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Polish Priest Thinks Prayer is the Ticket to Euro Glory

June 5th, 2008 | By: Laurie | 11 Comments »

Poland may not be favorites in Group B. They may not be expected to even make it out of the group. But if one priest has his way, they’ll have an ace up their sleeves: The man upstairs.

“We should support our players through prayer,” Father Edward Plen, who is the official chaplain to the Polish sports world, was quoted as saying in the Polska daily.

“It’s important that our boys feel that they’re not alone, and that they have the full support of the Catholic community.”

(Did anybody else get hung up on that “official chaplain to the Polish sports world” part? Are you wondering, as I am, why your country doesn’t have an “official chaplain to the sports world”? Or at least an “official chaplain to the sports world, except for FC Dallas and the New York Yankees”?)

But before we start petitioning our own sports federations for equal access to The Almighty, we need to remember: It’s not all about winning games.

He also urged Polish fans, who have earned a reputation for hooliganism, to “keep to the principles of the Ten Commandments” when they encounter other supporters.

“We cannot forget that he who is on the other side is not only an adversary but also a man. He who takes his faith seriously cannot wish any harm to the other side,” said Plen.

Cannot wish any harm? Uh-oh. I’m seeing a serious crisis of faith happening for a lot of folks when Poland plays Germany.

Tags: Euro 2008 News, Euro 2008 Poll, Group B, Poland, Religion

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Comments

By Rob | June 5th, 2008 at 4:00 am

“Keep to the principles of the Ten Commandments” bit bothers me. I never went to Sunday School but isn’t one of them about worshipping false idols - like, y’know, footballists? Also is hooliganism ok as long as Thou Doesn’t Kill? Religion/Football, a good mix they do not make.

Posted from United Kingdom

By Ian Rose | June 5th, 2008 at 9:01 am

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s playmaking midfielder.

By anonymous | June 5th, 2008 at 10:37 am

Rob–on the other hand, Religion/Football a good mix does make. It makes for great profound-sounding statements, e.g. my personal favorite: if two goalposts and a ball can unite the world, imagine what Christ can do for us!

By Ian Rose | June 5th, 2008 at 12:04 pm

Yes, the first word that comes to mind in a word-association game with “religion” is definitely “unity”. Yeah…

By Matt | June 5th, 2008 at 12:41 pm

Good thing “The Holy Goalie” is between the pipes for Poland…

By Rob | June 5th, 2008 at 2:27 pm

I guess Jesus has no-one to support if Kaka’ isn’t playing.

Posted from United Kingdom

By McTalian | June 5th, 2008 at 4:24 pm

Prayer…and some better players. Of course, they can just start nationalizing everyone under sun like France and they’ll be favorites in no time.

By Laurie | June 5th, 2008 at 6:31 pm

Ahem. The vast majority of players on the team were born in France. The others moved there as small children, or in a couple of cases young teens. It’s not as if the country goes poaching to bring in adult players. They don’t have to. Every single one of them is FAR more French than Camoranesi is Italian.

Posted from United States

By -nickt.- | June 6th, 2008 at 6:13 am

agree with you about france laurie but as for camo, he’s from argentina where something like 90% of the population are italian to some degree. i’m not sure about camo’s exact history but the name makes one think.
really though i feel that any one can say they’re from anywhere so long as the locals are down in. ethnicity(as opposed to nationality) is way to complicated for fifa.

where do all of these pictures of catholics playing football come from? i seem to recall a nun playing here on the offside not so long ago.

By Weston | June 6th, 2008 at 11:12 am

oh come on, camo is far more italian (and there for better) than any of germanys strikers are german, the offside even wrote a page on it.

Posted from United States

By Weston | June 6th, 2008 at 11:17 am

thy shall not kill (thy bias referee)

Posted from United States

Comments are closed