May 08, 2019
It’s no sweat for Dominicans in role as team chaplains
By Charles C. Joyce
They won’t be expected to launch three-pointers, turn a double play, or run a four-minute mile, but Dominican friars and one sister have been added to the unofficial roster of all the College’s intercollegiate athletics teams.
Through a collaborative effort between the Office of the Chaplain and the Department of Athletics, one Dominican is now assigned to serve as chaplain to each of the 19 women’s and men’s teams. Prior to the beginning of the 2018-19 academic year, five teams had chaplains.
The effort to extend the chaplaincy ministry this academic year came in response to student-athlete wishes, a Vatican conference on faith and athletics, and the willingness of the Dominican community, said College Chaplain Rev. Peter Martyr Yungwirth, O.P. and Jill LaPoint, assistant vice president for athletics, deputy athletics director, and senior woman administrator. Twelve Dominican priests, who serve PC in a variety of teaching, ministerial, and administrative capacities, and campus minister Sister Anne Frances Klein, O.P. now provide personal and spiritual support to all student-athletes, with two Dominican friars assigned to multiple teams.
“Athletics is such a big part of our college. Dominicans understand that and take this very seriously,” said Father Peter Martyr, who began serving as the women’s softball team’s chaplain in fall 2017.
“We’re so pleased that every program now has the benefit of a Dominican team chaplain,” said LaPoint. “The support, care, and encouragement they provide has been a wonderful addition to the support that student-athletes receive from our athletics department coaches and staff. There’s something special about the constant presence of Dominicans. They are a confidential, reliable, and trusted resource.”
LaPoint pointed out that connections between Dominicans and individual student-athletes already were taking place naturally. Dominicans historically have been a regular presence at PC athletics contests, and many see the student-athletes in class or other campus contexts. Some student-athletes saw that some teams already had chaplains and wanted to see their team have the same benefit, said LaPoint.
In addition, the desire to see the support extended intensified after several members of the PC community attended a June 2017 conference, “Sport at the Service of Humanity: A Regional Conference on Faith and Collegiate Sports,” which was hosted by Villanova University and supported by the BIG EAST Conference. The conference attracted more than 100 leaders representing 28 mostly Catholic colleges and universities and was a followup to the inaugural Vatican Conference on Sport at the Service of Humanity, held in Rome in October 2016.
BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman was a delegate at the Vatican conference, which focused on six core principles that would enhance the greater good through sports: compassion, respect, love, enlightenment, balance, and joy.
Last summer, PC athletics leaders met to discuss the team chaplaincy issue with Father Peter Martyr, who had been thinking about adding chaplains to more teams for the 2018-19 academic year. The athletics administrators were convinced of the value of having a chaplain for each team and requested as such. Members of the Dominican community embraced Father Peter Martyr’s request.
There are no established guidelines or requirements for the chaplains, and student-athletes at all levels of faith or unbelief are welcome to approach them. Oftentimes, chaplains will consult with coaches and other team officials to determine how best the chaplain can support the program and its student-athletes. Chaplains typically sit or stand near the team at home contests. Some opt to go to away competitions, visit practices, communicate with student-athletes via email, or meet with them as requested.
The chaplains are intended to be a multi-faceted resource for a team beyond the sport itself, said Father Peter Martyr. “We want to connect the student-athletes and the staff on each team so they get to know one Dominican really well.”
LaPoint emphasized that the mental health of student-athletes is a critical component of their well-being and having a Dominican with “a keen eye” who is looking beyond “the jump shot” or other athletic skills is valuable. She has seen chaplains respond to student-athletes who are dealing with injuries, adjusting to life as a college student and Division I student-athlete, and dealing with the death of a family member.
“The team chaplains have been especially helpful with situations that we can’t always anticipate,” said LaPoint. “When those situations arise, it is comforting to know that our student-athletes have an established relationship with a Dominican through the team chaplain program.”
While he loves sports and continues to play hockey on an intramural team, Rev. Bonaventure Chapman, O.P., assistant College chaplain and the women’s basketball team’s chaplain, said the game itself is decidedly secondary to his role as chaplain.
“To me, the most important part is the person. How are they doing?” said Father Bonaventure, who keeps a pink card with the team members’ names in his white tunic. “I’m their biggest fan. I can stand on the outside and see how they are doing emotionally.”
Father Bonaventure means it when he says he’s the team’s biggest fan. He sits on the team bench at home and away games, high-fives the players as they head onto the court before games, attends practices and team staff meetings, offers Mass intentions for the team, and stays in touch with players via email and face-to-face consultations. He especially enjoys road games, as travel frequently includes downtime when he can chat with the women more easily and celebrate Mass on the mornings of overnight trips.
“The opportunity for them to come to Mass is what I really love,” he said.
Father Bonaventure, who passes out Laffy Taffy candy and other small gifts to team members, said it is important to give the gift of time to the student-athletes and to emphasize excellence in all that they do. That includes academics. An adjunct faculty member in philosophy, he speaks to them about their courses and approach to classes. Before finals last December, he offered a study session to the first-year student-athletes who take Development of Western Civilization, and all six showed up.
“I try to shower them with love, prayer, and support. I want to let them know they are integral to PC,” he said.
Having Dominicans like Father Bonaventure serve as chaplains not only is practical and beneficial, it also reminds student-athletes that religious are just as human as they are, said LaPoint. “They’re funny, they make jokes, and they’ll yell ‘Let’s Go, Friars,’ like anyone else,” she said.
Some student-athletes, like Annie Flego ’20 (Little Silver, N.J.), who plays softball, consider chaplains actual team members. She said she is “so grateful” that Father Peter Martyr is the team’s chaplain. He is present and supportive in many circumstances, and his enthusiasm is genuine.
“He is in the dugout, the huddle, and comes to practices,” said Flego. “He prays with our team and blesses us. I remember him getting up at 5 a.m. before our road trip to meet us on the bus and bless us. Everybody loves him!
“We feel like we can go to him just to talk, and he always gets excited to see us on campus. He usually says the 10 p.m. (Sunday) Mass and occasionally gives us a shout-out. He’s the best. He encourages us, and it’s comforting to know he is praying for us to do well.”
Rev. Michael Weibley, O.P., associate College chaplain, also has been “a great addition to our team” as chaplain, in the view of Mary O’Reilly ’20 (Longmeadow, Mass.), who plays field hockey.
“We knew we wanted a down-to-earth, fun Friar to be our chaplain, and Father Michael is just that,” said O’Reilly. She said he is encouraging, gives players high-fives on the sidelines, and is a calming influence when the action gets heated. Sometimes, he will pray with the team after matches and always speaks positively about the team’s performance and the opponent.
“Father Michael played baseball in college, so he understands the excitement and demands that student-athletes face. He has been a great resource who is always willing to lend a listening ear. In addition, he is very busy being the associate chaplain, among other things, yet he somehow always makes time for our team,” said O’Reilly.
LaPoint said it is apparent to the athletics department that that the Dominican chaplains are adding value to the student-athletes’ experience at PC and expressed gratitude for their outreach.
“They’ve been wonderful,” she said. “We are so grateful to the Dominican community for their genuine desire to connect with our student-athletes and our sport programs.”
