Pope Francis to Athletes "I wish you to play well while having fun, spreading the values of friendship, solidarity and peace..." FULL TEXT
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SPEECH OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ITALIAN VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION
Clementine Hall
Monday, January 30, 2023
_______________________________________
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!
I thank the President for the words of greeting he addressed to me on behalf of the Federation and all of you, male and female, male and female, senior and junior, male and female Italian national volleyball players.
Together with the General Secretariat of the Italian Episcopal Conference you are undertaking a process to spread the educational values of sport throughout the territory and among sports clubs, in an integral perspective that combines technique with the possibility of giving the best of oneself, both in competitive activity and in life. In fact, sport must always be at the service of the person and of society, not of interests or logics of power.
I would therefore like to encourage you to continue on the path you have taken, offering you some indications that I draw from the fundamental actions of your sport.
First, the serve, which is the first shot that kicks off the game. In the game, as in everyday life, you need to take the initiative, take responsibility, get involved. Never stand still! Sport can help a lot to overcome shyness and fragility, to mature in one's awareness, to be protagonists, without ever forgetting that "the dignity of the human person constitutes the aim and yardstick of every sporting activity" (John Paul II, Jubilee International Sports Team, April 12, 1984)).
The hit corresponds to the reception. Just as you need to be ready to receive the ball in order to direct it in a certain area, so it is important to be available to accept suggestions and to listen, with humility and patience. You don't become champions without guidance, without a coach willing to accompany, to motivate, to correct without humiliating, to lift when you fall and to share the joy of victory. We need people who are solid points of reference, capable of teaching how to "receive" well, identifying the talents of their athletes to make them bear fruit to the fullest.
Then there is the lift, the pass towards the partner who has the task of finalizing the action. You are never alone, there is always someone to serve. There is not only the individual dimension, but you are part of a group: everyone is called to give their contribution so that we can win together. The players of a team are like the members of a body: St. Paul says that «if one member suffers, all the members suffer together; and if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with him" (1 Cor 12:26). In a world where people jostle to appear and to emerge at all costs, where the ego comes before us, where the weak and unproductive are discarded, sport can be a convincing sign of unity, of integration, and can launch a strong message of peace and friendship.
The attacking action is certainly decisive, which allows you to score points and build victory. Sport must promote healthy competition, without falling into the temptation to win by trampling on the rules. Sacrifice, training, rigor are essential elements of sport, while the practice of doping, in addition to being dangerous, is a deception that takes away the beauty and fun of the game, staining it with falsehoods and making it dirty.
To oppose the attack, the wall is built. This word makes us think of the walls present in various parts of the world, a sign of division and closure, of the inability of men to dialogue, of the presumption of those who think that one can save oneself alone. Instead, in volleyball, when you block, you jump high to face the opponent's dunk: this gesture helps us to think of the word in a positive sense. Jumping high means detaching oneself from the ground, from materiality and therefore from all those business logics that undermine the sporting spirit. Money and success must never let go of the game component, of fun. And for this I recommend so much: never leave the amateur dimension of sport. Sport is either amateur or it's not sport. This must be kept well, because with this you also keep your heart.
Dear friends, I thank you for this visit and I urge you to always be witnesses of correctness and loyalty. Many guys look at you and cheer for you: for them you are models, don't disappoint them! I wish you to play well while having fun, spreading the values of friendship, solidarity and peace on and off the field. I warmly bless you and your loved ones. And please, I ask you to pray for me. Thank you!
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ITALIAN VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION
Clementine Hall
Monday, January 30, 2023
_______________________________________
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!
I thank the President for the words of greeting he addressed to me on behalf of the Federation and all of you, male and female, male and female, senior and junior, male and female Italian national volleyball players.
Together with the General Secretariat of the Italian Episcopal Conference you are undertaking a process to spread the educational values of sport throughout the territory and among sports clubs, in an integral perspective that combines technique with the possibility of giving the best of oneself, both in competitive activity and in life. In fact, sport must always be at the service of the person and of society, not of interests or logics of power.
I would therefore like to encourage you to continue on the path you have taken, offering you some indications that I draw from the fundamental actions of your sport.
First, the serve, which is the first shot that kicks off the game. In the game, as in everyday life, you need to take the initiative, take responsibility, get involved. Never stand still! Sport can help a lot to overcome shyness and fragility, to mature in one's awareness, to be protagonists, without ever forgetting that "the dignity of the human person constitutes the aim and yardstick of every sporting activity" (John Paul II, Jubilee International Sports Team, April 12, 1984)).
The hit corresponds to the reception. Just as you need to be ready to receive the ball in order to direct it in a certain area, so it is important to be available to accept suggestions and to listen, with humility and patience. You don't become champions without guidance, without a coach willing to accompany, to motivate, to correct without humiliating, to lift when you fall and to share the joy of victory. We need people who are solid points of reference, capable of teaching how to "receive" well, identifying the talents of their athletes to make them bear fruit to the fullest.
Then there is the lift, the pass towards the partner who has the task of finalizing the action. You are never alone, there is always someone to serve. There is not only the individual dimension, but you are part of a group: everyone is called to give their contribution so that we can win together. The players of a team are like the members of a body: St. Paul says that «if one member suffers, all the members suffer together; and if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with him" (1 Cor 12:26). In a world where people jostle to appear and to emerge at all costs, where the ego comes before us, where the weak and unproductive are discarded, sport can be a convincing sign of unity, of integration, and can launch a strong message of peace and friendship.
The attacking action is certainly decisive, which allows you to score points and build victory. Sport must promote healthy competition, without falling into the temptation to win by trampling on the rules. Sacrifice, training, rigor are essential elements of sport, while the practice of doping, in addition to being dangerous, is a deception that takes away the beauty and fun of the game, staining it with falsehoods and making it dirty.
To oppose the attack, the wall is built. This word makes us think of the walls present in various parts of the world, a sign of division and closure, of the inability of men to dialogue, of the presumption of those who think that one can save oneself alone. Instead, in volleyball, when you block, you jump high to face the opponent's dunk: this gesture helps us to think of the word in a positive sense. Jumping high means detaching oneself from the ground, from materiality and therefore from all those business logics that undermine the sporting spirit. Money and success must never let go of the game component, of fun. And for this I recommend so much: never leave the amateur dimension of sport. Sport is either amateur or it's not sport. This must be kept well, because with this you also keep your heart.
Dear friends, I thank you for this visit and I urge you to always be witnesses of correctness and loyalty. Many guys look at you and cheer for you: for them you are models, don't disappoint them! I wish you to play well while having fun, spreading the values of friendship, solidarity and peace on and off the field. I warmly bless you and your loved ones. And please, I ask you to pray for me. Thank you!
Source: Vatican.va
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