Too busy to get to Mass?

Philip Rivers, quarterback of the San Diego Chargers, always makes time for Mass even while on the road. In an interview with “Lifeteen,” a Catholic website that offers resources for Catholic Youth programs, Rivers discusses his Catholic faith and how it is a part of his life and pro-football career. As we prepare for our annual “Montapo” retreat, the talk of our Montclair-Ramapo football rivalry is in the air (Ramapo is looking for their first win this year). As our loving trash-talk between campuses is in full swing, we know that come game time our faith puts both schools on the same team. Below are some of the interview questions with Rivers. For the full interview, go to lifeteen.com.

Question: So you grew up in a Catholic home, and you took that into your adulthood as a football player. That’s pretty rare for professional athletes, how did you do that?
Answer: I was fortunate to grow up in the faith; my mom taught me the faith. In North Alabama there were only like 15 of us in my county in my confirmation class. We were quite the minority in Alabama. But one thing I remember is when I went to college at North Carolina State, the biggest thing that stuck in my head from my mom was never miss Mass. That was the thing that she definitely got across. When you go to college that’s when the faith becomes your own. Your mom and dad aren’t waking you up and reminding you “Hey this is a good day to go to confession.” It’s up to you.
So that really stayed with me and I made sure I never missed Mass and continued to grow in the faith. My wife had a lot to do with it, she’s a convert and she actually became Catholic the day before we got married. There’s so many gifts from the faith to appreciate and it strikes people differently, but the one-ness of the church wherever you are, Raleigh, San Diego, Alabama. Every place we were was home because the Catholic Church is the same everywhere. When we went to Mass that first Sunday after moving to a new place, that was where we felt at home and were able to say “well, home is anywhere, it doesn’t matter where we live because we have the faith.”

Question: How are you able to make the sacraments a priority in the midst of your football schedule, especially on Sundays?
Answer: They have Mass available for us; there’s a team priest who travels with us. Obviously at home I have the opportunity to go at our parish, either earlier Sunday morning or Saturday mass. But I’ve recently starting visiting the churches in the cities we go to, and it’s that same thing – you feel at home. You’re in the opposing teams city and yet you found Mass there. That’s really special playing on Sunday and being able to go to Mass the day of the game – to play and do something you’re passionate about…