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Post by QMaryLArmy on Sept 23, 2019 3:14:11 GMT
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Post by QMaryLArmy on Sept 23, 2019 4:58:02 GMT
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Post by Admin on Sept 23, 2019 11:24:45 GMT
Catholic teaching on Sports – Physical culture
‘I have fought a good fight: I have finished my course’
By A Catholic Priest
Pope Pius XII – Allocution to Italian sporting associations, May 20, 1945
A Master Piece of God’s handy work – Made for His Glory
“Glorify God by making your bodies the shrines of His presence’ - I Cor 6:20
Grace, builds on nature – Hence we need to subject our nature in order that it will have a certain amount of docility to the soul. (My own comments thus – That is why it is not surprising to see that a great number of officials - popes and bishops (Pius XI master mountaineer), St. Anthony of Padua – Master swordsman – Bishop Antonio Castro Mayer – Master table tennis player - and saints in the Church were in their youth good sportsman – as it helped give them the moral virtuous they would need to carry out latter in life precisely the strength of character they would need to excel in the task providence will assign for them. On this point, Pope Pius XII says that Pope Pius XII gives some guiding principles: 1. Mortification of the body is necessary – Penance – This is what sport should be seen as –To help obtain the ability and willingness to make sacrifices and to see the importance of sacrifice – Thus the saying ‘No pain, no gain’ – Both in the natural order and spiritual order – Mans life here on earth says Job, is a battle, it is warfare, a struggle. Here the Pope says that ‘What matters to the Apostle saint Paul (in his word about the Athlete) is the superior reality of which sport is the image and symbol: - unceasing work for Christ, the restraining and subjection of the body to the immortal soul, eternal life – the prize of this struggle.
2. ‘The body should be so treated and trained as to be able to obey the counsel of wisdom and reason, whether it be a matter of work to be done or trials to be endured.’
Hence sport has it’s purpose in helping us to learn the importance of wisdom and perseverance in the struggles of daily life.
In this sense says Pius XII Good loser as well. – How few know how to loose well. Lack of humility –
3. Sport is the school of Loyalty, of courage, of fortitude, of resolution and – forming a sound foundation for the supernatural virtues – preparing man to carry without weakness the weight of the greatest responsibilities.
Grace builds upon nature – Hence in so many Catholics what is lacking is not the grace of God, but nature – nature virtue – today we have become weak spiritually because we are effeminate even on a natural level.
4. We can never without sufficient necessity endanger our life for the sake of a sport – Hence serious life threatening sports are not permitted to us as Catholics. We can’t risk our life just for the thrill of it.
5. ‘Sport is not an end in itself, but a means. As such, it is and must remain subordinated to its end, which consists in the perfect and balanced formation and education of the whole man, for whom sport is an aid in the ready and joyful accomplishment o his duties.’
Here the Pope goes on to point out how for so many this has meant that ‘home has become for them only a hotel, where like strangers they occasionally put up when passing! – In short an exaggerated amount of time and effort is put into sports but so little time into studies, work, family and other responsibilities.
Sport must not degrade us – If it does it no longer becomes a sport in the true Christian sense of the Term.
The means employed to give health to the body,
Pope Pius XII
The early Christians had like the Jews before them to confront this issue of the Pagan Gymnasium - In these places, the men, had little to no clothes on, and this was always seen, by the Jews as a means of undermining the Godly spirit and introducing in a subtle manner the pagan vision of things into daily life. And so in like manner the early Christians were exhorted to keep away from such places.
Spirit has priority over the body and bodily comfort – this also includes the whole issue of women wearing pants.
6. What is more, he added, if one does not have the right to endanger the physical health of others simply for one’s own pleasure, then it is certainly even less licit to compromise the health of their souls.
7. Our Sports, must be a re-creation – that is something that gives us the ability of greater help in our daily life – ‘Thank God that you are different, dear Children! For after a fine game you return to your work with a renewed strength and vigor, and in the home you raise the spirits of the whole family with your enthusiastic description of your experience. . . If sporting activity is for you a recreation and a stimulus which aids you in better fulfilling your duties of work and study, then it can be said that it is being used in its true sense, and is attaining its true end.’
While sports has many noble aspects about it – The serious harm that the pope has pointed out an is rife in our day and age, is that while sports, if taken their proper context have the ability of transforming us into well developed adults – if taken out of proportion they can have the opposite effect – namely the ability to transform us into rotten imbecile.
8. Sport, can and should be also at the service of God. ‘While the pagan subjects himself to the strict regime of sport to obtain a merely corruptible crown, the Christian subjects himself to the same with a nobler aim, for an immortal reward.’
Important point of the Pope here is this:
‘What would be the use of physical courage and boldness of character if Church employed them only for earthly ends, to win some cup, or to give himself the airs of a superhuman? If he were unable, when necessary, to rob a half hour of sleep or put off an appointment at the sports ground in order to attend Sunday Mass? If he could not conquered human respect in order to practice and defend his religion? If he did not use his superiority or authority to prevent or halt with a look, a word or a gesture, some blasphemy, evil speech, dishonesty, or to protect the younger and weaker members from provocation and suspect companionship? If he could not make a habit of concluding his sporting successes with a praise of God, Creator and lord of nature, and of all his own faculties?’ – Where did you get the strength from ? Thank God, use it for his glory, or else both you and it your physical strength or talent will be equally plunged into hell.
St. Sebastian – would use his military strength and courage to defend the faith against the wicked emperor Diocletian who was having the Christians put to death. Pope Caius at the time said that he thought it would be good for Sebastian to remain in Rome to defend the cause of the Christians and this he did -
And so St. Sebastian defended the Christians, encouraged the Martyrs and openly denounced the Emperor – for which he was called up before Diocletian and rebuked by him and then sent out to be shot to death by arrows. Even though his body was covered in Arrows, God granted him the strength of recovery, at which he once more went before the Emperor with the same courage and denounced him in public for his crimes. The Emperor had him eventually beaten to death. Now, this is true purpose of sport – to grant us the strength and courage to accomplish great things for God and souls. If we don’t do that, better had we not played, we would have less to account for.
Conclusion:
Finally the words of St. Paul
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ruthy
New Member
Posts: 72
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Post by ruthy on Sept 23, 2019 13:32:05 GMT
Thank you for this article. My boys play football and basketball. I can say that this article is true. It takes fortitude to have to go to practice in 100 degree weather in uniform, run, and all the effort to strengthen themselves. It's hard work. But they do it. That is our goal, to strengthen their mind for what is hard. Perseverance. Plus the working of their brains in learning plays and executing them.
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