CV NEWS FEED // As Paris prepares for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the French Catholic Church is organizing the “Holy Games” to draw on the power of sports for evangelization.
The “Holy Games” is a collaborative effort between the Archdiocese of Paris and the French Bishops Conference. The Bishops and leaders from eight dioceses in Greater Paris view this initiative as an opportunity to engage young Catholics and others in faith-based activities and use the influence of sports for evangelization.
This initiative comprises three week-long programs (two during the Olympics and one during the Paralympics). Its goal is to unite missionaries, Catholics, and other spectators to watch the events, celebrate Mass, and participate in various cultural activities, thereby fostering a sense of community and fellowship.
More than 70 parishes near Olympic venues will be welcoming visitors and hosting celebrations in various languages.
According to The Conversation, this use of sports as a tool for evangelization is not a new concept for the global Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII said, “Sport is a school of loyalty, courage, endurance, resolve, universal brotherhood, all the natural virtues.” St. John Paul II, known as the “athlete pope,” created the Office of Church and Sport within the Pontifical Council of the Laity. Pope Francis founded the Sport at the Service of Humanity movement, which seeks to use sport as a catalyst for peace and social change.
