By Dan Russo
Editor
Just before the 2026 Winter Olympics kicked off in Milan, the Cross of Athletes arrived at the Basilica di San Babila, dedicated to St. Babylas of Antioch, in the northern Italian city. The sacred space has been designated the “Church of Athletes” by the Vatican during the February games and March Paralympics. Accompanying the cross, which was originally made for the 2012 London Games, was a message from Pope Leo XIV. In a letter read at a Jan. 29 Mass, the pope gave a blessing and expressed the hope that the games would help build bridges and promote hospitality and peace. It’s all part of Milan’s Olympic pastoral initiative, “For Each Other.”
Some may say that the pope’s idea that a sports competition could help foster unity and peace in a world as fractured as ours is naïve. We seem to be hopelessly divided over flash points like wars abroad and immigration policy at home. Among American Catholics specifically, there are strong differences on these and many other policy questions. Beyond the daily grind of political controversies, there are serious debates going on within the U.S. church about what it even means to be Catholic. Are you a cultural Catholic? A conservative? A liberal? A cafeteria Catholic? A traditionalist? Maybe a progressive Catholic? The labels aren’t exactly helping us find common ground.
If you’re the type of person who looks at things only in practical terms, then maybe there is no way to bridge these gaps and sports is just a hobby or a distraction. Pope Leo’s vision that athletic team work can make the unity dream work could just be a pipe dream. However, many wise people have argued that there’s a deeper truth at play when we play competitively. St. Paul probably used sports metaphors in his first Corinthian letter because there were popular Olympic-style games in his time. As a writer, he knew the imagery could be relatable to people. He also knew healthy competition aids in the development of discipline and perseverance. He believed these virtues can be applied to the spiritual life and, as a result, can help us reach heaven. Competition can also help us connect with people who have different views than us. Hey Bears fans, I bet you didn’t argue over politics and theology with the person who was cheering in the bar next to you while you watched the NFC Divisional Playoff game this year, right? Better luck next time.
Anyway, I hope the pope is right and the Olympics help bring people together.
On a related note, if you’re looking for a way to enjoy the unifying benefits of healthy competition right here in the Diocese of Davenport, have we got a challenge for you. We’re in the midst of the annual Catholic Messenger subscription drive. Our theme this year is “Connecting the Catholic Community.” This year we’re offering a contest that will not only help promote community bonds, but will also (hopefully) increase the number of Messenger readers overall.
Here’s the contest in a nutshell: The parish that signs up the most new subscribers to The Catholic Messenger (both print and electronic editions) by the end of this year’s drive will win a party. I will personally come to your town or city to throw a shindig like you’ve never seen. We’ll work with the parish staff to figure out a time and place that works best. We’ll bring the food and drinks — all you need to do is encourage people to show up and have fun. As an added bonus, the first person to make it to the party will be given a door prize. We have a beautiful statue of Our Lady of Grace by Joseph’s studio that we’re hoping to give away to one very fortunate Catholic Messenger super fan.
To make the contest fair to both small and large parishes, we’re basing the winner on the overall percentage increase in new subscribers. I hope you’ll talk to your fellow parishioners about this contest, which we’re calling the “Connecting the Catholic Community Contest.” (3C Contest for short). If your parish wins, it’ll be featured in The Messenger along with the statue winner.
I hope to be able to congratulate you in person at your parish after the subscription drive ends March 31. A ceramic statue isn’t a gold medal and I’m not exactly the pope, but at least you may have a little fun talking to people in your church that you may have never met and you could win fame for your parish. You can increase your chances to win by encouraging as many people as you can to subscribe. If you have any questions about the contest or feedback about what we’re doing, call our office or email me at russo@davenportdiocese.org
