There was a bishop, priest, a deacon, and a campus minister....

Many fans from Catholic made the trip down to the State Championship play-off games as well as our final game that we lost. As I drove home, I reflected on what transpired after that tough loss. Coach Sullivan gathered everyone together just beyond first base where they all knelt down to pray. Coach Sullivan is not Catholic, as many of you know, but he is surely a man of God. His relationship with all of his players and coaches is constantly centered on Christ. Everything Coach Sully does is pretty much ministry in the school, whether he's in the classroom, mowing grass, or coaching the Irish to yet another victory. We have one of the best looking baseball fields in Knox County, and even this is a testament to Coach Sullivan's understanding of stewardship in Christ Jesus. While I didn't hear everything he prayed, I heard enough. He asked the guys to use the bellyache in their guts to learn more about their relationship with Christ. He asked them to thank God for that bellyache and then to help the players learn from an awesome season. He spoke powerful words of encouragement to the departing seniors, most of whom had big tears rolling down their cheeks.

We were probably passing the Cookeville Exit when it hit me. Here was the Catholic Baseball team, having been lead to the State Championship game by a committed and serious Christian man who is not of our faith. Who was comforting them in their loss and time of sorrow? Their coach, a bishop, a priest, a deacon, and their campus minister, Mark Balog. Up in the stands was one of our two Dominicans, Sister Anna. Right after Coach Sully finished the prayer that he led, Bishop Stika offered a blessing to the whole team right there down the 1st base line. Those young men were surrounded by the Catholic faith with the fullness of orders being present. Catholic High is a beautiful collision of faiths. The fact that Fr. Michael Woods drove over there along with our own Apostle of Jesus Christ, Bishop Stika, is amazing. I am so thankful to be a small part of the family that is Knoxville Catholic High School, and that our daughter Sophie will be a freshman this Fall. It is with great excitement and delight that we send our daughter to Catholic High. May God continue to bless our school in every facet of what we endeavor! And to the 2009 baseball team, you brought us farther than we've ever been, just one game shy of winning it all, we thank you for all that practice, hard work, your academics, and your Irish fight. You can all hang your heads high when thinking about that achievement. And to the seniors, you've given your team-mates something that many thought impossible; thank you for your leadership on and off the field, and may God continue to bless you as you head into the next chapter of your lives. - dpat :)