your Favorite Sports Team Wins

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A local news station has a story about a Catholic priest in Chicago who is praying that the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup. The priest, Fr. Marty Michniewicz, says that he doesn’t want to be in prayer competition with the Flyers so instead he prays that “God gives the Blackhawks players the will to win.”

This priest loves hockey. His office is adorned in the Blackhawks color of red and black and he has a statue in his office of Jesus playing hockey with children. And he tends to invoke hockey in his homilies if applicable.

“It’s is just like a hockey team, I’ll say. I’ll say you need your goalies, your finesse players. They all form a team. As a parish, we all have something to offer and something to form the body of Christ, the church, the team, whatever,” said Fr. Marty.

Have you ever been so intensely watching the game of your favorite sports team and instinctively prayed to God to let them score just one more goal or make that 3-pointer or run back a punt for a touchdown?

Do you think God hears our prayers for a win? God loves each one of us with a love that we can never fathom and he wants us to be happy but does that mean he’ll help our favorite sports teams?

What do you think?

UPDATE 6/10/10: Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup last night!

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God, Prayers, and Notre Dame Football

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2009 is quickly coming to a close and those of us at the St. Michael Society thought we would address a topic that has troubled Catholics for most of this past decade.  

domeWhat has happen to the state of football at Notre Dame University? 

 We have witnessed a sad downward slide for 8 years now and we have had enough.  Now you might want to blame it on the fact that Notre Dame lost their exclusive rights on all Catholic young men sometime during the last generation.  I remember being told by the nuns at Holy Ghost Elementary School to eat my vegetables so I could grow up and play for Notre Dame some day. 

 But I blame it on Janet Jackson. 

That’s right; Janet Jackson.  Since 2004 and her infamous flash to the world, all networks have instituted a delay on all live broadcasts.  Some delays are as long as 9 seconds.  We might think that we are sitting at home cheering or praying for our favorite team in a critical situation, but the fact of the matter is it has already happened. 

That brings me to Notre Dame.  In critical situations with the game on the line, millions of Catholics worldwide are praying for something that has already been logged in the history books.  I have witnessed Sisters and Priests say quick prayers for the team.  Now God might be willing to grant these prayers, but do we really expect Him to turn back time and undo what has already occurred – and for a football team?

The moral of the story is for Catholics and other Notre Dame fans to pray early and pray often.  Lord on 4th and long late in the game guide the ball past the USC cornerback and into the hands of the man wearing a golden helmet.  May you raise up a mighty wind to blow wide right the Boston College field goal attempt.

                               TD jesus

Cheer, cheer for Old Notre Dame!

Editors note:

  1. How does a school with  French name get the Fighting Irish as a nickname?  I have read the history on the team website and I don’t get it.
  2. If the NCAA demands that the Fighting Sioux and Fighting Illini change their mascots why no action on the name Fighting Irish?
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