Faith

Friday, April 24, 2026Faith

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It takes a great degree of hard work and resilience to prepare for and complete a marathon. It is no mere physical test, but one that places demands on the mind and spirit, as well.

Archbishop Richard G.
Henning

Much has been said recently about the rising number of people discovering or returning to the practice of the Catholic faith. I certainly have been experiencing that reality on the ground in parishes, schools, and on university campuses. In the years since the pandemic, we have seen a rising number of people seeking baptism, increased Sunday Mass attendance, and significant increases in seminary admissions. As I visit communities, there is also a kind of electricity in the air as people sense that God is at work in these developments. The most dramatic changes have been among the young, and I have spoken previously of these experiences in this column.

Today, I would like to reflect on one of the interesting elements of this revival of faith. At colleges and in high schools, student athletes have been well represented among the young people engaging in the faith. In fact, many student athletes have provided leadership to their peers by encouraging each other to practice the faith and offering an example of faith, generosity, and healthy friendship. In some instances, that leadership arises spontaneously. In other instances, coaches are important catalysts for student-athletes to ask deeper questions. There are also missionaries who have noticed this revival among athletes and sought to provide encouragement and resources. I have been happy to learn of teams who pray together or who join one another for Bible study. In high schools, some coaches have revived a former practice of team Masses.
I was thinking much about these things as I watched the Boston Marathon. The Parish of St. Patrick in Natick, right on the marathon route, invited me to celebrate the morning Mass. Afterwards, I enjoyed standing on the front steps to cheer on the participants. It was a raucous and joyful atmosphere with bells ringing, horns blaring, and people smiling and calling out to one another. On the steps, the parish priests brought out a life-sized cutout of Pope Leo XIV -- a sight which brought a happy reaction from many of the runners who waved or blessed themselves as they passed the church.
It takes a great degree of hard work and resilience to prepare for and complete a marathon. It is no mere physical test, but one that places demands on the mind and spirit as well. The determination to undertake this feat is one that runs contrary to so much of the messaging of our consumer culture. We are surrounded by words and imagery that call upon us to indulge, to relax, and to enjoy. Ads sell us the easy fix, constant entertainment, and a substance to dull every pain.
I wonder if the strong response of faith among student-athletes might be related to the very demands of their sport. Athletes still understand that excellence requires hard work and sacrifice. They know what it means to struggle to achieve. They know that there are no shortcuts and that teamwork matters. I wonder if the wisdom of their experience better prepares them for the demands of discipleship. I wonder if they experience authentic life and friendship on their fields, courts, and courses, and are therefore less likely to fall for the illusions of the culture or life on screens. It would certainly explain why so many athletes are bringing passion and hard work to the practice of the faith. They run the race, and they keep the faith. So should we all.

- Archbishop Richard G. Henning is the Archbishop of Boston