Two Sisters, Two Pitches, One Gospel

While working alongside a sister in full habit in Chicago this summer, I realized that many of my students had never met a religious sister before. When I mentioned this to someone, they responded, “I wasn’t even sure the Catholic Church had them anymore.”

Once the driving force behind Catholic schools in the United States and around the world, women religious have seen their numbers decline dramatically. Some communities are growing and thriving, but sadly, many convents have closed, and religious orders have turned out the lights for good.

We are always called to read and respond to the signs of the times. Still, I can’t help but look back and recognize what a tremendous gift women religious have been—and what a tremendous loss their decline has been for the Church and for our world. But they’re not dead yet. 

This summer, I encountered two dynamos: one in person and the other through Instagram. Their vocations reflect the joy of the Gospel. They bear witness to the truth that a life lived for Christ can provide not only meaning and purpose, but great joy, too. They have a lot to offer. And I’d like to share their stories with you.

Sister Stephanie
Day one of the St. Ignatius College Prep Immersion began with my not being particularly happy about the 5:45 a.m. alarm. The Brother David Darst Center summoned us to an early breakfast so we could head out to the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels in West Humboldt Park on Chicago's west side. I grumbled as we walked to our bus, wishing I were time-zone agnostic. Chicago, after all, is two hours earlier than PDT.

We were greeted by a petite, young woman standing in a full brown habit: Sister Stephanie.

The Darst staff member Maggie had warned us about her ahead of time. She said, 

Sister Stephanie is a force. She oversees the Food Pantry, which provides food to about 4,000 families each month.

We soon learned that the purpose of the Mission is twofold: to assist the materially poor and to share the treasure of our Catholic faith. In addition to feeding the hungry, the Mission distributes clothing and household goods and provides emergency assistance, after-school programming, senior citizen programming, community dinners and special events. At its heart, the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels is about establishing and sustaining a Catholic presence in West Humboldt Park.

It was a good thing Sister Stephanie wore running shoes, because she did not stop.

Someone told us that if we couldn't find her, we should simply stop and wait a few moments. She was sure to barrel through again—directing, loading, unloading, negotiating, and, in general, taking care of business in a flash.

While she was certainly the leader, Sister Stephanie did not work alone. Several other women from her religious community assisted a regular volunteer crew of at least 25 people, including the 12 St. Ignatius students, another teacher and me.

What these rising seniors encountered looked nothing like the angry, mean or pious-and-petty nuns they might have seen on television or in movies. These women smiled. They led through service. They radiated the love of God.

It is important to mention that the Mission's work takes place in what was once the Catholic grade school at Our Lady of the Angels. The school closed in 1999, but its story cannot be told without acknowledging what happened there in 1958, when a devastating fire in the school took the lives of 92 children and three religious sisters. We took a photo in front of the statue honoring those who died.

At our evening reflection, every student commented on the impression Sister Stephanie—and the other sisters—had made on them. My immersion groups gathered nightly for reflection, and without a doubt, Sister Stephanie had made a noteworthy impression on all of us.

Sister Stephanie is part of the legacy of Mission and church that aims to "share the treasure of our Catholic Faith." My colleague Dan noted the paschal mystery we bore witness to that day. In the very same building where school children perished, is a place that brings people hungry for food, community and faith together. None of this is possible without hearts to lead and to serve. 

Sister Stephanie showed us the way.

Sister Mary Jo, Sobieck, OP
Trust me, people send me social media posts and Instagram reels of religious women all the time. I have never wanted to be a Sister, but I have nothing but love, gratitude and respect for so many of these she-roes in the Catholic Church. I watch them and wait. Are they a spectacle, or do they speak to me? This inquiring mind wants to know.

I started to see a Dominican Sister, Sister Mary Jo Sobieck, OP, on the daily. It's hard not to notice her. (Take a look and you will see why.) A Dominican Sister of Springfield, Illinois, Sister Mary Jo is probably best known for becoming an internet sensation after throwing one of the most memorable ceremonial first pitches in baseball history.

On August 18, 2018, Sister Mary Jo threw out the first pitch at a Chicago White Sox game as part of Marian Catholic's 60th-anniversary celebration.

She stepped onto the mound in her distinctive Dominican habit—white dress and black veil. She bounced the ball off her bicep and then threw a perfect strike over the plate. The video went viral internationally. She subsequently appeared on programs including Good Morning America and ESPN and even ended up with her own Topps' baseball card.

According to Chicago Catholic, she didn't just enjoy the attention. She used the unexpected platform to talk about God, vocation and religious life, particularly with young people. And it didn't stop there.

Today, she offers a "Daily Pitch" on Instagram. The posts connect a passage of Scripture with a real-life lesson. She makes personal and profound connections—continually connecting our joys and struggles, desires and shortcomings, needs, hopes and prayers with the Word of God.

It's wonderful.

And here's the thing: the more I watch, the less I see the spectacle and the more I see the Sister.

The first pitch may have put Sister Mary Jo on the internet's radar, but her daily pitch is something else entirely. She isn't simply throwing a baseball anymore. She's throwing out an invitation—to pay attention, to reflect, to pray, to recognize God in the ordinary stuff of our lives.

Maybe that's what makes her worth watching.

I encourage you to follow Sister Mary Jo. You might come for the first pitch but you'll stay for the daily one. 

I'm so glad we still have sisters in the Catholic Church—past, present and with the grace of God: forever.

Photo Credits
Sister MJ
Sister Steph

Beauty and Sadness in Sports and in Spiritual Places Part II: Doc and Darryl...The Sadness

As written in the first part in this series, If Pixar's animated hit "Inside Out" is a story of the how joy and sadness can coexist, the "30 for 30: Doc and Darryl" affirms that beauty and sadness can and do. Ask anyone who has seen the latest in installment in ESPN's documentaries that aim to highlight important people and events in sports history, and I think they will leave you with the impression that "Doc and Darryl" is colored more by sadness than by beauty. However, both truths are worth reflecting upon and learning from. 

The directors, Judd Apatow and Mike Bonfiglio wrote, 

The stories of Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden seem inextricably linked, whether the lives of these two very different men are actually intertwined or not. Both phenoms drafted by the Mets straight out of high school, their parallel meteoric rises in early-1980s New York and the demons that plagued them turned these two superstars and franchise saviors into tabloid fodder and punchlines. We were interested in understanding the men behind the headlines, and what drove them to their spectacular highs and lows. We hope that this film humanizes Doc and Darryl, and in doing so sheds light on issues that we can all relate to in our own lives or the lives of those around us.

The directors succeed. The film does more than humanize these two great athletes. It sheds light onto the beauty and sadness of their success, their life stories and our society. 

In many ways, it is not easy to relate to either athlete. Gooden and Strawberry met great success at a young age in a media saturated and star studded city (Doctor K was 21 and Strawberry was 24 when the Mets won the '86 World Series). Overnight, they were wealthy, and famous as world champions. And yet, the source of sadness in this tale is a universal one. "Doc and Darryl" is a honest and real look at the face of addiction, a disease that does not know age, race, color or creed.

I don't know if it's medically certifiable that some folks have an addictive personality or not, but those who struggle with addiction carry a heavy cross. Addicts don't call it the "monkey on your back" for nothing. Addiction tares lives apart. It ruins marriages, families, and most relationships. For Dwight Gooden and for Darryl Strawberry addiction did that and much more. 

The low point of Gooden's addiction must have been when he missed the World Series parade because of the extent of his usage guised in the name of celebration. For Strawberry, it was a very honest admittance that he let his mother down...and he knew it. But what might be even more heartbreaking is what we never saw—because of Doc and Darryl's addiction to crack, cocaine, and alcohol.

American political satirist, writer, TV host and life long Mets fan, Jon Stewart said, 

I think their legacies will always be….like anything else….any star that didn’t live up to its luster will always be about what could have been. I mean both of those guys should be in Cooperstown. It was like both those guys were made in a laboratory. You want to see the perfect pitcher? It’s Dwight Gooden. You want to see the perfect hitter? It’s Darryl Strawberry.

Other personalities such as their former manager Davey Johnson and baseball writer Tom Verducci weigh in, complimenting Stewart's claim. And then Jon Stewart adds, 

I feel strange being upset that I wasn’t able to witness as much of their greatness as I should have. That’s probably not my heart ache to have…it’s theirs.

If Stewart were to share those poignant words with me personally, I would nod in agreement. It's hard to disagree...and yet I do. 

My fundamental view on professional sports, especially the high profile ones...the sports where the athletes are near celebrities who stand on heroic pedestals (whether they want to or not) is that when our team, our favorite athlete, or our coach succeeds, we all do. When they lose, our hearts break too. In their greatness we applaud them...and in their downfall we cry, and we lose. How can you say it was not the ache of Mets fans...of African American baseball players and fans....or of those who love to see great athletes play a beautiful game? It's both their heart ache and ours.

I think Doc and Darryl is important to watch because it reminds us of an important, though sad truth: Addiction is ever present. Though the viewer will guess that Gooden is still struggling and Strawberry is not, any addict will tell you how dangerous it is to think that addiction is a thing of the past. The narrator says,

It’s right behind Darryl, It’s right behind Doc. Maybe one day one succeeding more than the other. What’s the truth of it? I just know that D&D are tied in OUR Minds…and not in theirs…….

We are all called to live every day, one moment at a time. For addicts in particular there is no other way to live. 

I don't necessarily think that is a sad truth. I think it might even be a beautiful way to live. And the next posting will address that beauty and more, as seen in "Doc and Darryl"

Photo Credits
SI Cover
Doc and Darryl
Today

Far-Sighted and Near-Sighted Vision in Sports

At my recent eye exam, I was reminded that our vision changes because our eyes do. My right eye is very weak and has a stigmatism. My left eye is much stronger but in the past few years has degenerated from 20/30 vision to 20/50. How I wish I was like my friend who discovered she was over-corrected in her prescription for contacts. Her sight was blurred because the change in her eyes made her vision stronger. Her words made me think about what else makes our vision stronger. Recent events in the wide world of sports has given me plenty of examples beyond good health, a healthy diet of carrots and dark, leafy greens, hydration, and limited sun exposure. Life experiences, age and wisdom each influence add to the mix.

Our Passions
I always tell my students that (most) everyone knows how to run, but not everyone is a runner. I query, When does someone become a runner? Some shy from labels, but I believe it's a question of identity, one of commitment and understanding. I write this because I now consider myself to be a golfer. 

When I joined the Olympic Club in 2013, my commitment to the game got a significant boost. I've been a long time fan of the PGA and the Majors are among my favorite sporting events. But sometime in the past year, something clicked. Perhaps it was my losing that raw fear of the game—not knowing if I would make regular contact with that 1.6" ball but I've witnessed a shift. And my new identity was revealed  in one of the most unlikely places: baseball.

I've attended hundreds of baseball games in my life. A loyal San Francisco Giants fan since my youth, I've seen a lot, including the cycle, but playing golf has changed how I see contact in the game. I have a much more accurate sense of how far the ball will travel, where it may draw or fade, how the wind will affect where it will land in the outfield, or beyond. My new vision caught me by surprise, a pleasant one. 

Playing on the Lakeside course on Sunday, my friend and I were paired with a Father-Son duo. I looked at the son and knowingly asked, "did you play baseball?" I enjoyed watching his ball with that perspective in mind.

What we are passionate can't help but color how we see other aspects of our life. Pay attention to what carries over.

Empathy
Millions of people struggle with back pain. I am now one of them.

As a runner, I always had a fair amount of lower back pain. The pounding of the pavement isn't just hard on one's knees. But last year, I did something to my right lumbar (?) and now ice, Alleve, Ibuprofen and stretching are a regular part of my daily life. When I first hurt it, at times it was so bad that it was hard to stand, sleep, and obviously, play golf. 

With time, rest and ice, the pain diminished—but every now and then it recurs. I lost a lot of golf but I gained empathy. I came to understand how people can become addicted to pain killers, to alcohol (it certainly cut the pain), and can get depressed. It should be of little surprise that  was reminded of that struggle when I watched Andre Igoudala during Game 6 of the NBA Finals. 

As written for SI.com

Early in the game, Iguodala had his back worked on during a timeout, and was forced to leave the game for a short period. He returned, but was seen hobbling on the floor. Still, he remained in the contest.

My respect and admiration for Iggy is sky-high. His defense against LeBron in the 2015 Finals is what led to the Warriors victory and his MVP award. But I also knew what a back injury does and as much as he wanted to give more, the body had other plans in mind.

Far-Sighted vs. Near Sighted
For some reason, my ability to see where her golf ball lands drives my friend Lisa crazy. She has said more than once "you don't even look and you know where it is." What she doesn't realize is that I am far-sighted. I can barely read the type face in Sports Illustrated these days and yet, I can see her golf ball sail 180 yards down the fair way with ease. 

It's tough to gauge how each one of us sees the world. We each carry a bias and as a sports fan, I try to balance by subjective point of view with an objective outlook—or to relate it to vision, I seek to consider a near-sighted view with a far-sighted one. We gain from each.

I write this because I am a LeBron James fan. Apart from "The Decision," I can't figure out a reason not to be. A four-time MVP in the NBA, James is an incredible athlete and competitor. Honestly, I won't even waste the time or effort to make a case for LeBron....I'll let his body of work speak for itself. But in the NBA Finals, my vision has helped me see something I don't like: LeBron's behavior on the court is increasingly more unsportsmanlike.

I know the pressure is on. No one wants another title, and one for NorthEast Ohio in the way James does, but with each additional game, as his reaction to calls, the way he is going after certain players and the refs leaves me unimpressed. In the 4th quarter of Game 6, he went after Steph, and my brother, who plays a lot of street basketball to this day, admitted what LeBron did was a "punk move." Warrior fans have created a mime about LeBron crying more that Riley Curry. It's funny because the cutie pie Riley is wearing Ray Ban aviators...and because it's more true than not.

I am aware that Steph was thrown out of the game because upon being charged for his sixth foul of the game he threw his mouthpiece. My far sighted vision sees that as comical. Up close, it's not much different.

C.S. Lewis had it right when he said, “What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.” Our passions, life challenges, our gut instincts shape how we see what we see. Ultimately, our vision changes and will continue to change....because we do

Go Dubs

Photo Credits
Steph and LeBron
Iggy: from SI.com article

Surprised by....The Mets

I have no personal connection to the New York Mets whatsoever. Nor do I have any emotional ties to New York City sports, to players on the team, nothing. I was looking forward to an open October. I thought I would have loads of free time in a way that I haven't (three times in the past six years). It's an odd year, so my beloved Giants are resting and getting healthy. They saved my pocket book from running on empty and my calendar from filling up. And then something happened....Tuesday night, to my total surprise, I found myself rooting, cheering and rising (and falling) with the New York City Mets. 

I never thought this would happen. Even though they are a National League team, and I'm an NL fan/NL girl, I wondered: Why do I care about this team? As an American Studies major, I find New York City fascinating, but with that same degree, I find equal, if not more weight in supporting a city amidst the heartland. One of my favorite athletes—Bo Jackson— got his start with  the Royals. I got to know much more about what makes them talented and exciting to watch from the 2014 World Series. The Giants emerged victorious in the seven-game dog fight. It's hard not to respect Ned Yost and his squad and yet, I find myself rooting not for the Royal blue...but the royal blue and orange. Here's why.

1. Bartolo Colon
Let's start with this bad boy. First, I support any active player/professional athlete who is older than me! At 42 years of age, Colon is allegedly the "most flexible" man on the team. Perhaps you caught sight of that in his remarkable defensive move earlier this season I should love him that much more for taking down my LA rival, but Colon is already admired for serving as a great mentor on the team. He has stated that he has no plans for retirement.

To look at Colon, you could easily add to the argument that baseball players aren't great athletes. But, your claim would be short sighted. Colon throws but one pitch—a fastball. And he does so remarkably well. I'm sorry he took the loss during Game 1. Those things happen.

2. Dark Knight
Who doesn't love a good nickname? Baseball is rife with them and the one assigned to former All-Star, starting pitcher Matt Harvey is a good one: Dark Knight. If you're a movie buff, you can probably put two and two together. "The Dark Knight Rises" was released in 2012. One year later, in his All-Star season, Harvey earned that moniker.

Fred Owens writes,

On May 7, 2013 in a game against the White Sox Harvey pitched with a severe nosebleed but retired the first 20 hitters before Alex Rios managed an infield single. That night he pitched  nine innings giving up one hit before leaving the game. 

The next issue of Sports Illustrated (May 20) featured Harvey on the cover with the headline "The Dark Knight of Gotham."  Harvey said that it fit his latest Halloween persona and was honored by the SI article according to to his tweet.

You may have seen fans at Kaufmann wearing an orange Bat Man mask to support the starting pitcher of Game 1. As mentioned before, I love good sports fan. Great pick-up Mets fans.

3. Man Crush
A friend recently admitted that he has a man crush on Dave Wright. I immediately responded "I get that." In fact, I support it. When I went to a game at Citi-Field, I was blown away by the number of fans wearing #5 Wright. The 32-year old third baseman has played his entire 11-year career with the Mets. Bottom line: any Phillies fan who can admit his feelings for a rival team's hot corner? That's worth supporting...

4. Mr. Met
Speaking of man crush, honestly is there a cuter mascot in all of baseball? Granted my nieces love Screech, the bald eagle that serves as the Washington Nationals' mascot and Baby Screech even more, but it's worth noting that Mr. Met is not single. In fact, according to Wikipedia,

In the 1960s, Mr. Met occasionally appeared in print with a female companion, Mrs. Met (originally called "Lady Met"), and less frequently with a group of three "little Mets" children; the smallest was a baby in Lady Met's arms. Mrs. Met was debuted in a short lived live costumed form in 1975 before being reintroduced in 2013

Mr. Met appears on ESPN Sportscenter commercials and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. In fact, on April 30, 2012, Forbes Magazine listed Mr. Met as the #1 mascot in all of sports. Props to the baseball head.

5. Daniel Murphy
Seems like most covers of Sports Illustrated today are regional ones—but not this week's. Look in your bodega or grocery store and you'll see the Mets outfielder turned infielder Daniel Murphy gracing the cover.

It should go without saying that I appreciate any athletes who takes it to the Dodgers. And Murphy did. So much that when he was asked about how he beat Greinke, he credits his calm and peace of mind to Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It may have sounded strange, but if you know anything about Daniel Murphy, it's authentic. I enjoy seeing what SI reports as "a very normal looking guy" do extraordinarily well.

6. Team Colors
Lastly, I love a good story behind a logo, team name, the number an athlete wears, etc.
In "What's In A Name? What's the Story Behind the Symbol?" I address why I never look at the Mets in quite the same way once I knew a little more about their history. Great call in keeping the orange (Go Giants) and although it won't this year—long live  "the curse of royal blue"

C.S. Lewis' semi-autobiographical novel "Surprised by Joy" sought to to identify and describe the events surrounding his accidental discovery of and consequent search for the phenomenon he labeled "Joy." We find joy in everyday people and in everyday things. I happen to find it in a game. That game is baseball. And for the World Series 2015, it's in cheering for an unsuspecting team from an unlikely city. Go Mets.

Photo Credits
Mr. Met
Mets Logo
Matt Harvey

What MLB is Wearing Around its Neck

It bothers me just how close to Halloween the World Series falls these days. Something doesn't feel right about baseball games in November. Two years later, I still remember thinking to myself when I walked into Giordano Brothers—a popular sandwich shop San Francisco that offers the Pittsburgh delicacies found at Primanti Brothers—Is tonight Halloween? The waiters were dressed from head to toe exactly as the Pirates on the television were: ball cap, jersey, stirrups, cleats—yes cleats—and the crown jewel: eye black. I thought to myself—I love sports fans. Some of them stop at nothing, including the lead waiter who went so far as to wear a gold and black "Tornado Necklace." You've seen these—the braided chain that comes in multiple colors that many athletes wear. If you are like me, you might wonder why do athletes wear them? During Game 1 of the 2015 World Series, I thought what other "necklaces" that ballplayers wear. So, with this blog posting, I'd like to offer a thought on what you see....

The Tornado Necklace
We know that athletes are continually looking for a physical edge—they want to get stronger, fitter, faster, jump higher, etc. But, the most competitive ones also seek a mental edge. I suppose that is what this jewelry, also known as "energy" or "titanium" necklaces have to  offer.

Power Energy Sports writes

Germanium, Titanium, and Anions (negative ions) - three very powerful chemical elements, are being blended together into the necklace fabric to help relieve stress and fatigue by improving blood flow & circulation.  

Many professional athletes are finding positive results in enhancing their sports performance while wearing these necklaces. Perfect for all types of sport: Baseball, Softball, Tennis, Martial Arts, Gym, Golf, Basketball, Fishing, Hiking, Hockey etc. We are the largest & most reputable tornado baseball necklace retailer offering you over 150 color combinations to choose from.

Wow, even in his solo shot Jonathon Niese
wears his tornado necklace

Like many material goods, these necklaces have morphed beyond three colors. They are linked to specific causes—breast cancer or prostate cancer awareness and others offer inspirational messages such as "hope" or "stay strong." I have a feeling that a lot of young athletes wear them because their favorite ones do. And I'm not convinced that they offer all they claim to provide, but the concept (or at least the marketing) is interesting. The placebo effect, mental edge, stylish splash—all reasons point to the fact that sports psychology never runs on empty.

The Rosary
I would love to think I am the type of athlete who could be a closer. This ballplayer comes into the game to complete a very specific task; the weight of the world is on him (0r her) and they like it that way! They are skilled, strong and mentally tough. Truth be told, I would totally crumble under the pressure, so I probably would wear not only a tornado necklace but what Jeurys Familia, relief pitched for the New York Mets had under his jersey—a rosary. 

But as many Catholics want to know: should we wear a Rosary as a necklace? I did some research on the topic and here's my answer.

I write for Cora Evans, a blog on the life of a woman who is now considered a "servant of God." The purpose of the blog is to draw attention to the holy, loving and heroically selfless life of a woman we hope will be canonized in the near future. The blog brings readers to pray to and for this witness of Christ's love and to think about issues that many Catholics confront. One of them is the wearing of the Rosary around ones' neck. Here is an excerpt from what I wrote: 

Even at a young age, I understood that the Rosary is to be prayed and not worn. Why is that? 

Ginny Kibityz Moyer captures an answer quite well. She says, “The rosary isn’t jewelry; it’s a sacramental, which is an object meant to help bring about spiritual effects through the prayer or devotion it inspires. (Sacramentals don’t have any sort of magic power in and of themselves; the positive graces come through the prayers.) Many people argue that if you wear a rosary around your neck, you are treating it more like a fashion accessory than a sacramental and are thus distorting its intended purpose.” 

Ultimately, only the one who wears the Rosary can speak to why he or she is wearing it, but I think it’s important to understand—although a distinction: between jewelry and sacramental, it is an important one. Rosaries are never mere jewelry or “fashion accessories” and yet, I can understand how there might be some confusion and/or need for clarification. 

For example, when I went to purchase a gift for my God daughter’s First Holy Communion, one gift I considered was a Rosary ring or bracelet. Both include ten beads; they can help people count the decade of the Rosary as they pray. As one who often “prays on the go” both pieces of jewelry (which they are) can serve as helpful prayer resources. 

Again Kubitz Moyer adds some insight. She writes, “The only official Church document I could find that addressed this, even obliquely, was the Code of Canon Law, which says, “Sacred objects, which are designated for divine worship by dedication or blessing, are to be treated reverently and are not to be employed for profane or inappropriate use even if they are owned by private persons.” (1171) So it seems that it all depends on the intent of the wearer. If you’re wearing it as a way to deepen your prayer life, there shouldn’t be any problem with that.”

Catholicism, in its “both/and” approach allows us to find the sacred in everyday things. And yet, that outlook doesn’t mean to compromise what is in fact sacred. This may be a tension for some, but ultimately, I see it as an invitation to probe deeper into the mystery of God…to love the Incarnation…to connect with Our Lady and pray as you go—Rosary in hand or around my heart. 

You can see the rosary in this photo

I cannot speak to why Familia wore his Rosary, nor do I want to. But seeing this sacramental reminded me that athletes, especially those playing the World Series stand on a remarkable platform whereby they can evangelize and give witness to a life of faith. Daniel Murphy, Familia's teammate is an outstanding example; he has certainly been what he set out to be: a light for others.

I don't wear a cross around my neck, but I have often commented that I should. I hope that what it stands for is evidenced in how I live my life, whether or not I wear it. But wearing it could serve as the reminder that I need....

Photo Credits
McCutchen necklace
Jonathon Niese
Familia Rosary