On Super Bowl Sunday, the players of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles compete for a championship, a ring, money ($ 178,000 for winners versus 103,000 for losers) and an achievement of a lifetime.
Catholic bishops of their respective dioceses have more modest things at stake: food, a donation of 500 dollars and the right to boast.
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Even so, bishops are talking about clerical things about their supposedly friendly bet.
It is a rematch For the Bishop of Kansas City, Mons. James Johnston, and the Archbishop of Philadelphia, Mons. Nelson Pérez, whose teams of their respective cities faced each other in the great match two years ago. (Kansas City won, 38-35, the first of two consecutive victories in the Super Bowl. Philadelphia won the title in 2017, its only championship in the Super Bowl era).
For years, the bishops of the dioceses whose teams arrive at the Super Bowl have been making public bets on the result. This year, if the Eagles win, it is assumed that Mons. Johnston will provide the Jack Stack barbecue (famous in the Kansas City area) to Mons. Pérez. If the Chiefs win, Mons. Pérez will provide the Cheesteak of Philadelphia to Mons. Johnston.
Each bishop also promises a contribution of 500 dollars to the Catholic Charities of the other diocese if their team loses.
The two bishops made a joint appearance on February 7 in “EWTN News In Depth”.
Mons. Johnston, whose Chiefs are looking for a third consecutive victory in the Super Bowl, something unprecedented, expressed confidence in coach Andy Reid and Field Marshal Patrick Mahomes.
However, Mons. Pérez sounded more hungry in support of the Eagles, affectionately called “The Birds” for their loyal fans.
“Well, I think the bishop and his chiefs are in trouble. Because the Birds are hunting, ”said Mons. Pérez.
Mons. Pérez made two things clear during the interview:
1. It is totally sure that the Eagles will win.
2. He wants the benefit of a margin of points.
“Bishop Johnston, the bishops with whom I am in retirement asked me to ask for two points since we are the least favored,” said Mons. Pérez.
(In this case, if the chiefs won by a point, Mons. Pérez would also win the bet. If the chiefs won by two points, it would be what is known as a “push”, and neither of the two sides would win. The chiefs They would have to win for three or more points so that Mons. Johnston could charge).
Mons. Johnston did not accept any of the suggestions of the bishops who are retired.
“Tell them to return to your prayer,” said Mons. Johnston.
No bishop can claim both team spirit and Mons. Michael Bubidge, a philadelphia native who placed An Eagles emblem in a stained glass window During a recent renewal of the Cathedral of Santo Tomás Moro in his Diocese of Arlington, Virginia.
Even so, the rival dioceses have saints patrons of weight on Sunday, as the bishops pointed out. In Philadelphia are San Juan Neumann (the fourth bishop of the city) and Santa Catalina Drexel (native of the city).
The headquarters of Mons. Johnston is called Diocese of Kansas City-ST. Joseph, which makes San José a Holy Reference.
“So we are going to trust the good San José, which is the patron of the Universal Church. That is why I think that in that aspect we surpassed him in number, with San José, ”said Mons. Johnston.
The program presenter, the president and director of Operations of Ewtn News, Montse Alvarado, said that the pateador of the Chiefs, Harrison Butker, is known to publicly express her Catholic faith, and asked Mons. Johnston: “Do you think that Evangelizing in the annotation zone can you bring fans to Christ? “
“Well, I feel very lively for the faith of so many players, and not only in the field, but even later, in the interviews, how many of them talk about their faith,” said Mons. Johnston. “And that’s why I think it’s a great testimony of, you know, not cover your candlestick, but place it where I can give light.”
Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.
Matthew McDonald
Matt McDonald is the journalist of the Catholic National Catholic and publisher of the New Boston Post.