Choosing between our children’s athletic activities and faith practices is one of the biggest challenges parish families confront. Who hasn’t said at least once, “We couldn’t get to Mass because my daughter/son had a game”? In many instances, young people play on multiple teams, having more than one game on a given day. Families rush from one field to the next, children changing their uniforms in the car as they go. But is this really the kind of life parents want for their families?
A survey from the National Community of Catechetical Leaders (NCCL) indicates it is not. While they love being parents, moms and dads say they are stressed by all the commitments that come along with having children. More than 90% found parenting stressful and tiring at least some of the time – with one-third indicating that is the case most or all the time. When asked about topics with which they could use help and support, over half said they want guidance in balancing the “many commitments in my life as a parent.” None of this should be surprising. As a PCL, I don’t know a single parent who isn’t shuttling children daily to and from different activities. This is why summer religious education programs have become so popular.
Catholic teaching values physical activity as an integral part of human development and fulfillment. We need to nurture our bodies and tend to our spiritual needs. It is not an either/or but a both/and.
The problem is not sports, per se. It is how we approach them. We tend to overvalue the benefits of organized youth sports. We want our children to be on the “elite” level teams and forget about simple play and enjoyment.
Scripture says God is playful. In Genesis “the Spirit of God played” over the waters at the moment of creation. The Book of Proverbs says that God’s wisdom is constantly at play in the universe. Made in God’s image human beings, especially children, need free, creative, imaginative play to be fully human and realize our God-given dignity and potential. Jesus said: “The sabbath (rest) was made for humanity,” not the other way around. Too often, organized athletics become just another thing to check off our daily to-do list, adding more stress to our lives than it relieves.
Here are a few tips for when conflicts arise:
1.Be transparent with coaches and instructors. Tell them the practice of your faith is important to your family and there will be times your child will need to miss or be late because of religious observance or instruction. Faith will sustain your child through life no matter what they do as adults. Less than 2% of high school athletes continue to play at the Division 1 level. Everyone can get to heaven.
2.Download the Catholic Mass Times app on your phone to check when you can go to Mass wherever you are. Most parishes have a Saturday evening vigil and early Mass times on Sundays.
3. Keep a Bible and a book of Catholic prayers in your car. Pray together as you go from practice to practice, event to event. Download apps like Laudete, Hallow, 3-Minute Retreat, or Click to Pray which offer prayers and meditations.
4. Take a break! During Lent we are called to make a sacrifice, fasting from something that may be causing us harm. This Lent, consider taking a break from organized sports, maybe just once or twice a week over the 40 days. Use the time to play together more as a family or spend some down time with each other.
We can choose the path of both/and by joining our faith life and our sports life together for a more complete and fulfilling life.
For more on this topic, go to: www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/01/13/youth-sports-catholic-rest-249675
Mark Russoniello is parish catechetical leader in St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold.
Faith at Home is a monthly column coordinated by the Diocese of Trenton’s Departments of Catechesis, Evangelization and Family Life, and Youth and Young Adult Ministry. For additional Faith at Home resources, visit dioceseoftrenton.org/faith-at-home.