WEBVTT
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Nung Chapi everyone.
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Welcome to episode 52.
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We're completing one year of Bearsol Alto, our Faith and Sports podcast.
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My name is Father Burke Masters, Catholic Chaplain to the Chicago Cubs and pastor of St.
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Isaac Jokes Church in Hinsdale, Illinois.
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I'm Bishop James Wall, Bishop of the Diocese of Gallup, located in the beautiful states of Arizona and New Mexico.
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And we have a special guest today.
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And Mike is on a fishing trip, I think, with no Wi-Fi or so he's unable to join us today.
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So we'll keep Mike in prayer this week.
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So let's pray.
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In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
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Amen.
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Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the joyful example of your servant, Saint Pier Giorgio Frasati.
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Pier Giorgio never tired of striving boldly to go higher and deeper in faith, prayer, and love.
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He cherished your presence in his family, friends, the mountains he loved to climb, the poor he visited, and especially in the Holy Eucharist.
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May we too go toward the heights of our Catholic faith and by example bring others to your church through Christ our Lord.
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Amen.
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I was at a vocation director's conference, and uh there was a priest there who had played college football, and we started talking, and he said, You need to meet Ray McKenna.
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And I said, Who's Ray McKenna?
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And he said he started the Catholic Athletes for Christ, and they're always looking for priest chaplains who you know have connection to sports to celebrate Mass and Major League Baseball, the NFL.
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And so I got excited about that opportunity.
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I called Ray and he said, We're looking for a Catholic chaplain for the Chicago Cubs.
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And admittedly, at the time I was not a Cubs fan, but uh I could not pass up the opportunity to uh get back in baseball.
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And so I'm I'm so grateful uh for you, Ray, and the ministry that you've started.
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And so welcome to uh verso el alto.
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Thank you, Father.
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Thank you, Bishop Wall.
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I was thinking, I think I met I met Ray, I think I met you in 2008 at a Super Bowl event.
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Sounds right, I think that's right.
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We sat at the same table.
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There was a it was an event for I think it was a C was it a CAC event or CAC event.
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We had uh Danny Abramowitz, I think, was the speaker.
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That's right.
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It was, that's all, yeah.
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And where was that?
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Quite some time in Phoenix.
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It was when the uh we had the Super Bowl in Phoenix as a priest, before as a bishop.
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But yeah, I remember that was great.
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So before we get into CAC and your work with that, tell us a little bit about your background and what your Catholic faith is has meant to you.
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Was it formed by your parents or did it come to you later in life?
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Great question.
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Um I grew up, was born and raised in the Bronx, New York, not far from Yankee Stadium.
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And um I have wonderful parents, they're both uh passed along, they're both deceased.
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But uh no child's ever had better parents than I had.
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And they raised me uh in the Catholic faith.
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Um all through elementary school, grammar school, college, up until I went to law school, I I was Catholic educated.
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And sadly, very little stuck with me.
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Um by the time I was probably in law school, uh I was you know pretty much non-practicing Catholic.
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And then I had a trivial thankfully, conversion, reconversion experience, I guess.
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Um so but um yeah, I I I'll always be thankful and appreciative for uh uh my parents, my family, their role in raising me, how prominent the Catholic faith was, I guess.
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It took longer because I'm probably denser than most for it to sink in with me.
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But um, I'm glad that it was there when I needed it to fall back on, and I'm I'm eternally grateful for that.
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Did you have an did you have an event that that you said you kind of like reverted?
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I think we all kind of go through that that phase, especially around college and high school, college stuff.
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Did you have an event or a moment or just what was did you have something that brought you back?
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I don't know if there was an event or a moment, but it was a gradation and kind of it's very ironic, I believe, in retrospect, and I didn't understand it at the time.
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But I became involved in evangelical, the so-called non-denominational sports ministry with organization called Baseball Chapel, which still exists, as you both know.
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And um, I was brought on as a uh one of their chaplains, long story.
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And uh I they didn't know at the time that I was Catholic.
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Um, and so down the road that created some issues and problems.
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But at the time, but I would just go every Sunday with my friend Mark Dronfield, still a good friend, and we'd give this little Bible message to both teams in the minor leagues.
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We did the uh Carolina League single A.
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And um over time though, uh, you know, I I was still going to mass.
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Uh I started going to Mass again.
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Um, but there was an emptiness that was in my life, and I I love the Bible, I love scripture, I love baseball.
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And so being there was really exciting and important for me.
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But there was this true emptiness, and then I guess, and and I don't remember exactly, but probably because of the travel and getting there and doing the baseball chapel, there might have been sometimes I miss mass.
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Um, and whenever I did, I just felt this loneliness, this emptiness, go to confession, and then it kind of clicked.
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As I said, I'm not the brightest bulb, maybe, but eventually it hit that it the mass, the body and blood of Jesus, is the most important thing in the world.
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And without it, there's always gonna be uh a brokenness, an emptiness, a wanting for more.
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And so I don't know, I don't know if that's a good answer.
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It's a long answer.
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I apologize.
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Yeah, that's great.
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So one thing I want to stress we have a lot of people who are listening who uh probably parents, and you know, their their kids have strayed from the faith, maybe after they've tried to instill it in their children.
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And I think stories like this give should give them hope that you know your parents laid a strong foundation, you've you strayed a little bit, but the foundation was there.
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And a couple things helped bring you back on track.
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And so uh for parents listening, you know, I once heard someone say, God loves your children even more than you do.
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And so, you know, instill the faith and then entrust them to God and pray for them, be a great example.
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Um, so Ray, while you were working in minor league baseball, that that's where you met Mike Sweeney, isn't it?
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Yes.
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Yeah.
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Where where was that?
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I believe I wish Mike was on because he has a better memory than I do.
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Yeah.
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I met him when he was I it was in Prince William, uh, I was chaplain for the Cannons, team that no longer exists.
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They're now the print they're the Frederick Nationals.
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Um, and Mike was playing for the Wilmington Blue Rocks of part of the Kansas City Royals single A.
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And it was this young, bright-eyed, uh, he was a catcher at the time, by the way.
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And uh he came and I was just really impressed by the joy, the the the love that he he brought to bear, as he does in every situation that I've ever seen since then.
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Um but we met and we chatted briefly, but we really didn't get to know each other very well, and then it got to meet Mike once more, I think when he was still in the minor leagues at a PAO professional athlete outreach conference in Houston.
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And um we chatted again briefly, and I don't think in either conversation we shared or knew that the other was Catholic.
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Wow.
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And it only was only later, after the starting of Catholic Athletes for Christ, that we we kind of connected on that level.
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So, how how did that come about then the the start of Catholic Athletes for Christ?
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Uh, you're you're a chaplain for baseball chapel and uh some someone.
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One thing I realized through being a chaplain for baseball chapel was I was lucky because I went to mass and then went to chapel, or went to chapel and then then went to I didn't miss Mass after a while.
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Um and but I realized that the players couldn't do that.
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That these young guys, many of whom were raised Catholic, practiced Catholic in the offseason, that's all they got.
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So I think the Holy Spirit put on my heart, and I got to meet a great friend who passed from us about three years ago, Sal Bando, um three captain of the three-time champion Oakland Athletics.
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And Sal was raised Catholic and left the faith for many years and then came back with a vengeance.
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He was a daily communicant.
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And we were chatting, we said, you know, why don't we do something?
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Uh why don't we, instead of just complaining about it, why don't we start something where Catholics can have mass at the ballpark?
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So we went to baseball chapel and they said, no, that's impossible.
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Can't do that.
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We were not denominational.
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That would be giving preferential treatment, and besides, nobody needs that or wants that.
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So that wasn't a very satisfying answer.
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Um, so we worked on it, and then I used to say coincidentally, but I have been tutored and learned by you two and many others to say providentially.
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Providentially, just about the very same time, the uh St.
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John Paul um um then Pope uh John Paul uh second created uh the Vatican Sports Office, the first one in history.
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And we Sal and I were invited to go to Rome and meet with the papal representative for this newly created office, and they ask about you know what we were working on, which was just gonna be in baseball, um, uh to expand it to all levels in all of their sports.
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So that's that's kind of how it things got started.
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And what year was that roughly?
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How long ago?
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2005, I believe.
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Okay, so it's over over 20 years.
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It was very much towards the end of the papacy in the life of John Paul II.
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Gotcha.
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And then little by little you you started recruiting priests to uh celebrate Mass at the at the ballpark?
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Correct.
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And and to close the loop on a question you asked earlier, uh I was asked, we brainstormed, um, I know you've heard me tell this story before, but um we brainstormed in Rome with the Vatican about you know who were because people don't identify, don't wear labeled saying they're a Catholic.
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So we're trying to figure out who who were some Catholic athletes, and you know, in Salon, my case, baseball was what we knew.
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Who are some Catholic baseball players?
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So we um we thought of uh Mike Piazza, Mike Sweeney, and Mike Sosha, but we weren't certain.
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We we thought they might be Catholic.
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We didn't know for a fact that they were Catholic.
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And so we I guess we concluded that we'd come back to the States and look for guys named Mike and asked them if they wanted to join.
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Um so and that's how I got to some, I don't remember how I got Mike's number, Mike Sweeney.
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I wrote him a letter, and then he sent his number, and we had this great conversation about he was so excited, and you know, I I and he was just on fire when I told him about the Vatican New Office, this idea of Catholic athletes for Christ.
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And and I said to Mike, you know, and he remembered, I said, we met two times before, but we didn't know we had this commonality that's so important to us as Catholics.
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And I said, I read a six-page article about you in Sports Spectrum, which is a magazine, I believe, of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes or another evangelical Protestant ministry.
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And I said, six pages.
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It didn't say anything about being Catholic.
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You know, it said you went to services and say church and say, and Mike says, Well, yeah, I know that's that's a shame because I said the body and blood of Christ is the most important thing in my life.
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I go to mass every day when I can, and they put Mike likes to go to service every day.
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Um, so anyway, so um, but he he jumped on board both feet uh and wouldn't be Catholic Athletes for Christ today if it wasn't for Mike and Mike Piazza and Mike Zosha and Jeff Supon and many, many others like them.
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That's awesome.
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Yeah, and so little by little uh it's grown.
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And uh today, as we speak, does every major league team have uh uh mass at the stadium, or is there still one or two that don't?
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Every major league team as of two two or three years ago does, and every NFL team does now, also.
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Nice.
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And yeah, I used to when I was in Phoenix, I used to celebrate the Mass quite a bit for the uh for the NFL teams.
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It was usually the visiting team, and I was undefeated because usually I was celebrating Mass for the visiting team who's playing the Arizona Cardinals.
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I never lost a game.
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And my last time I did it, I did I finally I wanted to test it out.
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I celebrated Mass for the Cardinals, and we actually won the game.
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So I was undefeated before I left.
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So if any NFL teams need a little help, I'll help them out.
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May I share a quick story on that note?
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Um this past Saturday, um I re we had mass, we have, as you said, Bishop, well, mass is for all the visiting and the home teams of Chapel and Mass the day be uh mass the day before the game.
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And this past Saturday, I received a phone call at uh Tex actually at 4 30 p.m.
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from the Protestant chaplain for the Houston Texans saying that the priest we had set up had just just called at 4 30 saying that he was diagnosed with shingles and he couldn't make the mass.
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So he asked me, he said, can we find somebody to replace him?
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And I said, What's that uh old phrase they they have in in Texas?
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I think it is.
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They have uh two chances and slim and none and throw it out of town.
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Uh so I said, Um, well, I'm gonna do my best.
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Uh I said, um, I'm gonna call a few priests I know.
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I think the chances are next to impossible, but I'm also gonna say a Hail Mary.
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Um, and he and and I said, and I'll get back to you.
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And I did that.
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And we found found a priest in like 30 minutes, he showed up.
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Um, said Mass did a great job.
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And the reason I told this story is the Protestant chaplain got back to me thanking us for our efforts and also saying, I know those Hail Marys are very powerful.
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And I thought, wow, that's that's great.
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It's a great witness.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, it's been a great witness.
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It's been a beautiful ministry, uh, you know, all around the ballpark.
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And now we see these uh Catholic ball players who even some of them didn't even know this ministry existed, and little by little the word spreads.
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And you know, here at every stadium does it a little bit differently.
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You know, in Chicago with the Cubs, uh, we have mass in section 209, and uh the home team, the visiting team, and any employees in the stadium are welcome to come.
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It's not open to um, you know, fans, uh, but you know, we have probably 30 to 40 people.
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I know some stadiums uh they have a maybe even a chapel room or a room dedicated for mass, just for people who are listening.
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Like, how does how does this work?
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Um, we normally have mass about three and a half, four hours before game time, so the players can go to mass and then they they have time to get ready for the game.
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And so um, as you know, a lot of players are there late Saturday night at a game, can't go to the vigil mass, and then they have to be back at the ballpark early on Sunday, and then they often travel to the next you know uh city right after the game.
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So this is a real service and opportunity uh for for them to get to Mass.
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So, Ray, your uh your efforts have not gone unnoticed, and so many people have been able to uh continue with the sacraments because of your following the Holy Spirit's lead.
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Thank thank you and thanks be to God for that.
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Yeah.
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On the personal side, Ray, you have a beautiful story how you met your wife, and uh uh your your life took uh a big change when you were unmarried for many years and now have uh was it seven children?
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Seven, that's correct.
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Yeah.
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Can you share a little bit about your your uh your beautiful bride and and family?
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I love you.
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Love your wife named Sean.
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She's a teacher, you know, seven children.
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Um we were married, she was a widow, uh, very tragic kind of circumstances.
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Her first husband passed away, and uh, she was a widow and um with with six lovely children raging raising ranging from I believe two years old to 16.
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And uh we kind of joined and was like, I didn't bring any, so it was not quite a Brady Punch story, but we wound up with six, and then shortly thereafter, God blessed us with our seventh, Amelia, um, who um we named her Amelia, Mia Ruth.
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Um, she's named uh all the girls that we have four girls, their their middle name is all some derivation of Mary.
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So um Amelia's was named after my mother, that was her name.
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Mia after the blessed mother, and then Ruth after Babe Ruth.
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Um but we uh just blah, I'm so blessed.
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Um this involves Mike again, I guess a lot of my life life seems to.
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Um it was at one of our retreats that both of you are prominent features and in integral parts of, as you know, and about, I guess let's see, we're married 16 years, 17 years ago, 18 years ago.
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And um Mike and I were just having a one-on-one session, you know, friends and chatting, and said, What's on your heart?
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And I said, Well, things are good, but I feel lonely.
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I wish I had a wife and a family.
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And he says, Well, let's just sit down here and pray.
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So we closed our eyes and Mike led the prayer.
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And then I came back next year and I had a wife and six kids.
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And you know, as I like the kid, you know, Mike prayed too hard.
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Be careful if you ask him to pray for you.
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Mike's got a direct line to the Holy Spirit there.
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That's a great story.
00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:34.559
Um, you know, we're recording this on Monday night.
00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:39.519
Uh the wildcard playoffs begin tomorrow.
00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:43.839
By the time this goes out on Wednesday, there'll be a couple games that have been played already.
00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:48.079
So I always like to talk, and all of us love baseball.
00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:51.519
So, Ray, love to get your your input and Bishop.
00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:54.720
So uh now these are central times.
00:18:54.960 --> 00:19:00.079
Best of three series, all three games will be at uh at the same ballpark.
00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:11.119
Phillies uh go to the Braves, um the White Sox go to the Astros, Red Sox go to the Yankees, and the Cubs go to the Padres.
00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:18.960
So um any thoughts, any any favorites in the in the first wild card series here?
00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:21.359
You want to go first, yeah?
00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:26.400
I think if if the Phillies bats are hot, they're hard to beat, period.
00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:33.839
But if those bats go silent like they were they were for like the last week or so, they're gonna be done.
00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:36.720
It it's all about their their bats, you know.
00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:37.839
They're yeah.
00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:41.680
That's just that's just that's just kind of how they work.
00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:46.319
I you're you catch me off guard here because as you know, my my season's over.
00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:49.359
I've I've I've sworn baseball off.
00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:54.400
But last month I've actually sworn baseball off and predicted that my team would end it a game out.
00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:56.160
I don't know if it was two games or one game.
00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:57.839
Yeah, yeah.
00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:59.599
I predicted it, but I knew it.
00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:00.799
I knew it was gonna happen.
00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:03.920
But uh alright, so we got the so you gotta say him again.
00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:06.160
So the Phillies and Braves?
00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:08.480
Yeah, so I'm gonna say I'll say Phillies.
00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:10.079
I think the bats are gonna stay hot.
00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:12.400
Okay, White Sox and Astros.
00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:17.519
I'm I'm going um I'm going, I'm going White Sox.
00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.559
Pope Leo.
00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:19.200
I've got to go.
00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:23.039
All my friends in Chicago.
00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:24.079
I'm going White Sox.
00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:25.039
There we go.
00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:27.440
Uh, Red Sox and Yankees.
00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:29.680
I'm going Yankees because Ray's on here.
00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:31.759
I didn't know you were a Yankee fan, Ray.
00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:33.680
You hide that very well.
00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:34.880
Yeah.
00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:35.599
From the Bronx.
00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:37.440
Yeah.
00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:39.680
And then uh Cubs and Padres.
00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:45.039
Um I'm gonna make my Chicago people unhappy with me now.
00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:47.839
Going, I'm going Padres because of Craig's stamina.
00:20:47.920 --> 00:20:52.160
Um that's that's why he's he's uh the manager, so good Catholic man.
00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:57.759
These are tough when you get to know managers and players personally, and yeah.
00:20:58.079 --> 00:21:07.359
Craig had us bless his office for um spring training this year, and he because he said I have to make life um changing decisions for people.
00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:11.119
And I thought that really that really moved my heart when he when he did that.
00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:11.759
That was great.
00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:12.640
He's a good man.
00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:15.599
We'll definitely have him on after the season finishes.
00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:17.759
Hopefully they make a good long run.
00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:23.039
I'm I'm torn being the Cubs chaplain and going against uh Craig.
00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:24.880
Um Ray, what about you?
00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:27.440
Any any thoughts, Phil Phillies and Braves?
00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:31.279
Uh I'm gonna be really honest and very evasive.
00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:33.119
Uh I'm not going to pick anybody.
00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:43.440
I've learned by long and hard experience that we have friends, which is wonderful in the network that we have, on each and every team that's in the playoffs who are instrumental in some cases in our masses.
00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:49.680
And I I it sometimes when they if they hear I picked a team against them, they they'll like raise it with me.
00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:51.200
So I'm not gonna do that.
00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:54.000
I'm never not very good at predicting anyway.
00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:55.119
I think it's gonna be good.
00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:59.759
There were some I think the teams with the best pitching, and there are a number of them, are gonna be hard to.
00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:03.519
To Pete, but it's who winds up, I have no idea.
00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:08.799
But I do want to piggyback on something the bishop said about the White Sox.
00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:10.960
It's just been incredible.
00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:23.599
Um, you know, one scribe recently read, I thought it was a great line, said that you know, Jesus, of course, you know, raised Lazarus from the dead, and the Pope Leo has raised the whole franchise from the dead.
00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:27.200
Um I love, but it's really amazing.
00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:31.920
Our good friend Drew Romo is part of that White Sock Two amazing story in it in itself.
00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:40.480
And um just amazing and recently I want to mention too, uh uh AJ Prozinski uh got to visit the Holy Father, was really amazing.
00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:44.559
And I said to AJ, and you know, it he he was very nervous.
00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:51.119
He he he texted Mike and I the day before, and he wanted to know what he should wear, what he should say, and everything.
00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:53.039
And I said, just relax, AJ.
00:22:53.200 --> 00:23:04.720
I can honestly say to you that of all the athletes I know that have met the Popes over the years, you're probably the first one that the Pope knew of you before you knew of him.
00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:08.319
And who's more excited maybe to meet you than you are to meet him?
00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:15.680
Um and it was and the Pope said on the way at a when he was took, I think, full 10 minutes, which you know is a lot of the Holy Father's time.
00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:24.000
And he said on the way um as AJ was leaving the stage, he said, Tell the Sox I'm still watching and rooting for them, which I think is great.
00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:30.480
Can you imagine if he comes over someday to throw out a first pitch at a White Sox game?
00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:34.720
I mean, this one the security, but uh I'm not sure I can't.
00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:35.599
I mean, imagine it.
00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:38.960
I mean, it's yeah, what a what a moment that would be.
00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:45.039
Um and the hottest ticket price maybe ever in baseball, if that happens.
00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:52.000
Um, but I respect uh the decision not to um we we make calls and and people know we're not betters.
00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:54.079
I'm the worst of all of them, by the way.
00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:55.519
So if people if people are betting.
00:23:56.400 --> 00:23:58.079
I had the Royals winning it all this year.
00:23:58.240 --> 00:23:59.359
That's how bad I am.
00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:02.559
Well, yeah, and it's you know, baseball is such a funny game.
00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:04.720
It's maybe one of the main reasons we love it.
00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:06.079
It's so unpredictable.
00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:10.160
You mentioned the Phillies, and I agree with what Bishop Wall's analysis of it.
00:24:10.319 --> 00:24:12.240
But you remember the Phillies' great run.
00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:14.480
I think they were stopped by your diamondbacks.
00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:16.400
Um but they were unbeatable.
00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:19.759
They were up three to one on the diamondbacks and looked like they're headed to the World Series.
00:24:19.920 --> 00:24:24.559
But that year, they ended the season here in Washington, D.C.
00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:26.319
And they were on fumes.
00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:33.359
They had lost, I don't know what it was, but they had lost maybe two-thirds of their last uh or their last month's games.
00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:37.200
They just basically eked into the playoffs.
00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:40.480
And once the playoffs started, they were just a new team.
00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:51.039
Yeah, they it's a that's one of those teams, as you're saying, they have they have three great pitchers that could carry them a long way if they if they hit a little bit.
00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:52.880
And they've had they've had good luck.
00:24:52.960 --> 00:25:01.039
Um, I'm as a Cubs chaplain, I'm pulling for the Cubs, obviously, but I've also been a lifelong Phillies fan, even before the Cubs.
00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:13.440
And so uh I think the Phillies, if they if they hit, you know, they could go deep because of Wheeler, Sanchez, and Lazardo, uh great, great pitching.
00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:19.279
Um, I'd say I'm gonna pull for the White Sox, uh Drew Romo, local team.
00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:23.200
Drew's going to the playoffs and getting married this year.
00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:24.559
How about that?
00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:25.119
Yeah.
00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:26.079
And what is it?
00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:29.039
They they had three consecutive hundred loss seasons, I think.
00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:38.400
And and it's it's really a miracle that they're, you know, when we started the season living here in Chicago, nobody thought the White Sox would be in the playoffs.
00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:41.839
We thought maybe if they get to 500, that'd be great.
00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:45.440
And now 500 would be in the playoffs anyway in the American League.
00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:55.039
Um and then uh I think Red Sox, Yankees, how what a great uh rivalry to start uh the wild card with them.
00:25:55.200 --> 00:26:03.839
So um yeah, uh I'd have to give the nod to the the home team there because I think they're so evenly matched.
00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:07.519
So go to the Yankees, White Sox, Cubs, and Phillies.
00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:11.839
So three lower seeds and one one higher seed.
00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:15.359
Um let's switch gears a little bit.
00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:19.039
Uh and I know Ray is uh great man of faith too.
00:26:19.119 --> 00:26:24.079
We're gonna we're gonna dive into the 27th Sunday in ordinary time.
00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:26.960
Uh Bishop, you wanna you wanna get us started?
00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:28.559
Sure, be happy to.
00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:34.000
So this is um, I know we always pay attention in all the readings at Mass.
00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:34.880
We have to, right?
00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:54.799
We we encounter Christ in the in the word proclaimed, um, but especially pay really close attention to the very first reading um that we're gonna have this with this week at Mass because it ties through and it makes the gospel make more sense, and that's um from the prophet Isaiah.
00:26:55.039 --> 00:27:05.839
So um remember, Jesus is in the temple, and so he's not speaking to just kind of the general crowd of disciples, but he's speaking to the religious leaders.
00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:08.480
And so he gives them another parable.
00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:12.880
Remember, parables we can just keep going back to them and learning and learning and learning.
00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:15.599
And he talks about the landowner who planted a vineyard.
00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:17.519
So we have that image of a vineyard.
00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:23.039
Um ultimately we know that's that's the landowner, we know that to be God.
00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:27.200
Um, we know that the vineyard ultimately is the kingdom.
00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:31.839
But in this case, we're we're specifically speaking about Jerusalem.
00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:44.480
And so here he is in the temple speaking to the the leaders, and he talks about a landowner who had a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and then built a tower, and then he leases it out.
00:27:44.799 --> 00:28:03.039
So he's still the owner, he's leasing it out, and he and it talks about the servants, and um uh he sent his servants to the tenants, so he's leased it out to the tenants to obtain his product produce, and then it talks about all the horrible things that they do to him.
00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:10.240
So if we're just looking at the how do we who are these who are these people, the servants that he sends to the tenants?
00:28:10.400 --> 00:28:16.319
Well, the tenants would be the religious leaders, and he's Jesus is talking about other horrible ways.
00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:18.000
That's what essentially what he's doing to him.
00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:24.240
They're not doing the will of the of the owner, the landowner, which we all know ultimately to be God.
00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:30.799
And the the servants who he sends to them, these are the um, these are the prophets.
00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:35.839
These are the prophets that he sends to them, said, Look, you're not doing God's will.
00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:38.079
You have to come back to doing God's will.
00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:41.279
And then it says all the things that they they did to them.
00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:49.200
You know, it talks about one being stoned, it talks about one um being killed, you know, talks about they beat up the other one, all these different things.
00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:54.000
And tradition, if we just take a look at tradition, I think we have Isaiah.
00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:58.720
Um traditionally, you have Isaiah being killed, and he was sawed in two.
00:28:58.960 --> 00:29:00.559
We get that from Brent Petrie.
00:29:01.039 --> 00:29:06.480
Um, and then we look at um who was the the other the other well, there was one that was stoned.
00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:10.000
I think it was Jeremiah, traditionally has Jeremiah being stoned.
00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:12.960
So these are the prophets, as we talk about the prophets.
00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:24.400
So when he's saying this to the religious leaders, he knows exact they know exactly what he's talking about because they know the word, they know that they know the scriptures very well, so they know that he's going back to Isaiah.
00:29:24.480 --> 00:29:29.200
And then he says, and then this is the twist and the whole thing, then he sends his son.
00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:32.079
So think about that just in practical terms.
00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:40.079
Would a father send his son into uh an environment where the people he sent before have just been killed?
00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:41.920
It's like, no, he wouldn't do that.
00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:48.240
Only if you know the son's purpose is to come into the world to suffer to die and to rise.
00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:53.359
And um that's that's the whole purpose of it, because that's why Jesus came into the world.
00:29:53.839 --> 00:30:00.160
So he he he tells him, he he tells him that he sends the son and this is what they they do to him as well.
00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:02.079
So there's more to this.
00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:12.480
I know Father Burke's gonna pick up on this, but I think this weekend really pay close attention to what Isaiah is saying, and then tie it into what we're gonna hear in in the gospel passage.
00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:23.839
So just like the last couple last weeks, Jesus is speaking directly to the religious leaders, and he's calling them out for their poor leadership, their poor behavior.
00:30:24.079 --> 00:30:27.359
And then he's also talking about how they're going to reject him.
00:30:27.599 --> 00:30:36.480
And we know how they're gonna reject him, they're gonna reject him in his suffering, his death, but we know that the victory ultimately is gonna be the Lord in his resurrection.
00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:42.319
Yeah, I was thinking, as you're saying, these last few weeks, you can see this common thread.
00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:46.160
And uh I was thinking of Nathan and David again.
00:30:46.240 --> 00:31:00.799
Uh, remember when Nathan is talking to David, he gives him the story of um this rich man had a lot of lot of sheep, and then there's a poor man next door, he had this one little eulan that he treated like his own child.
00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:15.759
The rich man got a visitor, and instead of taking one of his own sheep to slaughter for a feast, he goes to the um the poor man, takes his one little sheep and offers it for his his party.
00:31:16.160 --> 00:31:19.200
And uh, you know, Nathan says, What do you think about this?
00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:20.960
And David says, That's awful.
00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:22.480
That man should die.
00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:25.279
And Nathan says, That man is you.
00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:29.680
You took you know Uriah's uh wife, Bathsheba.
00:31:29.839 --> 00:31:36.720
Similarly, here it Jesus lays out this parable, yeah, and you know, he says, What will the owner do?
00:31:36.880 --> 00:31:46.400
And they answered the the religious leaders, he will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.
00:31:46.640 --> 00:31:51.200
Jesus doesn't say it directly, but it's you know, he's like he's saying, That's you.
00:31:51.519 --> 00:31:58.079
I've I've given you the vineyard here and you've made a mess and you've killed my prophets.
00:31:58.400 --> 00:32:03.119
And he says the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:08.160
You know, I'm gonna be the one that's ultimately rejected and killed, and I'm the son of God.
00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:20.000
And so it's a reminder for us, I think, to say it's easy for us to be quick to point out what others have done and uh kind of get self-righteous, I think.
00:32:20.160 --> 00:32:24.880
And I think it's really important for us to look in the mirror and say, you know, how how have I denied the Lord?
00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:26.160
How have I betrayed him?
00:32:26.400 --> 00:32:27.839
How have I sinned against him?
00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:38.960
And, you know, as Jesus says, let's take the the um you know plank out of our eye before we do anything about the splinter in another's eye.
00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:44.079
Ray, what are what are your thoughts as you look at the readings for this weekend?
00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:50.400
Something that strikes me, going back to last weekend's reading also, and this continuation of the parable narrative.
00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:57.839
I even think of the so-called prodigal son parable, which is one of my favorite stories, parables in the Bible.
00:32:58.079 --> 00:33:09.920
Um, there's such a widespread, as you know, Bishop Wall very correctly points out that Jesus is speaking to the leadership, and it's so important when reflecting and re-analyzing scripture to know who the message is for.
00:33:10.160 --> 00:33:21.839
But also, I think there's a broad misunderstanding about the vineyard, is uh when you think about the workers who are called at the end of the day getting the same wage.
00:33:22.079 --> 00:33:26.720
Um, being in the vineyard, working in the vineyard in the kingdom is a blessing.
00:33:26.799 --> 00:33:27.759
It's a privilege.
00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:34.400
So being there working longer is not something that you should be bemoaning or complaining somebody else gets in later.
00:33:34.559 --> 00:33:39.200
You should be thankful for the blessing that you've been called when you've been called.
00:33:39.359 --> 00:33:44.880
And you know, whenever it is that's early in the morning or at the end of the day, just be thankful for that.
00:33:44.960 --> 00:33:57.519
And I think if we all had that perspective, there would be such a different understanding of these parables and sometimes the you know resentment that that sadly comes from misunderstanding these parables.
00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:58.480
Yeah.
00:33:59.200 --> 00:34:00.000
Well said.
00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:14.079
Yeah, that um I think what picking up what Ray's talking about, you know, we always want to avoid um making comparisons like in comparing myself to somebody else.
00:34:14.320 --> 00:34:15.119
Little kids do that.
00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:19.199
Oh, look what he got, or look what she got, he got more than me, or she got more than me.
00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:20.880
You know, things like that.
00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:26.400
And and um just the joy, like you said, the joy of being in the in the vineyard.
00:34:26.559 --> 00:34:35.360
Because the vineyard is the Lord's and uh and just the joy, and we should desire like God desires that all people come to know salvation.
00:34:35.519 --> 00:34:37.760
So everyone's everyone's in the vineyard.
00:34:37.840 --> 00:34:47.039
That's what God desires, whether they came in like that that uh at the at the first hour where they came in, the Johnny come lately's at the last minute.
00:34:47.199 --> 00:34:48.000
That's okay.
00:34:48.159 --> 00:34:49.599
It's okay too.
00:34:50.239 --> 00:35:01.119
And it just reminds me, I think we I'd be remiss if we didn't say uh Bishop, and I I don't know, Ray, if you were at the beatification mass for Bishop Sheen this past week.
00:35:01.280 --> 00:35:03.440
Uh it was not, but I followed it very closely.
00:35:03.599 --> 00:35:05.599
I'm a huge fan of uh Bishop Sheen.
00:35:06.079 --> 00:35:07.199
Yeah, me, us too.
00:35:07.360 --> 00:35:09.840
It was one of the most powerful things I've experienced.
00:35:10.000 --> 00:35:18.960
And one of the lines from Bishop Tilka from Peoria, uh, he said, everything Bishop Sheen did was to bring people to Christ.
00:35:19.119 --> 00:35:26.079
And that is just echoed in my heart, like that's the heart of a shepherd, and uh that should be the heart of all of us, right?
00:35:26.159 --> 00:35:40.079
That's we've been we've experienced mercy and love in such a way that we're called to go out and and share that and not think this vineyard is mine or that uh I'm in control of this.
00:35:40.239 --> 00:35:45.440
It's we're we're simply stewards of the incredible gifts that God has given us.
00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:57.920
And I just I think Bishop Sheen is going to be a great um uh intercessor for for our country and uh for for many ministries in this in this world.
00:36:00.719 --> 00:36:11.280
Yeah, I think um I I was talking to one of the Polish bishops, and he uh said to me that prior in Poland, prior to Pope St.
00:36:11.440 --> 00:36:16.559
John Paul II, he said that the vocations were similar to the way they were here in the United States.
00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:21.119
And then when JP2 came on the scene, they just exploded.
00:36:21.280 --> 00:36:24.960
I mean, they just exploded.
00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:31.760
And he and he he was of the opinion that that Sheen is going to do something similar in the United States.
00:36:32.239 --> 00:36:42.719
And we saw, you know, we saw 82 bishops, we saw a thousand priests, we saw a thousand seminarians, uh, over two hundred permanent deacons.
00:36:42.800 --> 00:36:47.119
I mean, it was just amazing to see all these families we saw.
00:36:47.360 --> 00:36:51.280
And I I think I think Sheen's um gonna have an impact.
00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:58.239
His intercession is gonna have an impact on vocations here in the ple in the in the country that he called home.
00:36:58.639 --> 00:37:09.599
Yeah, I think we're, and and John Paul II predicted this, we're entering into a uh a new springtime, and uh I think we're seeing that with people coming into the church.
00:37:09.679 --> 00:37:14.159
There's this renewal, the Holy Spirit's working, and uh it's an exciting time.
00:37:14.320 --> 00:37:19.599
It's always fun to be Catholic, but I think this is an especially exciting time to be Catholic.
00:37:19.760 --> 00:37:24.559
So Ray, thank you for uh taking time this morning to to join us.
00:37:24.719 --> 00:37:37.360
It's uh always great to connect with you and thank you for your faithfulness and the ministry that uh uh you've brought to so many Catholics and specifically Catholic athletes around our country.
00:37:38.159 --> 00:37:39.119
Thank you both.
00:37:39.280 --> 00:37:39.920
God bless you.
00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:50.480
And when I think of Sheen and I think of you too, I think of devotion to a holy hour and adoration, and hopefully that will be another blessing that the beatification brings.
00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:53.199
Is if we get everybody doing a holy hour, wow.
00:37:55.840 --> 00:37:56.960
Light the world on fire.
00:37:57.199 --> 00:37:58.320
Yes, yeah.
00:37:58.559 --> 00:37:59.199
Was it St.
00:37:59.280 --> 00:38:00.239
Catherine of Siena?
00:38:00.400 --> 00:38:04.159
Become who you were created to be, and you'll set the world on fire.
00:38:04.320 --> 00:38:10.159
And that happens by spending that one continuous hour a day in the presence of the Lord.
00:38:11.280 --> 00:38:12.079
Yeah, yeah.
00:38:12.480 --> 00:38:13.599
Beautiful.
00:38:14.079 --> 00:38:16.320
Bishop, would you close us in prayer?
00:38:16.639 --> 00:38:18.000
Sure, be happy to.
00:38:19.039 --> 00:38:21.440
The name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
00:38:21.760 --> 00:38:22.159
Amen.
00:38:22.639 --> 00:38:26.159
Well, Saint John Paul, from the window of heaven, grant us your blessing.
00:38:26.400 --> 00:38:35.679
Bless the church that you loved and served and guided, courageously leading her along the paths of the world, in order to bring Jesus to everyone and everyone to Jesus.
00:38:35.920 --> 00:38:38.239
Bless the young who are your great passion.
00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:45.679
Help them dream again, help them look up to the heavens again, to find the light that illuminates the paths of life here on earth.
00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:47.920
May you bless each and every family.
00:38:48.239 --> 00:38:55.679
You warned of Satan's assault against this precious and indispensable divine spark that God lit on earth.
00:38:55.920 --> 00:39:01.920
Saint John Paul, with your prayers, may you protect the family and every life that blossoms from the family.
00:39:02.239 --> 00:39:07.599
Pray for the whole world, which is still marked by tensions, wars, and injustice.
00:39:07.840 --> 00:39:12.719
You opposed war by invoking dialogue and planting the seeds of love.
00:39:13.039 --> 00:39:16.960
Pray for us, so that we may be tireless sowers of peace.
00:39:17.280 --> 00:39:17.760
Well, St.
00:39:17.840 --> 00:39:24.480
John Paul from Heaven's Window, where we see you beside Mary, send God's blessing down upon us all.
00:39:24.800 --> 00:39:25.440
Amen.
00:39:26.800 --> 00:39:28.000
The Lord be with you.
00:39:28.239 --> 00:39:29.199
And with your spirit.
00:39:29.440 --> 00:39:33.760
May Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
00:39:34.079 --> 00:39:34.719
Amen.
00:39:35.519 --> 00:39:36.880
Thanks everyone for listening.
00:39:37.119 --> 00:39:41.920
Put your comments, and we'll be happy to uh answer those on uh next week's show.
00:39:42.159 --> 00:39:46.400
Like, subscribe, and share this podcast with someone you think it might be helpful for.
00:39:46.480 --> 00:39:46.960
And as St.
00:39:47.119 --> 00:39:52.559
Pierre Giorgio Frasati reminds us, the higher we go, the better we shall hear the voice of Christ.
00:39:52.719 --> 00:39:55.760
Keep striving Versoal Alto in your faith and pursuits.
00:39:55.920 --> 00:39:58.400
And until next time, God bless you.
00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:06.639
Nung Chapi everyone.
00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:08.960
Welcome to episode 52.
00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:13.199
We're completing one year of Bearsol Alto, our Faith and Sports podcast.
00:00:13.359 --> 00:00:17.920
My name is Father Burke Masters, Catholic Chaplain to the Chicago Cubs and pastor of St.
00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:20.480
Isaac Jokes Church in Hinsdale, Illinois.
00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:27.519
I'm Bishop James Wall, Bishop of the Diocese of Gallup, located in the beautiful states of Arizona and New Mexico.
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And we have a special guest today.
00:00:29.839 --> 00:00:37.759
And Mike is on a fishing trip, I think, with no Wi-Fi or so he's unable to join us today.
00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:40.560
So we'll keep Mike in prayer this week.
00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:41.439
So let's pray.
00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:44.079
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
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Amen.
00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:51.520
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the joyful example of your servant, Saint Pier Giorgio Frasati.
00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:57.840
Pier Giorgio never tired of striving boldly to go higher and deeper in faith, prayer, and love.
00:00:58.159 --> 00:01:06.480
He cherished your presence in his family, friends, the mountains he loved to climb, the poor he visited, and especially in the Holy Eucharist.
00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:14.719
May we too go toward the heights of our Catholic faith and by example bring others to your church through Christ our Lord.
00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:15.680
Amen.
00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:41.120
I was at a vocation director's conference, and uh there was a priest there who had played college football, and we started talking, and he said, You need to meet Ray McKenna.
00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:42.400
And I said, Who's Ray McKenna?
00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:53.599
And he said he started the Catholic Athletes for Christ, and they're always looking for priest chaplains who you know have connection to sports to celebrate Mass and Major League Baseball, the NFL.
00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:56.560
And so I got excited about that opportunity.
00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:01.840
I called Ray and he said, We're looking for a Catholic chaplain for the Chicago Cubs.
00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:09.759
And admittedly, at the time I was not a Cubs fan, but uh I could not pass up the opportunity to uh get back in baseball.
00:02:09.840 --> 00:02:14.159
And so I'm I'm so grateful uh for you, Ray, and the ministry that you've started.
00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:17.520
And so welcome to uh verso el alto.
00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:18.960
Thank you, Father.
00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:20.159
Thank you, Bishop Wall.
00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:27.520
I was thinking, I think I met I met Ray, I think I met you in 2008 at a Super Bowl event.
00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:29.360
Sounds right, I think that's right.
00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:31.199
We sat at the same table.
00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:35.759
There was a it was an event for I think it was a C was it a CAC event or CAC event.
00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:37.919
We had uh Danny Abramowitz, I think, was the speaker.
00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:38.639
That's right.
00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:40.319
It was, that's all, yeah.
00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:41.439
And where was that?
00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:42.879
Quite some time in Phoenix.
00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:47.759
It was when the uh we had the Super Bowl in Phoenix as a priest, before as a bishop.
00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:50.479
But yeah, I remember that was great.
00:02:50.879 --> 00:03:00.000
So before we get into CAC and your work with that, tell us a little bit about your background and what your Catholic faith is has meant to you.
00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:04.639
Was it formed by your parents or did it come to you later in life?
00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:05.759
Great question.
00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:10.479
Um I grew up, was born and raised in the Bronx, New York, not far from Yankee Stadium.
00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:16.159
And um I have wonderful parents, they're both uh passed along, they're both deceased.
00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:19.840
But uh no child's ever had better parents than I had.
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And they raised me uh in the Catholic faith.
00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:33.599
Um all through elementary school, grammar school, college, up until I went to law school, I I was Catholic educated.
00:03:33.680 --> 00:03:35.919
And sadly, very little stuck with me.
00:03:36.479 --> 00:03:42.400
Um by the time I was probably in law school, uh I was you know pretty much non-practicing Catholic.
00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:48.639
And then I had a trivial thankfully, conversion, reconversion experience, I guess.
00:03:49.120 --> 00:04:00.159
Um so but um yeah, I I I'll always be thankful and appreciative for uh uh my parents, my family, their role in raising me, how prominent the Catholic faith was, I guess.
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It took longer because I'm probably denser than most for it to sink in with me.
00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:11.280
But um, I'm glad that it was there when I needed it to fall back on, and I'm I'm eternally grateful for that.
00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:16.480
Did you have an did you have an event that that you said you kind of like reverted?
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I think we all kind of go through that that phase, especially around college and high school, college stuff.
00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:27.040
Did you have an event or a moment or just what was did you have something that brought you back?
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I don't know if there was an event or a moment, but it was a gradation and kind of it's very ironic, I believe, in retrospect, and I didn't understand it at the time.
00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:48.000
But I became involved in evangelical, the so-called non-denominational sports ministry with organization called Baseball Chapel, which still exists, as you both know.
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And um, I was brought on as a uh one of their chaplains, long story.
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And uh I they didn't know at the time that I was Catholic.
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Um, and so down the road that created some issues and problems.
00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:09.360
But at the time, but I would just go every Sunday with my friend Mark Dronfield, still a good friend, and we'd give this little Bible message to both teams in the minor leagues.
00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:12.399
We did the uh Carolina League single A.
00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:18.399
And um over time though, uh, you know, I I was still going to mass.
00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:20.560
Uh I started going to Mass again.
00:05:20.720 --> 00:05:27.439
Um, but there was an emptiness that was in my life, and I I love the Bible, I love scripture, I love baseball.
00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:31.360
And so being there was really exciting and important for me.
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But there was this true emptiness, and then I guess, and and I don't remember exactly, but probably because of the travel and getting there and doing the baseball chapel, there might have been sometimes I miss mass.
00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:53.040
Um, and whenever I did, I just felt this loneliness, this emptiness, go to confession, and then it kind of clicked.
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As I said, I'm not the brightest bulb, maybe, but eventually it hit that it the mass, the body and blood of Jesus, is the most important thing in the world.
00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:07.519
And without it, there's always gonna be uh a brokenness, an emptiness, a wanting for more.
00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:09.120
And so I don't know, I don't know if that's a good answer.
00:06:09.279 --> 00:06:09.839
It's a long answer.
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I apologize.
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Yeah, that's great.
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So one thing I want to stress we have a lot of people who are listening who uh probably parents, and you know, their their kids have strayed from the faith, maybe after they've tried to instill it in their children.
00:06:25.759 --> 00:06:34.959
And I think stories like this give should give them hope that you know your parents laid a strong foundation, you've you strayed a little bit, but the foundation was there.
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And a couple things helped bring you back on track.
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And so uh for parents listening, you know, I once heard someone say, God loves your children even more than you do.
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And so, you know, instill the faith and then entrust them to God and pray for them, be a great example.
00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:58.000
Um, so Ray, while you were working in minor league baseball, that that's where you met Mike Sweeney, isn't it?
00:06:58.160 --> 00:06:58.560
Yes.
00:06:58.720 --> 00:06:59.040
Yeah.
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Where where was that?
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I believe I wish Mike was on because he has a better memory than I do.
00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:05.680
Yeah.
00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:11.759
I met him when he was I it was in Prince William, uh, I was chaplain for the Cannons, team that no longer exists.
00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:15.439
They're now the print they're the Frederick Nationals.
00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:22.560
Um, and Mike was playing for the Wilmington Blue Rocks of part of the Kansas City Royals single A.
00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:27.360
And it was this young, bright-eyed, uh, he was a catcher at the time, by the way.
00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:37.839
And uh he came and I was just really impressed by the joy, the the the love that he he brought to bear, as he does in every situation that I've ever seen since then.
00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:52.800
Um but we met and we chatted briefly, but we really didn't get to know each other very well, and then it got to meet Mike once more, I think when he was still in the minor leagues at a PAO professional athlete outreach conference in Houston.
00:07:52.959 --> 00:08:01.759
And um we chatted again briefly, and I don't think in either conversation we shared or knew that the other was Catholic.
00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:02.240
Wow.
00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:09.199
And it only was only later, after the starting of Catholic Athletes for Christ, that we we kind of connected on that level.
00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:14.399
So, how how did that come about then the the start of Catholic Athletes for Christ?
00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:20.879
Uh, you're you're a chaplain for baseball chapel and uh some someone.
00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:32.960
One thing I realized through being a chaplain for baseball chapel was I was lucky because I went to mass and then went to chapel, or went to chapel and then then went to I didn't miss Mass after a while.
00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:37.519
Um and but I realized that the players couldn't do that.
00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:43.919
That these young guys, many of whom were raised Catholic, practiced Catholic in the offseason, that's all they got.
00:08:44.559 --> 00:08:56.320
So I think the Holy Spirit put on my heart, and I got to meet a great friend who passed from us about three years ago, Sal Bando, um three captain of the three-time champion Oakland Athletics.
00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:01.440
And Sal was raised Catholic and left the faith for many years and then came back with a vengeance.
00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:02.799
He was a daily communicant.
00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:05.679
And we were chatting, we said, you know, why don't we do something?
00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:13.200
Uh why don't we, instead of just complaining about it, why don't we start something where Catholics can have mass at the ballpark?
00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:16.960
So we went to baseball chapel and they said, no, that's impossible.
00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:17.759
Can't do that.
00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:19.519
We were not denominational.
00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:24.000
That would be giving preferential treatment, and besides, nobody needs that or wants that.
00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:26.879
So that wasn't a very satisfying answer.
00:09:27.039 --> 00:09:35.600
Um, so we worked on it, and then I used to say coincidentally, but I have been tutored and learned by you two and many others to say providentially.
00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:40.000
Providentially, just about the very same time, the uh St.
00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:50.559
John Paul um um then Pope uh John Paul uh second created uh the Vatican Sports Office, the first one in history.
00:09:50.720 --> 00:10:06.240
And we Sal and I were invited to go to Rome and meet with the papal representative for this newly created office, and they ask about you know what we were working on, which was just gonna be in baseball, um, uh to expand it to all levels in all of their sports.
00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:08.879
So that's that's kind of how it things got started.
00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:11.519
And what year was that roughly?
00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:12.399
How long ago?
00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:14.080
2005, I believe.
00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:16.240
Okay, so it's over over 20 years.
00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:19.679
It was very much towards the end of the papacy in the life of John Paul II.
00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:20.720
Gotcha.
00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:29.679
And then little by little you you started recruiting priests to uh celebrate Mass at the at the ballpark?
00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:30.720
Correct.
00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:47.279
And and to close the loop on a question you asked earlier, uh I was asked, we brainstormed, um, I know you've heard me tell this story before, but um we brainstormed in Rome with the Vatican about you know who were because people don't identify, don't wear labeled saying they're a Catholic.
00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:53.679
So we're trying to figure out who who were some Catholic athletes, and you know, in Salon, my case, baseball was what we knew.
00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:55.759
Who are some Catholic baseball players?
00:10:56.000 --> 00:11:02.879
So we um we thought of uh Mike Piazza, Mike Sweeney, and Mike Sosha, but we weren't certain.
00:11:02.960 --> 00:11:04.399
We we thought they might be Catholic.
00:11:04.480 --> 00:11:07.360
We didn't know for a fact that they were Catholic.
00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:14.559
And so we I guess we concluded that we'd come back to the States and look for guys named Mike and asked them if they wanted to join.
00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:20.559
Um so and that's how I got to some, I don't remember how I got Mike's number, Mike Sweeney.
00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:34.960
I wrote him a letter, and then he sent his number, and we had this great conversation about he was so excited, and you know, I I and he was just on fire when I told him about the Vatican New Office, this idea of Catholic athletes for Christ.
00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:43.840
And and I said to Mike, you know, and he remembered, I said, we met two times before, but we didn't know we had this commonality that's so important to us as Catholics.
00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:54.320
And I said, I read a six-page article about you in Sports Spectrum, which is a magazine, I believe, of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes or another evangelical Protestant ministry.
00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:55.679
And I said, six pages.
00:11:55.759 --> 00:11:57.840
It didn't say anything about being Catholic.
00:11:58.080 --> 00:12:06.960
You know, it said you went to services and say church and say, and Mike says, Well, yeah, I know that's that's a shame because I said the body and blood of Christ is the most important thing in my life.
00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:11.360
I go to mass every day when I can, and they put Mike likes to go to service every day.
00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:27.200
Um, so anyway, so um, but he he jumped on board both feet uh and wouldn't be Catholic Athletes for Christ today if it wasn't for Mike and Mike Piazza and Mike Zosha and Jeff Supon and many, many others like them.
00:12:27.919 --> 00:12:28.960
That's awesome.
00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:33.120
Yeah, and so little by little uh it's grown.
00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:40.879
And uh today, as we speak, does every major league team have uh uh mass at the stadium, or is there still one or two that don't?
00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:46.159
Every major league team as of two two or three years ago does, and every NFL team does now, also.
00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:47.200
Nice.
00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:53.759
And yeah, I used to when I was in Phoenix, I used to celebrate the Mass quite a bit for the uh for the NFL teams.
00:12:53.840 --> 00:13:02.720
It was usually the visiting team, and I was undefeated because usually I was celebrating Mass for the visiting team who's playing the Arizona Cardinals.
00:13:02.879 --> 00:13:04.000
I never lost a game.
00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:07.440
And my last time I did it, I did I finally I wanted to test it out.
00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:10.639
I celebrated Mass for the Cardinals, and we actually won the game.
00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:12.960
So I was undefeated before I left.
00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:16.879
So if any NFL teams need a little help, I'll help them out.
00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:19.519
May I share a quick story on that note?
00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:34.399
Um this past Saturday, um I re we had mass, we have, as you said, Bishop, well, mass is for all the visiting and the home teams of Chapel and Mass the day be uh mass the day before the game.
00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:39.519
And this past Saturday, I received a phone call at uh Tex actually at 4 30 p.m.
00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:50.960
from the Protestant chaplain for the Houston Texans saying that the priest we had set up had just just called at 4 30 saying that he was diagnosed with shingles and he couldn't make the mass.
00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:54.080
So he asked me, he said, can we find somebody to replace him?
00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:58.159
And I said, What's that uh old phrase they they have in in Texas?
00:13:58.240 --> 00:13:58.720
I think it is.
00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:03.679
They have uh two chances and slim and none and throw it out of town.
00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:07.200
Uh so I said, Um, well, I'm gonna do my best.
00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:10.080
Uh I said, um, I'm gonna call a few priests I know.
00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:15.279
I think the chances are next to impossible, but I'm also gonna say a Hail Mary.
00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:18.159
Um, and he and and I said, and I'll get back to you.
00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:19.360
And I did that.
00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:23.440
And we found found a priest in like 30 minutes, he showed up.
00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:25.919
Um, said Mass did a great job.
00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:34.960
And the reason I told this story is the Protestant chaplain got back to me thanking us for our efforts and also saying, I know those Hail Marys are very powerful.
00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:37.200
And I thought, wow, that's that's great.
00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:39.200
It's a great witness.
00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:40.080
Yeah.
00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:41.919
Yeah, it's been a great witness.
00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:46.639
It's been a beautiful ministry, uh, you know, all around the ballpark.
00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:56.000
And now we see these uh Catholic ball players who even some of them didn't even know this ministry existed, and little by little the word spreads.
00:14:56.159 --> 00:15:00.639
And you know, here at every stadium does it a little bit differently.
00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:11.440
You know, in Chicago with the Cubs, uh, we have mass in section 209, and uh the home team, the visiting team, and any employees in the stadium are welcome to come.
00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:19.279
It's not open to um, you know, fans, uh, but you know, we have probably 30 to 40 people.
00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:27.120
I know some stadiums uh they have a maybe even a chapel room or a room dedicated for mass, just for people who are listening.
00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:28.879
Like, how does how does this work?
00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:38.639
Um, we normally have mass about three and a half, four hours before game time, so the players can go to mass and then they they have time to get ready for the game.
00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:54.559
And so um, as you know, a lot of players are there late Saturday night at a game, can't go to the vigil mass, and then they have to be back at the ballpark early on Sunday, and then they often travel to the next you know uh city right after the game.
00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:59.759
So this is a real service and opportunity uh for for them to get to Mass.
00:15:59.919 --> 00:16:12.960
So, Ray, your uh your efforts have not gone unnoticed, and so many people have been able to uh continue with the sacraments because of your following the Holy Spirit's lead.
00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:16.399
Thank thank you and thanks be to God for that.
00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:17.360
Yeah.
00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:33.360
On the personal side, Ray, you have a beautiful story how you met your wife, and uh uh your your life took uh a big change when you were unmarried for many years and now have uh was it seven children?
00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:34.639
Seven, that's correct.
00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:35.120
Yeah.
00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:40.399
Can you share a little bit about your your uh your beautiful bride and and family?
00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:41.200
I love you.
00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:42.960
Love your wife named Sean.
00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:45.519
She's a teacher, you know, seven children.
00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:49.919
Um we were married, she was a widow, uh, very tragic kind of circumstances.
00:16:50.080 --> 00:17:03.200
Her first husband passed away, and uh, she was a widow and um with with six lovely children raging raising ranging from I believe two years old to 16.
00:17:03.679 --> 00:17:19.680
And uh we kind of joined and was like, I didn't bring any, so it was not quite a Brady Punch story, but we wound up with six, and then shortly thereafter, God blessed us with our seventh, Amelia, um, who um we named her Amelia, Mia Ruth.
00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:27.359
Um, she's named uh all the girls that we have four girls, their their middle name is all some derivation of Mary.
00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:31.119
So um Amelia's was named after my mother, that was her name.
00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:35.680
Mia after the blessed mother, and then Ruth after Babe Ruth.
00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:40.480
Um but we uh just blah, I'm so blessed.
00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:44.400
Um this involves Mike again, I guess a lot of my life life seems to.
00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:57.519
Um it was at one of our retreats that both of you are prominent features and in integral parts of, as you know, and about, I guess let's see, we're married 16 years, 17 years ago, 18 years ago.
00:17:57.680 --> 00:18:03.759
And um Mike and I were just having a one-on-one session, you know, friends and chatting, and said, What's on your heart?
00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:06.480
And I said, Well, things are good, but I feel lonely.
00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:08.559
I wish I had a wife and a family.
00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:11.119
And he says, Well, let's just sit down here and pray.
00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:13.519
So we closed our eyes and Mike led the prayer.
00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:16.559
And then I came back next year and I had a wife and six kids.
00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:20.319
And you know, as I like the kid, you know, Mike prayed too hard.
00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:24.160
Be careful if you ask him to pray for you.
00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:28.400
Mike's got a direct line to the Holy Spirit there.
00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:30.559
That's a great story.
00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:34.559
Um, you know, we're recording this on Monday night.
00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:39.519
Uh the wildcard playoffs begin tomorrow.
00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:43.839
By the time this goes out on Wednesday, there'll be a couple games that have been played already.
00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:48.079
So I always like to talk, and all of us love baseball.
00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:51.519
So, Ray, love to get your your input and Bishop.
00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:54.720
So uh now these are central times.
00:18:54.960 --> 00:19:00.079
Best of three series, all three games will be at uh at the same ballpark.
00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:11.119
Phillies uh go to the Braves, um the White Sox go to the Astros, Red Sox go to the Yankees, and the Cubs go to the Padres.
00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:18.960
So um any thoughts, any any favorites in the in the first wild card series here?
00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:21.359
You want to go first, yeah?
00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:26.400
I think if if the Phillies bats are hot, they're hard to beat, period.
00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:33.839
But if those bats go silent like they were they were for like the last week or so, they're gonna be done.
00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:36.720
It it's all about their their bats, you know.
00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:37.839
They're yeah.
00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:41.680
That's just that's just that's just kind of how they work.
00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:46.319
I you're you catch me off guard here because as you know, my my season's over.
00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:49.359
I've I've I've sworn baseball off.
00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:54.400
But last month I've actually sworn baseball off and predicted that my team would end it a game out.
00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:56.160
I don't know if it was two games or one game.
00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:57.839
Yeah, yeah.
00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:59.599
I predicted it, but I knew it.
00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:00.799
I knew it was gonna happen.
00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:03.920
But uh alright, so we got the so you gotta say him again.
00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:06.160
So the Phillies and Braves?
00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:08.480
Yeah, so I'm gonna say I'll say Phillies.
00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:10.079
I think the bats are gonna stay hot.
00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:12.400
Okay, White Sox and Astros.
00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:17.519
I'm I'm going um I'm going, I'm going White Sox.
00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.559
Pope Leo.
00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:19.200
I've got to go.
00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:23.039
All my friends in Chicago.
00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:24.079
I'm going White Sox.
00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:25.039
There we go.
00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:27.440
Uh, Red Sox and Yankees.
00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:29.680
I'm going Yankees because Ray's on here.
00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:31.759
I didn't know you were a Yankee fan, Ray.
00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:33.680
You hide that very well.
00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:34.880
Yeah.
00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:35.599
From the Bronx.
00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:37.440
Yeah.
00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:39.680
And then uh Cubs and Padres.
00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:45.039
Um I'm gonna make my Chicago people unhappy with me now.
00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:47.839
Going, I'm going Padres because of Craig's stamina.
00:20:47.920 --> 00:20:52.160
Um that's that's why he's he's uh the manager, so good Catholic man.
00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:57.759
These are tough when you get to know managers and players personally, and yeah.
00:20:58.079 --> 00:21:07.359
Craig had us bless his office for um spring training this year, and he because he said I have to make life um changing decisions for people.
00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:11.119
And I thought that really that really moved my heart when he when he did that.
00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:11.759
That was great.
00:21:11.920 --> 00:21:12.640
He's a good man.
00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:15.599
We'll definitely have him on after the season finishes.
00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:17.759
Hopefully they make a good long run.
00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:23.039
I'm I'm torn being the Cubs chaplain and going against uh Craig.
00:21:23.200 --> 00:21:24.880
Um Ray, what about you?
00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:27.440
Any any thoughts, Phil Phillies and Braves?
00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:31.279
Uh I'm gonna be really honest and very evasive.
00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:33.119
Uh I'm not going to pick anybody.
00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:43.440
I've learned by long and hard experience that we have friends, which is wonderful in the network that we have, on each and every team that's in the playoffs who are instrumental in some cases in our masses.
00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:49.680
And I I it sometimes when they if they hear I picked a team against them, they they'll like raise it with me.
00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:51.200
So I'm not gonna do that.
00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:54.000
I'm never not very good at predicting anyway.
00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:55.119
I think it's gonna be good.
00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:59.759
There were some I think the teams with the best pitching, and there are a number of them, are gonna be hard to.
00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:03.519
To Pete, but it's who winds up, I have no idea.
00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:08.799
But I do want to piggyback on something the bishop said about the White Sox.
00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:10.960
It's just been incredible.
00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:23.599
Um, you know, one scribe recently read, I thought it was a great line, said that you know, Jesus, of course, you know, raised Lazarus from the dead, and the Pope Leo has raised the whole franchise from the dead.
00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:27.200
Um I love, but it's really amazing.
00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:31.920
Our good friend Drew Romo is part of that White Sock Two amazing story in it in itself.
00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:40.480
And um just amazing and recently I want to mention too, uh uh AJ Prozinski uh got to visit the Holy Father, was really amazing.
00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:44.559
And I said to AJ, and you know, it he he was very nervous.
00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:51.119
He he he texted Mike and I the day before, and he wanted to know what he should wear, what he should say, and everything.
00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:53.039
And I said, just relax, AJ.
00:22:53.200 --> 00:23:04.720
I can honestly say to you that of all the athletes I know that have met the Popes over the years, you're probably the first one that the Pope knew of you before you knew of him.
00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:08.319
And who's more excited maybe to meet you than you are to meet him?
00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:15.680
Um and it was and the Pope said on the way at a when he was took, I think, full 10 minutes, which you know is a lot of the Holy Father's time.
00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:24.000
And he said on the way um as AJ was leaving the stage, he said, Tell the Sox I'm still watching and rooting for them, which I think is great.
00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:30.480
Can you imagine if he comes over someday to throw out a first pitch at a White Sox game?
00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:34.720
I mean, this one the security, but uh I'm not sure I can't.
00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:35.599
I mean, imagine it.
00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:38.960
I mean, it's yeah, what a what a moment that would be.
00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:45.039
Um and the hottest ticket price maybe ever in baseball, if that happens.
00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:52.000
Um, but I respect uh the decision not to um we we make calls and and people know we're not betters.
00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:54.079
I'm the worst of all of them, by the way.
00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:55.519
So if people if people are betting.
00:23:56.400 --> 00:23:58.079
I had the Royals winning it all this year.
00:23:58.240 --> 00:23:59.359
That's how bad I am.
00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:02.559
Well, yeah, and it's you know, baseball is such a funny game.
00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:04.720
It's maybe one of the main reasons we love it.
00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:06.079
It's so unpredictable.
00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:10.160
You mentioned the Phillies, and I agree with what Bishop Wall's analysis of it.
00:24:10.319 --> 00:24:12.240
But you remember the Phillies' great run.
00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:14.480
I think they were stopped by your diamondbacks.
00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:16.400
Um but they were unbeatable.
00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:19.759
They were up three to one on the diamondbacks and looked like they're headed to the World Series.
00:24:19.920 --> 00:24:24.559
But that year, they ended the season here in Washington, D.C.
00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:26.319
And they were on fumes.
00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:33.359
They had lost, I don't know what it was, but they had lost maybe two-thirds of their last uh or their last month's games.
00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:37.200
They just basically eked into the playoffs.
00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:40.480
And once the playoffs started, they were just a new team.
00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:51.039
Yeah, they it's a that's one of those teams, as you're saying, they have they have three great pitchers that could carry them a long way if they if they hit a little bit.
00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:52.880
And they've had they've had good luck.
00:24:52.960 --> 00:25:01.039
Um, I'm as a Cubs chaplain, I'm pulling for the Cubs, obviously, but I've also been a lifelong Phillies fan, even before the Cubs.
00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:13.440
And so uh I think the Phillies, if they if they hit, you know, they could go deep because of Wheeler, Sanchez, and Lazardo, uh great, great pitching.
00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:19.279
Um, I'd say I'm gonna pull for the White Sox, uh Drew Romo, local team.
00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:23.200
Drew's going to the playoffs and getting married this year.
00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:24.559
How about that?
00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:25.119
Yeah.
00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:26.079
And what is it?
00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:29.039
They they had three consecutive hundred loss seasons, I think.
00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:38.400
And and it's it's really a miracle that they're, you know, when we started the season living here in Chicago, nobody thought the White Sox would be in the playoffs.
00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:41.839
We thought maybe if they get to 500, that'd be great.
00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:45.440
And now 500 would be in the playoffs anyway in the American League.
00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:55.039
Um and then uh I think Red Sox, Yankees, how what a great uh rivalry to start uh the wild card with them.
00:25:55.200 --> 00:26:03.839
So um yeah, uh I'd have to give the nod to the the home team there because I think they're so evenly matched.
00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:07.519
So go to the Yankees, White Sox, Cubs, and Phillies.
00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:11.839
So three lower seeds and one one higher seed.
00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:15.359
Um let's switch gears a little bit.
00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:19.039
Uh and I know Ray is uh great man of faith too.
00:26:19.119 --> 00:26:24.079
We're gonna we're gonna dive into the 27th Sunday in ordinary time.
00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:26.960
Uh Bishop, you wanna you wanna get us started?
00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:28.559
Sure, be happy to.
00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:34.000
So this is um, I know we always pay attention in all the readings at Mass.
00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:34.880
We have to, right?
00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:54.799
We we encounter Christ in the in the word proclaimed, um, but especially pay really close attention to the very first reading um that we're gonna have this with this week at Mass because it ties through and it makes the gospel make more sense, and that's um from the prophet Isaiah.
00:26:55.039 --> 00:27:05.839
So um remember, Jesus is in the temple, and so he's not speaking to just kind of the general crowd of disciples, but he's speaking to the religious leaders.
00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:08.480
And so he gives them another parable.
00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:12.880
Remember, parables we can just keep going back to them and learning and learning and learning.
00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:15.599
And he talks about the landowner who planted a vineyard.
00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:17.519
So we have that image of a vineyard.
00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:23.039
Um ultimately we know that's that's the landowner, we know that to be God.
00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:27.200
Um, we know that the vineyard ultimately is the kingdom.
00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:31.839
But in this case, we're we're specifically speaking about Jerusalem.
00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:44.480
And so here he is in the temple speaking to the the leaders, and he talks about a landowner who had a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and then built a tower, and then he leases it out.
00:27:44.799 --> 00:28:03.039
So he's still the owner, he's leasing it out, and he and it talks about the servants, and um uh he sent his servants to the tenants, so he's leased it out to the tenants to obtain his product produce, and then it talks about all the horrible things that they do to him.
00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:10.240
So if we're just looking at the how do we who are these who are these people, the servants that he sends to the tenants?
00:28:10.400 --> 00:28:16.319
Well, the tenants would be the religious leaders, and he's Jesus is talking about other horrible ways.
00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:18.000
That's what essentially what he's doing to him.
00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:24.240
They're not doing the will of the of the owner, the landowner, which we all know ultimately to be God.
00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:30.799
And the the servants who he sends to them, these are the um, these are the prophets.
00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:35.839
These are the prophets that he sends to them, said, Look, you're not doing God's will.
00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:38.079
You have to come back to doing God's will.
00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:41.279
And then it says all the things that they they did to them.
00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:49.200
You know, it talks about one being stoned, it talks about one um being killed, you know, talks about they beat up the other one, all these different things.
00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:54.000
And tradition, if we just take a look at tradition, I think we have Isaiah.
00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:58.720
Um traditionally, you have Isaiah being killed, and he was sawed in two.
00:28:58.960 --> 00:29:00.559
We get that from Brent Petrie.
00:29:01.039 --> 00:29:06.480
Um, and then we look at um who was the the other the other well, there was one that was stoned.
00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:10.000
I think it was Jeremiah, traditionally has Jeremiah being stoned.
00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:12.960
So these are the prophets, as we talk about the prophets.
00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:24.400
So when he's saying this to the religious leaders, he knows exact they know exactly what he's talking about because they know the word, they know that they know the scriptures very well, so they know that he's going back to Isaiah.
00:29:24.480 --> 00:29:29.200
And then he says, and then this is the twist and the whole thing, then he sends his son.
00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:32.079
So think about that just in practical terms.
00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:40.079
Would a father send his son into uh an environment where the people he sent before have just been killed?
00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:41.920
It's like, no, he wouldn't do that.
00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:48.240
Only if you know the son's purpose is to come into the world to suffer to die and to rise.
00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:53.359
And um that's that's the whole purpose of it, because that's why Jesus came into the world.
00:29:53.839 --> 00:30:00.160
So he he he tells him, he he tells him that he sends the son and this is what they they do to him as well.
00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:02.079
So there's more to this.
00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:12.480
I know Father Burke's gonna pick up on this, but I think this weekend really pay close attention to what Isaiah is saying, and then tie it into what we're gonna hear in in the gospel passage.
00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:23.839
So just like the last couple last weeks, Jesus is speaking directly to the religious leaders, and he's calling them out for their poor leadership, their poor behavior.
00:30:24.079 --> 00:30:27.359
And then he's also talking about how they're going to reject him.
00:30:27.599 --> 00:30:36.480
And we know how they're gonna reject him, they're gonna reject him in his suffering, his death, but we know that the victory ultimately is gonna be the Lord in his resurrection.
00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:42.319
Yeah, I was thinking, as you're saying, these last few weeks, you can see this common thread.
00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:46.160
And uh I was thinking of Nathan and David again.
00:30:46.240 --> 00:31:00.799
Uh, remember when Nathan is talking to David, he gives him the story of um this rich man had a lot of lot of sheep, and then there's a poor man next door, he had this one little eulan that he treated like his own child.
00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:15.759
The rich man got a visitor, and instead of taking one of his own sheep to slaughter for a feast, he goes to the um the poor man, takes his one little sheep and offers it for his his party.
00:31:16.160 --> 00:31:19.200
And uh, you know, Nathan says, What do you think about this?
00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:20.960
And David says, That's awful.
00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:22.480
That man should die.
00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:25.279
And Nathan says, That man is you.
00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:29.680
You took you know Uriah's uh wife, Bathsheba.
00:31:29.839 --> 00:31:36.720
Similarly, here it Jesus lays out this parable, yeah, and you know, he says, What will the owner do?
00:31:36.880 --> 00:31:46.400
And they answered the the religious leaders, he will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.
00:31:46.640 --> 00:31:51.200
Jesus doesn't say it directly, but it's you know, he's like he's saying, That's you.
00:31:51.519 --> 00:31:58.079
I've I've given you the vineyard here and you've made a mess and you've killed my prophets.
00:31:58.400 --> 00:32:03.119
And he says the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:08.160
You know, I'm gonna be the one that's ultimately rejected and killed, and I'm the son of God.
00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:20.000
And so it's a reminder for us, I think, to say it's easy for us to be quick to point out what others have done and uh kind of get self-righteous, I think.
00:32:20.160 --> 00:32:24.880
And I think it's really important for us to look in the mirror and say, you know, how how have I denied the Lord?
00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:26.160
How have I betrayed him?
00:32:26.400 --> 00:32:27.839
How have I sinned against him?
00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:38.960
And, you know, as Jesus says, let's take the the um you know plank out of our eye before we do anything about the splinter in another's eye.
00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:44.079
Ray, what are what are your thoughts as you look at the readings for this weekend?
00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:50.400
Something that strikes me, going back to last weekend's reading also, and this continuation of the parable narrative.
00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:57.839
I even think of the so-called prodigal son parable, which is one of my favorite stories, parables in the Bible.
00:32:58.079 --> 00:33:09.920
Um, there's such a widespread, as you know, Bishop Wall very correctly points out that Jesus is speaking to the leadership, and it's so important when reflecting and re-analyzing scripture to know who the message is for.
00:33:10.160 --> 00:33:21.839
But also, I think there's a broad misunderstanding about the vineyard, is uh when you think about the workers who are called at the end of the day getting the same wage.
00:33:22.079 --> 00:33:26.720
Um, being in the vineyard, working in the vineyard in the kingdom is a blessing.
00:33:26.799 --> 00:33:27.759
It's a privilege.
00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:34.400
So being there working longer is not something that you should be bemoaning or complaining somebody else gets in later.
00:33:34.559 --> 00:33:39.200
You should be thankful for the blessing that you've been called when you've been called.
00:33:39.359 --> 00:33:44.880
And you know, whenever it is that's early in the morning or at the end of the day, just be thankful for that.
00:33:44.960 --> 00:33:57.519
And I think if we all had that perspective, there would be such a different understanding of these parables and sometimes the you know resentment that that sadly comes from misunderstanding these parables.
00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:58.480
Yeah.
00:33:59.200 --> 00:34:00.000
Well said.
00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:14.079
Yeah, that um I think what picking up what Ray's talking about, you know, we always want to avoid um making comparisons like in comparing myself to somebody else.
00:34:14.320 --> 00:34:15.119
Little kids do that.
00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:19.199
Oh, look what he got, or look what she got, he got more than me, or she got more than me.
00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:20.880
You know, things like that.
00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:26.400
And and um just the joy, like you said, the joy of being in the in the vineyard.
00:34:26.559 --> 00:34:35.360
Because the vineyard is the Lord's and uh and just the joy, and we should desire like God desires that all people come to know salvation.
00:34:35.519 --> 00:34:37.760
So everyone's everyone's in the vineyard.
00:34:37.840 --> 00:34:47.039
That's what God desires, whether they came in like that that uh at the at the first hour where they came in, the Johnny come lately's at the last minute.
00:34:47.199 --> 00:34:48.000
That's okay.
00:34:48.159 --> 00:34:49.599
It's okay too.
00:34:50.239 --> 00:35:01.119
And it just reminds me, I think we I'd be remiss if we didn't say uh Bishop, and I I don't know, Ray, if you were at the beatification mass for Bishop Sheen this past week.
00:35:01.280 --> 00:35:03.440
Uh it was not, but I followed it very closely.
00:35:03.599 --> 00:35:05.599
I'm a huge fan of uh Bishop Sheen.
00:35:06.079 --> 00:35:07.199
Yeah, me, us too.
00:35:07.360 --> 00:35:09.840
It was one of the most powerful things I've experienced.
00:35:10.000 --> 00:35:18.960
And one of the lines from Bishop Tilka from Peoria, uh, he said, everything Bishop Sheen did was to bring people to Christ.
00:35:19.119 --> 00:35:26.079
And that is just echoed in my heart, like that's the heart of a shepherd, and uh that should be the heart of all of us, right?
00:35:26.159 --> 00:35:40.079
That's we've been we've experienced mercy and love in such a way that we're called to go out and and share that and not think this vineyard is mine or that uh I'm in control of this.
00:35:40.239 --> 00:35:45.440
It's we're we're simply stewards of the incredible gifts that God has given us.
00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:57.920
And I just I think Bishop Sheen is going to be a great um uh intercessor for for our country and uh for for many ministries in this in this world.
00:36:00.719 --> 00:36:11.280
Yeah, I think um I I was talking to one of the Polish bishops, and he uh said to me that prior in Poland, prior to Pope St.
00:36:11.440 --> 00:36:16.559
John Paul II, he said that the vocations were similar to the way they were here in the United States.
00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:21.119
And then when JP2 came on the scene, they just exploded.
00:36:21.280 --> 00:36:24.960
I mean, they just exploded.
00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:31.760
And he and he he was of the opinion that that Sheen is going to do something similar in the United States.
00:36:32.239 --> 00:36:42.719
And we saw, you know, we saw 82 bishops, we saw a thousand priests, we saw a thousand seminarians, uh, over two hundred permanent deacons.
00:36:42.800 --> 00:36:47.119
I mean, it was just amazing to see all these families we saw.
00:36:47.360 --> 00:36:51.280
And I I think I think Sheen's um gonna have an impact.
00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:58.239
His intercession is gonna have an impact on vocations here in the ple in the in the country that he called home.
00:36:58.639 --> 00:37:09.599
Yeah, I think we're, and and John Paul II predicted this, we're entering into a uh a new springtime, and uh I think we're seeing that with people coming into the church.
00:37:09.679 --> 00:37:14.159
There's this renewal, the Holy Spirit's working, and uh it's an exciting time.
00:37:14.320 --> 00:37:19.599
It's always fun to be Catholic, but I think this is an especially exciting time to be Catholic.
00:37:19.760 --> 00:37:24.559
So Ray, thank you for uh taking time this morning to to join us.
00:37:24.719 --> 00:37:37.360
It's uh always great to connect with you and thank you for your faithfulness and the ministry that uh uh you've brought to so many Catholics and specifically Catholic athletes around our country.
00:37:38.159 --> 00:37:39.119
Thank you both.
00:37:39.280 --> 00:37:39.920
God bless you.
00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:50.480
And when I think of Sheen and I think of you too, I think of devotion to a holy hour and adoration, and hopefully that will be another blessing that the beatification brings.
00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:53.199
Is if we get everybody doing a holy hour, wow.
00:37:55.840 --> 00:37:56.960
Light the world on fire.
00:37:57.199 --> 00:37:58.320
Yes, yeah.
00:37:58.559 --> 00:37:59.199
Was it St.
00:37:59.280 --> 00:38:00.239
Catherine of Siena?
00:38:00.400 --> 00:38:04.159
Become who you were created to be, and you'll set the world on fire.
00:38:04.320 --> 00:38:10.159
And that happens by spending that one continuous hour a day in the presence of the Lord.
00:38:11.280 --> 00:38:12.079
Yeah, yeah.
00:38:12.480 --> 00:38:13.599
Beautiful.
00:38:14.079 --> 00:38:16.320
Bishop, would you close us in prayer?
00:38:16.639 --> 00:38:18.000
Sure, be happy to.
00:38:19.039 --> 00:38:21.440
The name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
00:38:21.760 --> 00:38:22.159
Amen.
00:38:22.639 --> 00:38:26.159
Well, Saint John Paul, from the window of heaven, grant us your blessing.
00:38:26.400 --> 00:38:35.679
Bless the church that you loved and served and guided, courageously leading her along the paths of the world, in order to bring Jesus to everyone and everyone to Jesus.
00:38:35.920 --> 00:38:38.239
Bless the young who are your great passion.
00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:45.679
Help them dream again, help them look up to the heavens again, to find the light that illuminates the paths of life here on earth.
00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:47.920
May you bless each and every family.
00:38:48.239 --> 00:38:55.679
You warned of Satan's assault against this precious and indispensable divine spark that God lit on earth.
00:38:55.920 --> 00:39:01.920
Saint John Paul, with your prayers, may you protect the family and every life that blossoms from the family.
00:39:02.239 --> 00:39:07.599
Pray for the whole world, which is still marked by tensions, wars, and injustice.
00:39:07.840 --> 00:39:12.719
You opposed war by invoking dialogue and planting the seeds of love.
00:39:13.039 --> 00:39:16.960
Pray for us, so that we may be tireless sowers of peace.
00:39:17.280 --> 00:39:17.760
Well, St.
00:39:17.840 --> 00:39:24.480
John Paul from Heaven's Window, where we see you beside Mary, send God's blessing down upon us all.
00:39:24.800 --> 00:39:25.440
Amen.
00:39:26.800 --> 00:39:28.000
The Lord be with you.
00:39:28.239 --> 00:39:29.199
And with your spirit.
00:39:29.440 --> 00:39:33.760
May Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
00:39:34.079 --> 00:39:34.719
Amen.
00:39:35.519 --> 00:39:36.880
Thanks everyone for listening.
00:39:37.119 --> 00:39:41.920
Put your comments, and we'll be happy to uh answer those on uh next week's show.
00:39:42.159 --> 00:39:46.400
Like, subscribe, and share this podcast with someone you think it might be helpful for.
00:39:46.480 --> 00:39:46.960
And as St.
00:39:47.119 --> 00:39:52.559
Pierre Giorgio Frasati reminds us, the higher we go, the better we shall hear the voice of Christ.
00:39:52.719 --> 00:39:55.760
Keep striving Versoal Alto in your faith and pursuits.
00:39:55.920 --> 00:39:58.400
And until next time, God bless you.
