The following comes from an April 21 Catholic News Agency story.

Retired pro baseball star Mike Sweeney has organized a Catholic baseball camp this summer in San Diego to help young boys connect their sports life and their faith life while learning from professional athletes.

“I want to try to build the Church,” Sweeney said. “There is a need for true, authentic Catholic formation in young men.”

Sweeney, a former first baseman for the Kansas City Royals who played for three other major league teams, cited Pope John Paul II’s example as an inspiration.

“Pope John Paul the Great lit a flame,” he told CNA April 19. “His idea was to use sports to bring the gospel to the Church and to the lost.”

“My goal,” he noted, is “to build up these young men, because that’s what our culture is lacking: real Catholic men of faith who are leading their families and leading their schools and their friends.”

The first annual Mike Sweeney Catholic Baseball Camp is open to both Catholic and non-Catholic youth aged 7-14. It will take place at San Diego’s Cathedral Catholic High this July 24-26 under the personal direction of Sweeney, with the help of several other prominent athletes.

Former Los Angeles Dodger infielder Mark Loretta and former San Diego Padres relief pitcher Trevor Hoffman, a likely Hall of Fame inductee, will be among the coaches. San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers will also attend….

The last day of camp will feature a rosary recited around the baseball field.

“We’re going to line up around the bases. We’re going to have each kid lead half of a prayer and have the other hundred-something kids shout out the rest,” Sweeney said with enthusiasm.

The last day will also have an “open mic” night for youth to share their faith and say how God affected them during the three days of the camp.

Applicants have already filled more than half of the 100 open spaces.

For complete story, Click here.

 

READER COMMENTS

Posted Tuesday, April 24, 2012 1:06 AM By Clinton
May God bless Mr. Sweeney and the other faithful men in this endeavor. While dissidents try to tear down the Church and spend all their time whining and moaning how “unfair” the Church is, Mr. Sweeney and friends help build up the Church on earth, and teach young men how to be strong, faithful Catholics. +JMJ+

Posted Tuesday, April 24, 2012 5:36 AM By Catherine
What a very uplifting story! This is a much needed grand slam of hope and opportunity for young men to learn about their Catholic faith in a sportsman like atmosphere. Maybe we can have something like this in Orange County and in Los Angeles for young boys too! “My goal, he noted is “to build up these young men, because that’s what our culture is lacking: real Catholic men of faith who are leading their families and leading their schools and friends.” Thank you and God bless Mike Sweeney, Mark Loretta, Trevor Hoffman and Philip Rivers for truly stepping up to the plate to help our young men become real Catholic men of faith.

Posted Tuesday, April 24, 2012 6:11 AM By Angelo
This is great. Our Lady in an approved apparition sadly said, “A day will come when men will lose their masculinaty.”. Today many of us have become obese couch potatoes. We need to learn to be phisicaly strong again. Besides Bl. John Paul ll another great Blessed should be held up as a model, and thats Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati.

Posted Tuesday, April 24, 2012 7:26 AM By Dan 
John Paul II is smililng at this, as should we all. THIS is the true spirit of Vatican II.