New guidelines keep sports in perspective
Anyone who has ever had children involved in a sports program, especially when the family has multiple children participating, knows the way that the demanding practice and game schedule can consume family life. Parents often find it challenging to get time to sit down together for a family meal, let alone do anything outside the home as a family if it doesn’t involve the sports in question.
And when the sports schedule includes games that are played on Sunday mornings, the already difficult task of getting children collected and ready for Mass becomes nearly impossible. Some families may be successful at getting to Saturday evening vigils, but many simply can’t manage, leaving children with the inevitable message that sports enjoy a higher priority than our faith.
For these families, the recent decision by Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski to prohibit Sunday morning games for the diocesan Catholic Youth Ministry basketball league is the answer to a prayer. The bishop, based on a consultation with pastors, conducted by the Office of Youth Ministry, deemed that no diocesan basketball game, parish tournament or practice may be scheduled on Sunday before 1 p.m..
The bishop’s directive sends a very clear message, in support of a recent reminder by Pope John Paul II, that Sunday worship takes priority over sporting activities. Considering the pressure that our children have on them throughout the week to keep up with social, scholastic and athletic demands on their time, the one hour set aside for Mass each weekend is all the more critical.
Along with the Sunday morning restriction, two other newly-announced guidelines for the diocesan league will serve to undergird the religious nature of this organization and keep its young participants safe. The first requires that all players are actively enrolled in a parish religious education program or Catholic school in order to be eligible. While there are certain waiver possibilities, the majority of players will be members of our schools and parishes, ensuring the identity as an all-Catholic league.
The second guideline extends to the league the diocesan policy concerning security screening for adults working with children. Prior to the start of the 2004- 2005 season, all coaches, assistant coaches, site managers and athletic directors must undergo a criminal background check. Criminal background checks will be completed through the local parish. In addition, all coaches, assistant coaches, site managers and athletic directors must attend Virtus: Protecting God’s Children Training prior to the start of the upcoming season.
While all of these measures might represent a certain amount of inconvenience, or additional expense of time and money, they are all well-founded in that they place the physical, psychological and spiritual well-being of the diocese’s children first. Unlike the messages that permeate our culture, this sends the message that sports has its place . . . but not over family, and certainly not over God.
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law