I hope what I'm about to write isn't a total shock to you. Unfortunately, you don't hear about it often enough, but I'd like to share an important truth. The Catholic Church meets people where they are. It's been the message of Francis' pontificate in word and in deed. But, I know long before this Jesuit became the Holy Father, the Catholic Church was showing up in the streets, homes and ballparks of the faithful.
Ballparks? That's right. And, I'm not referring to the many teams, like my alma mater, that have a chaplain that travels with certain (shall we say high profile?) teams. In fact, I'm not even talking about the Church tending to the spiritual needs of athletes. No, like the call of the Good Shepherd to tend to it's flock, the Catholic Church is tending to Washington Nationals baseball fans and their Sunday obligation in what is known as NatsMass. Nats colors of red and blue, jerseys sporting your favorite player and prayers for good sportsmanship are required.
The website of the host parish, St. Vincent de Paul in South East, Washington DC reports
Sunday @ Noon on game-days.
Our parish is proud to serve game-goers who want to worship God and enjoy our nation's pastime. Join fellow fans for Sunday Mass before the game and enjoy the short walk over to the stadium in plenty of time for the 1:35 PM first pitch.
We're one-block from the center-field Gate at Nats Park -- half-a-block from Navy Yard Metro (exit: Half Street) -- at South Capitol and M Streets, SE
I was thrilled to discover my annual August visit to our nation's capital coincided with not only a chance to see the San Francisco Giants play the Washington Nationals, but another chance to attend NatsMass. Last year, I shared the Good News of NatsMas with friends, students, colleagues pretty much anyone who would listen. Aware that my enthusiasm might have been overblown or over-hyped, I was anxious to discover if it was as special as I remember it to be. Fortunately, I was not disappointed.
My brother and I pulled into the parking lot only to find an Eritrean community considers SVdP its home church. A country of 6 million people, the great distance runner Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi, is their native son. A naturalized citizen of the US since 1998, Meb is competing for his first Olympic gold medal in the marathon. He is the only marathoner in history to have won the Boston Marathon, the New York Marathon and an Olympic medal! With this simple encounter, I was reminded that the Olympics has a way of connecting us to others.
Once inside the church, I noticed that my brother and I were the only fans sporting colors of the enemy. I suppose if it were an appropriate venus for talking trash, I might have reminded folks about 2014 (I still can't believe we won NLDS) or asked a mother and daughter both wearing a navy blue "Span #2" jersey who they were cheering for. Denard Span, signed by the Giants in January, is our starting centerfielder. My take away from the NatsMass faithful is that Bryce Harper is by far the town favorite. Harper, also known as "Bam-Bam," was taken as the number one pick in the overall draft by the Nats in 2010.
Also a fan of a shorter mass, the pastor reverently moved through the order of the mass with a haste. He even joked that if it ran long, it's because the readings—the Gospel in particular—was lengthy. I love a presider with not only a good sense of humor, but an awareness of time. I wondered if the game of baseball might not learn a thing or two from his leadership.
The prayers he offered in the spirit of NatsMass were exemplary for how all athletes and coaches should pray together. During the intentions, he asked for the health and safety of all athletes and fans. He prayed that both teams demonstrate their God given talents for all to enjoy. He offered his prayers in a spirit of true sportsmanship, and at the conclusion of the Mass, he thanked everyone for coming to his parish and participating in NatsMass. Father Andy was sincere and kind in his gratitude, as his parish stands in a neighborhood that might otherwise, not have a crowd of this size at noon mass. I looked at my watch and saw that NatsMass ran all of but 40 minutes. We had nearly one hour until the first pitch.
The late Yogi Berra, is known not only for his Hall of Fame career as a Yankee, but his pithy quotes and sayings. They stay with us because in their irony, they reveal a truth. He said, "If people don't want to come out to the ball park, nobody's gonna stop 'em." Too often, I think about those who don't come out to the Church. It's disheartening to sit in a beautiful church that's nearly empty. I think of the souls who sat, prayed, listened to the word of God before me. I hope people will be there after me, too. But, nobody is stopping people from staying home or, rather going straight to the ballpark or their other Sunday obligations. But NatsMass presents a viable and warm alternative. We can say yes, to the Word, the Eucharist and the Nats faithful.
Yogi said "When you come to a fork in the road, take it." This fork—at South Capitol and M Streets is worth taking.
Photo Credits
Pope Francis
SVdP
Harper fan
There's not a whole lot the San Francisco Giants have to envy about the Washington Nationals. Even though they had the best record in the NL last year, the Orange and Black beat them in an exciting NLDS playoff series. Our star player, Buster Posey, has also met success at a very young age. However, he won the Rookie of the Year, the batting title in 2012, and was named NL MVP later that year without an "Natitude." While the implementation of a downtown ballpark has rejuvenated parts of our cities once in decline, it's hard to argue with a ballpark that allows for Splash Hits. Granted the Nationals look to the Washington Monument and the Capital building, but I love our own city and the mountainous vistas off in the (near) distance. Yet something takes place outside of Nationals Park that I wish could be replicated near ballparks across the United States every Sunday, especially AT&T Park. It's #NatsMass.
In Why One D. C. Church Started Nats Mass, Dan Steinberg writes,
Fans who stream into the Navy Yard district before Nats games are now greeted with increasingly varied entertainment choices, from Yards Park for fresh air and views of the Anacostia River to the Fairgrounds for frat-rock music and adult refreshments to a variety of neighborhood restaurants and taverns, with more to come.
On Sunday afternoon this summer, they've had another option: a Catholic church service. Or as the local St. Vincent de Paul church calls it "Nats Mass."
I had the privilege of attending it with my parents, brother and nieces yesterday before the Nationals took on the Colorado Rockies. We were greeted by a man in a t-shirt with the scripted capital "W" for Washington and I was struck by, not only the beauty of the church, but the sea of red and blue. Jerseys sporting names like Zimmerman, Strasburg and Werth lined the pews. The game day energy verified that the term "liturgy" means "celebration."
To me, the beauty of #NatsMass is an example of a third way. The Church is clearly meeting people where they are at, and as a result they are showing up...more people, more often. St. Vincent de Paul was a parish on the verge of closing and today it's hard not to recognize that it holds a special corner in South East DC!.
“For me, it was kind of a no-brainer,” said Rev. Andrew Royals, 34, a Montgomery County native who became the pastor at the South Capitol Street church about two years ago. “On game days we had thousands of people walking right in front of our church. I was like, ‘Well, I’m sure some of these people would like to go to church.’…And we thought there’s no reason people can’t do both.”
At my parish in San Francisco, I love the sight of Niner or Giants jerseys at the evening mass I attend. Although such attire might seem a bit informal, I know it's because these individuals made time for worship, even after the game. Perhaps I have lowered my standards, but I know from my students that while attending a professional sports game is a wonderful opportunity and something one would not dare miss, unfortunately Mass is.
Yet, as one Nats faithful said, "Baseball offers a lot of life lessons. I find myself teaching my son about those over the course of nine innings. And when I think of all that our faith offers us—life lessons of love, sacrifice, and putting others first—I find that NatsMass before the game only deepens our experience...and love for one another."
After the Mass, the Knights of Columbus offered fellowship that included hot dogs and drinks (for a donation). I loved listening to the church yard chatter as we munched away—talk about the fight for the Wild Card position (against the Giants no less) and the post-season prospects.
I left energized and excited to Play Ball! I was grateful for the opportunity to pray with other Nats fans and left wishing that there was a Catholic church close to AT&T Park. The China Basin area of where our stadium stands was once shipping yards; not a place where the faithful once lived. Who knows, in the spirit of Transfiguration, maybe the Church could just pitch a tent? or at the very least, I hope that other cities will follow the lead of the Nats Faithful.
Photo Credits
#NatsMass
Faithful at Nats Mass
Author's note:
Dear D.C.
I consider you to be a second home. I loved living inside the Beltway and I visit as often as I can. Please note, I'm happy that you have welcomed the Nationals with such energy and enthusiasm. I think your ballpark is great...but I write what I do with my bias. It's what sports fans do.
