Champions of Faith

Being a highly influential member of the media (meaning = "I luckily ended up on someone's mailing list"), I was given a copy of a DVD called Champions of Faith, an hour-long film about major league baseball players and how they live their faith in the world of professional sports.

You know what comes into our minds when we hear about professional athletes: money, the celebrity lifestyle, and even scandals involving drinking, drugs, or paternity tests. This film shows the other side, the side of faith and trust in God, through interviews with players like Mike Piazza, Mike Sweeney, David Eckstein, Jeff Suppan, and managers like Jack McKeon, Jim Leyland, and Mike Scioscia.

I watched it and found myself a kid again, listening to the crack of a ball hitting a bat and wanting to reach for my glove. Not just a "Yay, it's cool to be a Catholic ball player" kind of DVD for kids, the film is guaranteed to have you a little teary at times.

Baseball and summertime go together naturally. I'm planning on showing it in my parish real soon, and through their website they make it possible for you not only to have a copy for your own use, but also to show it in large groups.