The Deacon's Bench
What ever happened to Sundays are for resting and church?
Well, the leader of the Catholic church in Detroit is trying to “reclaim” Sunday as a day of worship, rest and family time.
With that, Archbishop of Detroit Allen H. Vigneron Wednesday announced a new policy to cease youth sporting activities on Sunday.
“In our time, Sunday has slowly lost its pride of place,” Vigneron said in the pastoral note. “In the Archdiocese of Detroit, we are committed to setting aside this day as much as possible for God-centered pursuits” such as Mass, personal prayer and Bible studies as well as dedicated family time and activities centered on sharing faith with others.”
Youth involved in sports through the Catholic High School League (CHSL) and Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) will see the policy implemented this fall in their practice and game schedules. Officials with CHSL and CYO said they will ensure teams enjoy a full line-up of practices, scrimmages and games, taking advantage of a Monday through Saturday schedule.
“In shifting our sports to Monday through Saturday, we aim to help our dedicated student athletes continue following their passions without sacrificing Sunday worship, rest and family time,” said Vic Michaels, Director of CHSL and of the Archdiocese’s Department of Health, Athletics, Physical Education and Safety.
And from the archbishop’s letter:
What follows here are details about one particular way we are committed to this “strikingly countercultural way of living.” After prayerful consultation with the presbyterate of Detroit and responding to what I believe is the call of the Holy Spirit through Synod 16, we in the Archdiocese of Detroit will cease sporting events on Sunday. This means that competitive athletic programs in the grade school and high school levels are called to no longer play games or conduct practices on the Lord’s Day. In the months ahead, we will offer a number of resources to assist families in their own practice of keeping holy the Lord’s Day.
In shifting away from the hustle of required sporting activities on Sunday, we will reclaim this holy day and create more time for families to choose activities that prioritize time spent with each other and our Lord. As the Catholic Church, our primary role is to form disciples. Informed by Synod 16 and inspired by the Holy Spirit, we look forward to abundant blessings as we seek to abide by our God’s teaching to keep holy the Lord’s Day.
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