06/13/2026
Did you know that, the FIFA World Cup was created by Jules Rimet, a devout French Catholic. Inspired by Catholic social teachings—such as Pope Leo XIII's encyclical Rerum Novarum addressing the working class—Rimet envisioned an international soccer tournament as a way to unite nations and foster peace following the devastation of World War I. Pope Leo XIV shared a reflection regarding soccer, highlighting the importance of learning teamwork as a lesson for life.
Recently Pope Leo reflected on the World Cup and it's significance for the Christians, “Soccer also helps us remember something very important: that life is not a race to be run in solitude; it is something played as a team, and we must learn to run together,”
“Someone who could be a star but never passes the ball — doesnʼt let the others get into the game — will probably lose.”
At the outset of his remarks on the subject, the Holy Father mentioned that he currently plays tennis but used to play American football in his youth.
He also recalled his time as a missionary in Peru and the love for sports that he shared with seminarians there. “When I was in Trujillo, I played soccer — on defense, if you want to know; I wasnʼt a big goal-scorer,” he recounted.
“A little sport is good for everyone; one has to find ways to — let’s say — maintain and enjoy good health: body, mind, and soul. So, that has indeed been a part of my life,” he continued.
Pope Leo XIV shared a reflection on soccer, highlighting the importance of learning teamwork as a life lesson. In Trujillo, I played soccer — on defense, if you want to know; I wasnʼt a big goal-scorer,” he recounted of sports he shared with the on soccer, highlighting the importance of learning teamwork as a life lesson.
The profound connection between the "Beautiful Game" and the Catholic faith extends far beyond its origins, says Jill Esfeld, The Leaven. In 1956, the year he died, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize because of his part in instituting the World Cup tournament.
Whether you are a soccer fan or only watch it during the World Cup every four years, one thing is true: sports bring people together, and during this month, the world remembers that we don't walk alone, we share in our humanity. May God the Father, through our Lord Jesus, remind us in our hearts through his Holy Spirit that we are brothers and sisters and our connections are stronger than our differences.
Don't forget tomorrow, Sunday 14th, we celebrate the grand opening of Monsegnior Crean Hall at 11:00 a.m. Join us! Have a beautiful weekend!
Sources:
-The Leven, The Catholic roots of the World Cup, July 10, 2018, by Jill Esfeld.
-Meet the Catholic man who invented the World Cup, Jules Rimet stamp, Catholic Diocese of Warri Diocese, 2026.
-EWTN, Ahead of the World Cup, Pope Leo XIV shares an important lesson from soccer, Diego López Marina, June 10, 2026.