CV NEWS FEED // Former NBA star Gordon Hayward officially joined the Catholic Church in a ceremony held on October 1 at the historic Basilica of Saint Sebastian in Rome, according to an emailed press release from the Archdiocese for the Military Services.
Hayward, a 34-year-old father of four, retired from professional basketball in August after a 14-year career, which included playing for the Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
According to the news release, the former NBA player, along with his wife, Robyn, and their two eldest daughters, traveled to Rome specifically for the occasion. Hayward’s Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) sponsor, Maxwell Van Vliet, was also in attendance.
The ceremony took place during a solemn Mass at the Basilica dedicated to Saint Sebastian, a Roman army officer who was martyred in the third century. Hayward made his Profession of Faith and received the sacraments of confirmation and First Holy Communion.
The report shared that Hayward chose “Sebastian” as his confirmation name in honor of the patron saint of athletes and soldiers.
According to the report, Archbishop for the Military Services Timothy P. Broglio, who was in Rome for the Synod on Synodality, celebrated the Mass. Archbishop Broglio is also the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
According to the news release, Fr. Marcel Taillon, Hayward’s OCIA instructor and the Archdiocese’s vocations director, invited Archbishop Broglio to preside over the ceremony, while concelebrating the Mass himself. Several seminarians preparing to become U.S. military chaplains also participated.