‘Theology of presence’ helps leaders connect with student-athletes

ALLEN PARK — School is back, which means the Catholic League is back.

Since 1926, Catholic schools in the Metro Detroit area have engaged in intense competition in a battle for athletic supremacy across the Archdiocese of Detroit.

And while respected coaches, disciplined players and dedicated volunteers are common sights along the sidelines of most sporting contests, there’s one thing you’ll find on a Catholic League sideline you might not find just anywhere: a priest or religious leader.

“I just like seeing the students in another venue, so I do as much as I can to come and see the kids. It’s important,” said Bro. Michael Segvich, CFC, of Birmingham Brother Rice High School, who you’ll find cheering on the Warriors at many games this fall. “Even in the midst of the most heated contest, they will still say, ‘Hi Brother, how are you doing?’ When we were playing Muskegon for the state title, in the middle of the game, a student went to me and asked how my Thanksgiving was.”

For parish schools, having the pastor at games — even in a non-praying capacity — is part of being a leader of a parish community, says Fr. Lawrence Delonnay of Our Lady of the Lakes in Waterford.

“I try to get to everything as much as I possibly can, especially in high school,” Fr. Delonnay said. “It’s all about the theology of presence. The kids say very little when you are there, but if you weren’t there, you get the ‘Hey, are you OK?’ from them.”

Fr. Delonnay said his interaction varies from team to team and coach to coach, but all Catholic League contests begin with an “Our Father.” But sometimes, he said, just silently standing on the sidelines is enough to show his student-athletes support.

“It’s all about being there for the kids, whether it’s athletics or drama or whatever else the kids are involved in,” Fr. Delonnay said. “If the priest shows up, it shows that I believe what they are doing is important.”

When players on the field recognize a priest or member of the religious community on the sidelines, it can often help build a stronger bond off the field, Bro. Segvich said. “It’s always nice to see the students in another venue,” Bro. Segvich said. “Maybe they are having difficulty in the classroom, so you see them at a different venue and establish a relationship on a different level and try to carry that over. When I was teaching full-time, the day after a game I would say something to them. And the kids know that I’m out there, timing them or being on the sidelines. They don’t need to say anything for me to know they appreciate me being there.”

Even more than the support, though, there is another reason why priests love to see students at different venues: they enjoy watching their younger parishioners grow up.

“I just loving watching them excel, it’s my biggest kick,” Fr. Delonnay said. “We had a play that was K-12, and it’s just great to see them do something different, out of the ordinary. Same thing in athletics: to see them excel is my joy. It’s not always about interacting with them or guiding them, but being there for them and seeing them do something outside the classroom. That’s what it means to be a pastor. To be there.”