The Catholic Morning Show

The Value of Sports: Pope Leo's June Intention – Fr. Reed Flood – 06/29/2026

Episode Summary

Dowling Catholic High School chaplain Fr. Reed Flood joins the Catholic Morning Show to explore Pope Leo XIV's June prayer intention "for the values of sports," released as the FIFA World Cup captivates the globe. He explains how sport forms virtue, why the Greek notion of "good play" mirrors the liturgy, and how Catholics can sanctify their fandom. Fr. Flood also previews the Ad Astra youth conference hosted by Serva Fidem for high school students.

Episode Notes

Fr. Reed Flood is chaplain at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines and assistant vocations director for the Diocese of Des Moines.

What the Pope is asking. Pope Leo XIV's June prayer intention is "for the values of sports" — that sport may be an instrument of peace, encounter, and dialogue among cultures and nations, promoting respect, solidarity, and personal growth. Fr. Flood frames sport as a genuine good meant to point us toward the worship of God, and as a training ground for virtue, echoing St. Paul's athletic imagery.

Key takeaways:

• Sanctify your fandom – Rather than praying for a team to win, pray that the athletes you admire become saints.
• Eutrapelia / "good play" – Take sport seriously without being severe; aim for the virtue in the middle, marked by delight, camaraderie, and growth.
• Play and the liturgy – Drawing on Josef Pieper (Leisure: The Basis of Culture) and Romano Guardini, Fr. Flood describes how both sport and the liturgy lift us beyond mere necessity into something greater.
• Keep Sunday for the Lord – His simplest practical advice: don't schedule sports over Sunday Mass.

For high school students: Fr. Flood invites teens to Ad Astra, the summer youth conference hosted by Serva Fidem ("Keep the Faith") in partnership with the Diocese of Des Moines, alongside Fr. Max Carson and others. Details and registration: servafidem.org.

Explore the Holy Father's monthly intentions through the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network. Catch more at IowaCatholicRadio.com.

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