Baseball and Faith
Editor’s Note: This article is a special edition to the series Baseball and Faith. Fr. Ben Daghir, along with several priests who serve in the Diocese of Erie, recently attended a Pittsburgh Pirates game at PNC Park.
I recently had the opportunity to spend four days at Saint Vincent College with priests who serve in the Diocese of Erie. We heard talks, had dialogue sessions, celebrated Mass, and spent time together. During this priest convocation (called Emmaus), several of us decided on a free evening to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
I went to the game with seven other priests (two of the priests were Fr. Jeff Noble and Fr. Tom Curry, O.S.B.). We had a very good time together while enjoying America’s Pastime.
Here is what I enjoyed the most priests enjoying and engaged in a beau- tiful tradition of American culture. I was also impressed with the other priests’ knowledge of the game of baseball. In fact, these other priests love the game of baseball.
I also heard stories from the priests about World Series games, remarkable moments, and legendary players. I also had the unique opportunity of sitting next to one of our priests from Mexico who serves in a Spanish-speaking parish in Erie. It was an honor for me to sit next to him at his first ever Major League Baseball game. What does this have to do with the faith? Cardinal George (1937-2015) was the archbishop of Chicago and once stated “you cannot evangelize a culture that you do not love.”
I thought about this principle while being with the other seven priests at the Pittsburgh Pirates game.
Priests who serve in a diocese (which is a geographic location) must be with the people. He needs to know what people love and what interests them. A priest who is disconnected from the culture ipso facto cuts himself off from the people. In the words of Pope Francis, he ceases to smell like the sheep if he is neither aware nor involved in the culture. The culture consists of history, politics, economics, sports, science, music, literature, art, poetry, foods, and so much more. The priest must enter into the culture because Jesus Christ desires to permeate and enrich all of humanity.
Now, I am not suggesting that everything within the culture is good for a priest to participate in and elevate (of course not). Instead, I am proposing that whatever is true, good, and beautiful within a culture must be appreciated and respected by a priest. The true, good, and beautiful are always a bridge and an opportunity with people.
It gave me much excitement and hope to be with seven other priests at the Pittsburgh Pirates game because a priest who loves the culture can evangelize it.
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Fr. Ben Daghir is a priest for the Diocese of Erie from St. Marys, PA. He played pitcher for the Elk Catholic Crusaders in 2010-2011 and coached SM Little League for 4 years. Ben was a pitcher for the 2009 St. Marys Senior League State Championship team. His favorite team is the Pittsburgh Pirates and favorite baseball player is Tim Lincecum.