SI Vault
 
Heaven Helps Them
Steve Rushin
May 02, 2005
As sports have become a modern religion, religion has become more like modern sports. Just before the Olympics last summer, Pope John Paul II created a Vatican sports department to engage the world's youth, few of whom aspire to be priests, but many of whom aspire to be Priest Holmes.
Decrease font Decrease font
Enlarge font Enlarge font
May 02, 2005

Heaven Helps Them

View CoverRead All Articles
Print This PRINT E-mail This EMAIL Most Popular MOST POPULAR SHARE SHARE
1 2

And sometimes they just miss doing so. After saying that Mass five years ago in Olympic Stadium, the pope watched a soccer match. The crowd did the wave in tribute to a pope weakened by Parkinson's. Had he been healthy, I like to think, he surely would have risen--quite literally and happily--to the occasion. ?

? If you have a comment for Steve Rushin, send it to rushin@siletters.com.

1 2