“Father Schlaline came not to be served, but to serve.”
“Father Weaver crashed the net to cast the net – for vocations.”
Delone Catholic senior Dylan Lawrence gave colorful in-game commentary for the God Squad contests at Delone Catholic High School last Friday, bringing humor and truth to the annual event that pits priests and seminarians against eighth-graders from St. Teresa of Calcutta School in McSherrystown.
Now in its fifth year, the event has become one of the pinnacle events for the eighth-graders eager to meet the challenge of their local priests and several seminarians from Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Md.
In fact, almost the entire eighth-grade class participated this year, as their team “Tuff Stuff” attempted to defend last year’s championship against the God Squad. The eighth graders had two opportunities for victory this time, as an added volleyball match followed the traditional basketball game.
“Oh, for sure, eighth grade is going to win,” student Josie Schultz predicted to The Witness after warm-ups. But the God Squad, though limited in number, made use of textbook plays and a size advantage to top Tuff Stuff in both events.
Still, the eighth graders maintained dogged determination through the final seconds of the 27-23 basketball game and a 25-18 volleyball score. Players from both teams closed the event by taking a knee for prayer led by Father Ben Dunkelberger, pastor of Our Lady of the Visitation Parish in Shippensburg.
The competitions weren’t about double-doubles, zone defense and net-front presence, but rather about school spirit, community and forging connections.
“The God Squad game builds up the community in the school quite a bit,” said Father Richard Lyons, pastor of Annunciation BVM Parish in McSherrystown, who frequently teaches religious classes in the school. “The students have been talking about this event for a couple months now. They’ve been having planning sessions for the set up and how the event was going to go. And they’ve been trash-talking me all day.”
“It’s hard to say what the long-term fruits of this will be, but it’s safe to say that all the students look forward to this every year,” Father Lyons said. “As a pastor here, it really helps me make more connections with the kids because most of my interaction with them is in the classroom or at Mass. I know it helps them to have a wider view of the priesthood.”
Eighth-grader Jack O’Brien has attended every God Squad game leading up to this year and was eager to take the court.
“It’s awesome to know that they care enough about us to participate in the game every year and have fun with us,” he said of the priests and seminarians. “Father Lyons gave us a lesson about the game in his homily during the school Mass and has been showing up to our gym class.”
“It’s just an awesome thing to be able to participate in this event,” said Josie. “With basketball and volleyball being the two main sports at our school, we’re very excited to challenge them in these games.”
Even though Josie’s winning prediction didn’t come to pass, the students still won in the end.
“We’re getting to see that priests are people who have interests and hobbies that make them part of who they are. We get to see that they’re human and can have fun too,” she said.
See more photos and footage on the Diocese of Harrisburg’s Facebook post from April 10.
(Photos by Jen Reed, The Catholic Witness.)
By Jen Reed, The Catholic Witness
