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My friend the pastor-- a baseball fan

Submitted by Jim Wogan on February 13, 2011 - 2:42am

My friend Chrisitan Mathis is a baseball fan.

He is also a Catholic priest, which might explain, at least in part, his allegience to the Chicago Cubs-- a team that obviously needs all the help it can get.

Fr. Christian is insightful and cares deeply about a wide range of issues outside of baseball-- but because this is a sports blog, I thought I would share the most recent entry from his blog-- which happens to be an award winner.

The Church of Baseball 
by Fr. Christian Mathis

One of the sure signs that Spring is right around the corner is when sports talk begins turning to baseball. Today I received my annual invitation to take up the reigns as manager of the Bourgeois Pigs fantasy baseball team. The Pigs came in second last year and are primed and ready to challenge the defending champions in 2011. In honor of pitchers and catchers who will begin reporting to camp tomorrow, I share with you the words of Annie Savoy from the movie, Bull Durham.

“I believe in the Church of Baseball. I’ve tried all the major religions, and most of the minor ones. I’ve worshipped Buddha, Allah, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, trees, mushrooms, and Isadora Duncan. I know things. For instance, there are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. When I heard that, I gave Jesus a chance.”