MARCH 18, 2019 THE JESUIT REVIEW OF FAITH AND CULTURE Catholic School Sports, From the Babe RUNNING to LeBron FOR THE p40 POPE Michael J. O’Loughlin p18 Rinkside with the Nashville Predators p24 Leaving ESPN p34 1 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORG MARCH 18, 2019 AMERICA | PB ONLINE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CHURCH MANAGEMENT BRIDGING MISSION AND MANAGEMENT Managing budgets, addressing HR Master of Science in Church Management challenges, and adapting new from Villanova University gives you a technologies might not be primary solid management foundation designed drivers of your mission, but doing them specifically for faith-based institutions. well can enable more effective ministry. What’s more, you can receive your Whether you are a business manager, masters from home in only two a pastoral leader, or a volunteer years – from the #2 ranked online looking to server the church, a graduate business program. MANAGEMENT SKILL FOR MINISTRY GET YOUR MASTERS AT ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP | ECCLESIOLOGY | HR | IT | LAW | FINANCE MSCM.VILLANOVA.EDU 2 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORG MARCH 18, 2019 AMERICA | 3 Of Liturgies and Line Drives Matt Malone, S.J., is traveling These are all sound arguments Other thinkers—Marshall Mc- abroad. But I also suspect he let me for why one should love Bartolo Luhan among them—would disagree, be the pinch-hitter for this column Colón, but I want a team to sign him finding in sporting events some of in America’s special sports issue for the 2019 season for a more self- the elements that allow a culture to out of pity. Major League Baseball’s ish reason. At 45 years of age, he is understand itself. “The advantage of spring training is in full swing, after the only active major league baseball coverage of sports events is they are all, and not a day goes by that I am player who is older than I. And I am ritualistic,” McLuhan once said. “Peo- not reminded that his favorite team, still young as long as he’s still playing, ple have the feeling of participating as the Boston Red Sox, pummelled my aren’t I? One more year, Big Sexy. a group in a great meaningful ritual. beloved Los Angeles Dodgers in last One more year. And it doesn’t much matter who wins. year’s World Series. I would like to say Why do sports—even just in the That isn’t the point.” he was a good sport about it, then and watching—make us feel young even McLuhan was a bit off, of course now, but you know, dear reader, it is a when we’re old? Are they our last re- (It doesn’t matter who wins? Please.). sin to tell a lie. So let’s just accept this maining links to childhood, to care- But his central point holds: We as a gesture as recompense. free and unstructured leisure? To culture need rituals, rites of passage, I am on pins and needles con- innocence? liturgies, litanies. They provide some cerning another baseball matter The most famous baseball player of the connective tissue between eras, these days: the ongoing free agency of all time was universally known as between parents and kids, between of Bartolo Colón, the husky hurler the Babe; the hitter with the sweetest neighbors, even between nations. who started his major league career swing you ever saw was nicknamed And it is worth noting that the with the Cleveland Indians in 1997 the Kid. When the 1919 Chicago age at which we start to take sports (the year our youngest America “Black Sox” threw the World Series, seriously—as something really employee was born) and went on to their greatest crime in the eyes of the worth doing or watching, as opposed pitch for the Montreal Expos, the country was their theft of the inno- to just “fun” or “minimizing screen Chicago White Sox (twice), the Ana- cence of their young fans. Remember time”—is exactly at that point when heim Angels (no, they are not from the boy pleading with Shoeless Joe our children become adults. We Los Angeles and I shan’t indulge Jackson? “Say it ain’t so, Joe! Say it don’t want them to go off to war, nec- their fiction), the aforementioned ain’t so!” essarily, but we want to see our sons Boston Red Sox, the New York Yan- Are professional sports the only and daughters show their valor as kees, the Oakland Athletics, the New acceptable realm where adults are warriors. And yes, we all want to feel York Mets, the Atlanta Braves, the still allowed to have heroes? Sales young again. Minnesota Twins and, last year, the of N.B.A. jerseys last year topped $2 One more year, Big Sexy. One Texas Rangers. billion, all sold to folks who want to more year. He is a four-time All-Star and a Cy wear a shirt in public with someone Young Award winner. Also, he weighs else’s name on it. Or does playing James T. Keane is a senior editor at 285 pounds. In 2018, an opposing hit- or watching sports provide a social- America Media. ter scorched a 102-m.p.h. line drive di- ly conditioned outlet for the baser Twitter: @jamestkeane. rectly at Mr. Colón. He, mirabile dictu, instincts of our nature? George Or- stopped it cold with his gut and threw well thought so. “Serious sport has the runner out, with no apparent dis- nothing to do with fair play,” he once comfort. “I have a lot of big belly,” he wrote. “It is bound up with hatred, told reporters after the game. “I can jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of take it." all rules and sadistic pleasure in wit- Oh, and he has a nickname: nessing violence. In other words, it is Big Sexy. war minus the shooting.” 2 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORG MARCH 18, 2019 AMERICA | 3 THE ISSUE GIVE AND TAKE DISPATCHES FEATURES 6 12 18 YOUR TAKE THE SYNOD ON THE AMAZON RUNNING FOR THE POPE Do you think that sports DRAWS UNWELCOME A new Vatican team supports build character? ATTENTION IN BRAZIL play, fitness and the value of being Christian 8 Infographic: Spending on sports at Michael J. O’Loughlin OUR TAKE Catholic universities New apostolic goals for the 24 Jesuits; the imperialization A Duterte critic is charged with MEET THE MOST CATHOLIC of the presidency ‘cyber libel’ in the Philippines TEAM IN HOCKEY This N.H.L. club could make even 10 Street protests against corruption Pope Francis a fan SHORT TAKE subside in Haiti Michael McKinley How boxing and its physical punishment resonated with In East Timor, a Jesuit parish brings Catholic immigrants sustenance to an isolated village POEM Amy Koehlinger 44 SAINT BRENDAN’S ROUND BOAT Ted Kooser 4 | AMERICAMAGAZINE.ORG AP Photo/Peter Morrison AP Photo/Peter The media photograph costumed demonstrators at a mock wall on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, near the town of Newry in Northern Ireland, Jan. 26. The United Kingdom is scheduled to officially leave the European Union on March 29. THE ISSUE Cover: CNS photo/Paul Haring FAITH & REASON IDEAS IN REVIEW THE WORD 30 40 52 BEYOND CIVILITY CATHOLIC SCHOOL SPORTS What undeserved good things has Cornel West and Robert P. George on A rich history, from Babe Ruth to God given you? Christian love in the public square LeBron James Tom Deignan Do you use your freedom to serve others in love? FAITH IN FOCUS BOOKS Michael Simone The Penguin Book of Hell; The Last 34 Pass; Half-Light; The Browns WALKING AWAY of California LAST TAKE Why I turned down ESPN to work in student ministry CULTURE 54 Nick Genovese “Confess”: An Installation by Trina MADONNA BUDER McKillen; Brandi Carlile’s “By the The “Iron Nun” on God, triathlons 38 Way, I Forgive You” and aging PRAYERS WITH SISTER JEAN Zac Davis MARCH 18, 2019 VOL. 220 NO. 6 WHOLE NO. 5213 YOUR TAKE Do you believe that sports build character? When asked if sports build character, 75 percent of “Athletes learn about sacrificing for a greater goal,” respondents said yes and 25 percent said no. wrote Kevin Pulliam of South Bend, Ind. “I have coached high school athletes for 52 years,” said Dissenters pointed to the competitive spirit intrinsic Thomas Sexton of Philadelphia, Pa. “I see them learn and to sports. “Sports build character no more than any other grow in so many ways.” program that requires us to make a commitment and strive Dozens of respondents expressed similar views, noting to improve ourselves,” said Sue Sack of Dayton, Ohio. “All that many people participate in sports during adolescence, too often, it seems, they instead build a society of people a critical period of growth and development. who, as observers, encourage the growth of excessive com- Asked what about sports helps to build character, petition and ego in others.” readers pointed to a number of aspects. Thirty-nine per- Some readers emphasized that while sports have the cent said athletes learn about teamwork; 33 percent said potential to build character, it is not guaranteed. “Unless athletes learn to deal with failure; and 23 percent said coaches explicitly address these concepts, neither true sports do not teach character. Five percent said athletes learning nor character building takes place,” wrote Donald learn social skills. Sprague of Chicago, Ill. Do you think that sports build character? Athletes learn that in order YES 75% to achieve a goal they need to work with others. NO 25% Carol Peterson Yorktown, N.Y. 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% How do sports build character? Athletes learn about teamwork 39% Athletes learn how 33% Sports allow you to understand to deal with failure why failure happens, how to deal with it and how to avoid None of these; sports do not build character 23% repeating it.