THE HOLY FATHER

SPEAKS TO ATHLETES

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NATIONAL CATHOLIC WELFARE CONFERENCE

1312 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. Washington 5, D. C.



CHRISTIAN PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS

Translation of an address by His Holiness , Pope

John XXIII on April 26, 1959 to participants in the

Sixth National Congress of the Italian Sports Center

and to delegates to the Thirteenth National Congress

of the Italian Federation of Timekeepers.

The spectacle you bring before Us today gives Us sincere

satisfaction, beloved sons who are taking part in the sixt(i

national congress of the Italian Sports Center, which met in

Rome to discuss and to examine closely—under the guidance of

your national leaders— the problems in sports.

In fact, in viewing such a distinguished assembly, which is

like a triumph of youth and wholesome energy, We think of all

whom you represent and who, like you, are engaged in the peace-

ful and joyful efforts of various athletic competitions.

We are also happy to welcome, together with you, many

delegates to the 13th national congress of the Italian Federation

of Timekeepers, to whom We also extend greetings, filled with

consideration for their delicate task, which is accomplished by

them with a watchful sense of care and responsibility.

Such a spectacle of freshness and strength is to Us a source

of consolation because We truly rejoice in finding Ourselves

surrounded by valiant youths who are the future hope of the

Church and of civil society.

It makes Us happy also because We know that you wish to

participate in sports with a Christian spirit, and to use them for

the complete and harmonious development of your personality.

The theme of the congress of the Italian Sports Center, made

ready by 30 years of fruitful activity and by numerous provincial

congresses, has shown to Us clearly the program set before

your good will: “Sound sports for a better youth.”

The great value in sports lies in their particular effective-

ness in building inner perfection which is developed through

external discipline and attained when one’s body is trained with

constancy and seriousness.

We are happy to observe such spiritual value in the life of

sports in our fortunate meeting of today, the first with you since

Our elevation to the supreme pontificate.

We trust, beloved sons, that you will never forget that your

efforts are not an end in themselves; that the body which you

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use, and whose agility and harmony reflect a ray of the beauty

and omnipotence of the Creator, is only an instrument which

you must render obedient and receptive to the strong influence

of the soul.

Your training exercises and your competitions, which are

like serene interludes between the monotony of study and of

daily labor, must aid the spiritual and immortal part of you.

Should they exercise a dangerous influence on this part;

should your life of sports represent a danger to your souls

rather than a protection, or be an obstacle in the accomplish-

ment of religious practices, you would then find yourselves off

course, like racers who because they did not plan their race

properly, failed to finish first.

Sports still have first-class value for the exercise of virtues

in your life. You constantly keep in training, so that your muscles

may not lose their elasticity, freshness, or effectiveness. Such

a constant preparation, though intended above all, to provide

physical and technical excellence, must nevertheless have fruit-

ful and lasting results on the soul, which thus becomes enriched

by valuable habits.

In sports, in fact, real and strongChristian virtues can also

be developed that God’s grace afterwards renders stable and

fruitful. In a spirit of discipline one learns and practices

obedience, humility and renunciation. In teamwork and in com-

petition one learns to practice charity, brotherly love, mutual

respect, generosity and, sometimes, even forgiveness. In the set

laws governing physical efficiency, one learns and practices

chastity, modesty, temperance and prudence.

How fortunate you are to be able to practice these ancient

virtues with youthful enthusiasm, without which you may indeed

be an outstanding athlete but not a Christian one.

The spiritual value of sports is still drawn from the

sense of temporality which— because of the search for constantly

better performances— characterizes every competition.
In each sports season, as your specialized news reporters

say, new records are made, achieved by the tenacity and courage

of champions. Such experience, while placing you in the condition

of never being satisfied with results obtained, has a very great

pedagogic and spiritual value.

It teaches you that in the physical world, and particularly

in the spiritual, one must never be satisfied with the level at-

tained, but with God’s help and good will, one must try always to

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reach new heights and aim toward that continuous improvement

which rises to perfect manhood, to the mature measure of the

fullness of Christ.”

These are brief observations, simple thoughts that We offer

you as aids in the fulfillment of your activity, which already

unfolds on the shining path of the Faith and in obedience to the

wise norms which Our predecessor, Pius XII, instilled in you on

many occasions, from the time of the establishment of the Italian

Sports Center.

Persevere therefore in such faithfulness, which is the

guarantee of your success as sportsmen and of your happy

future as Christians.

A high and stimulating goal is before you: preparation for

the 1960 Olympic games in Rome. It will be an important event.

We hope, God willing, on that occasion to welcome the athletes

who will take part in the games.

In thinking of this coming event. We recall with pleasure

Our visit to the ruins of Olympia, the city— universally famous-

that lies in the pleasant valley of the Alpheus, with its pic-

turesque hills, with the eloquent traces of its civilization and

games.

While We were traveling through its remains— clothed in
silence— the words of St. Paul to the Christians of Corinth

strongly re-echoed in Our minds: “Do you not know that those

who run in a race, all indeed run, but one receives the prize?

So run as to obtain it. And everyone in a contest abstains from

all things—and they indeed to receive a perishable crown, but

we an imperishable.”^

What power these words attained there, words written for

Greeks who, not too far from Olympia and fond of the renowned

sports competitions, could understand their sense and their

effective application! We repeat them to you today, knowing that

in you they find fruitful ground.

You also run, you also strive— in stadiums, on track fields,

in gymnasiums and in sports arenas. We repeat, therefore: Do

not run only to win transient trophies, but also to gain imperish-

able victories written in the Book of Life.

1. Eph. 4, 13.

2. / Cor. 9, 24-25.

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Take courage, therefore, dear sons. Always keep before

you the goal to which all of us are called: the eternal life to be

earned through good works and the practice of Christian virtues.

Furthermore, do not forget that, as members of a center

which was born within the youth movements of Catholic Action,

you have the duty of being apostles among your colleagues in

competitions and training.

Be untiring in doing good, in spreading the good word of

Christ, in making those who, unfortunately, are strangers, under-

stand that only in obedience to Him and to His Church can be

found true balance and power, complete esteem of the dignity

of the human person, and protection from every exploitation

and danger.

Be aware of the enlivening power of your Faith; be the good

yeast that leavens the mass of the sports world.

Strive in peace and firmness so that movements contrary

to the holy values of the spirit may not adulterate the healthy

qualities of Italian spwrts.

We also address the same exhortations to you beloved sons

who are members of the Italian Federation of Timekeepers, so

that the beneficial services rendered by you to the sports world,

may in addition to their technical nature, precision and respon-

sibility. be fulfilled always in a spirit of love, sacrifice and

generosity.

In this manner you will truly be deserving of the high esteem

of the Church, and of the divine flow of grace upon your good

and worthy activities.

We are w'ith all of you, beloved sons, in extending our sup-

port, in encouraging you and particularly in praying for you so

that, according to the Collect of today’s Mass, “even amid the

changes of this world, their hearts may always be fixed upon the

true happiness of heaven."

As a pledge of the celestial gifts which We fervently invoke

for you. We are happy to impart to you, your beloved families,

your colleagues and to leaders of the Italian Sports Center and

of the Italian Federation of Timekeepers, Our paternal apostolic

blessing.

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ADDRESS TO OLYMPIC ATHLETES

Translation of an address given by His Holiness, Pope

John XXIII on August 24, 1960 to participants in the

Summer Olympic Games in Rome.

This message is to express Our affection for you, the athletes

taking part in the Olympic Games at Rome.

The colonnade of Bernini, holding you within its out-

stretched arms, seems to present you to Our gaze as you stand

in this open space near the obelisk once erected in the center of

Nero’s Circus, where we know that St. Peter, Prince of the

Apostles, bore testimony to his Faith.

In 1905, Our predecessor of immortal memory, St. Pius X,

received the distinguished founder of the modern Olympic Games,

Peter de Coubertin, and warmly encouraged the new enterprise.

Moved by a similar feeling of good will towards you. We desire,
first of all, to express Our deep joy at your coming. You have

long been awaited, as We have previously remarked on other

occasions in informal conversations, and We now bid you

welcome. We were very glad today to come in from Castel-

gandolfo to convey Our greeting to your crowded and eager

ranks in this place dedicated to St. Peter.

May this evening’s happy occasion, which brings back so

many memories, touch a chord deep in your hearts, so that, as a

result, each one of you may have a higher appreciation of the

dignity proper to an athlete and a truer perception of the under-

lying spiritual voice of Rome.

It is obvious that We cannot wish victory to every team or

to each individual athlete. “May the best man win.’’ But this is

no obstacle to Our expressing the very strong desire that the

contests of these days will benefit you all, and that from them,

all, without exception, will be able to gain some advantage.

It is not the prize offered in the race but the correct

exercising of the body that merits the higher esteem. Home life,

indeed, and a proper tradition in the training and education of

the young bid us be on our guard in athletic contests against

giving exclusive attention to the body, as if to man’s supreme

good, and against a cult of gymnastics (such as sometimes

happens) which can hinder the due carrying out of accepted

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obligations. It is certain, however, that healthy bodily exercises

and athletic contests of good repute should always be held in

honor and strongly recommended. In fact, a number of qualities,

which are endowments and distinctions of no little value, are

fostered in man by means of athletics; with regard to the body,

there are health, physical strength and agility, grace and beauty;

with regard to the soul: perseverance, courage and the practice

of self-denial.

Consequently, We are quite sure of this: During the Olympic

Games you will give example of thekindof healthy rivalry which

is a complete stranger to enmity and strife; in the contests you

will display an enduring serenity and cheerfulness; you will be

modest in victory, unruffled in defeat, resolute in difficult

situations, and will show yourselves true athletes, giving to the

great crowds of spectators further proof of the truth of the

old saying: A healthy body possesses a healthy mind.

Moreover, before We send you away. We wish your thoughts

to be directed towards the most splendid function which God has

committed to Rome, whether in human affairs or in what con-

cerns religion: for it came about in the admirable plan of Divine

Providence that this city grew into the capital of that empire

which strove to link together by the same civilization and the

same bond of unity not only the Mediterranean people, but those

also who possessed lands completely cut off from these shores.

This condition of things - particularly since it had introduced

a wide network of communications and a common language - had,

under God, this effect: The city of Rome was most appropriately

established as the center of the Christian religion; and this same

city, in keeping with such a lofty dignity, throughout the vicissi-

tudes of history used all its strength and endeavors to bring to

peoples all over the world the supreme benefits of the salvation

of the Gospel charity and peace.

Anyone, therefore, who turns his gaze even briefly on Rome,

is confronted by a number of ancient monuments and places

which demonstrate the truth of this fact. Their message,

lacking nothing of greatness, does not pass by men of true

wisdom. That you may hearken readily to such a message is the

earnest desire of the humble successor of Peter, who is now

speaking to you.

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Finally, reaching out with profound emotion to those of you,

who, though divided by variety of race, are yet linked by the

fraternal bond of your interest and purpose in the Games, We
lovingly beg from Almighty God for yourselves and for your

parents and those near to you a generous measure of heavenly

gifts.

(Translation provided by NCWC News Service)