At 12:15pm today, in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience members of the Italian Tennis Federation.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Thank you for coming, and in such great numbers! I thank your President for his courteous words, and I especially greet all the children who are here - there are so many! - who are participating in a recreational vehicle celebration organized by the Italian Tennis Federation.
ON various occasions, I have spoken about sports as an educative expression. Today, I want to repeat: the world of sport is a road to education! There are three roads, three fundamental pillars for children, for youth: education - scholastic and in the family - in the world of sports and in work. Upon these three pillars, they grow well! When all three are present - school, sports and work - the conditions are present for the development of a full and authentic life, and to allow them to stay away from dependence that can poison and ruin our existence.
The Church is interested in sports because she cares about men and women, all men and women, and she recognizes that sports have an effect on a person's formation, on relationships and on spirituality. You athletes have a mission to accomplish: to be, for all those who admire you, sound and true models. Even you, leaders, coaches and sports managers are called to give good witness to human values, masters of your sport who are always fair and true.
Yours is a very competitive sport, but the pressure to want to accomplish significant results should never drive you to take shortcuts such as doping. How horrible and sterile such a victory would be if it were to be obtained by cheating and deceiving others!
The apostle Paul uses the example of an athlete to illustrate an important characteristic of human existence. He says: Do you not know that, in a race in the stadium, everyone runs but only one wins, the first one? Run in such a way that you might obtain the prize (1 Cor 9:24). In a certain sense, this is your daily experience in tennis. But Saint Paul is referring to the challenge of giving an ultimate significance to one's own life. I therefore want to urge each of you to get involved, not only in sports - as you are already doing with excellent results - but in life, in the search for good, for true good, without fear, with courage and enthusiasm. Get into the game, both with others and with God, giving the best of yourselves, giving your lives for what it's truly worth and for the sake of rewards that will last forever. Put your talents at the service of the encounter between people, for the sake of friends, for the sake of inclusion.
Dear brothers and sisters, I ask you to share my greetings with your family members and with your friends. May the Almighty God bless and protect you always, and please, don't forget to pray for me. Thank you.
Now, all together, let us pray to Our Lady before I give you the blessing (Hail Mary).
Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the meeting with members of the
Italian Tennis Federation
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Thank you for coming, and in such great numbers! I thank your President for his courteous words, and I especially greet all the children who are here - there are so many! - who are participating in a recreational vehicle celebration organized by the Italian Tennis Federation.
ON various occasions, I have spoken about sports as an educative expression. Today, I want to repeat: the world of sport is a road to education! There are three roads, three fundamental pillars for children, for youth: education - scholastic and in the family - in the world of sports and in work. Upon these three pillars, they grow well! When all three are present - school, sports and work - the conditions are present for the development of a full and authentic life, and to allow them to stay away from dependence that can poison and ruin our existence.
The Church is interested in sports because she cares about men and women, all men and women, and she recognizes that sports have an effect on a person's formation, on relationships and on spirituality. You athletes have a mission to accomplish: to be, for all those who admire you, sound and true models. Even you, leaders, coaches and sports managers are called to give good witness to human values, masters of your sport who are always fair and true.
Yours is a very competitive sport, but the pressure to want to accomplish significant results should never drive you to take shortcuts such as doping. How horrible and sterile such a victory would be if it were to be obtained by cheating and deceiving others!
The apostle Paul uses the example of an athlete to illustrate an important characteristic of human existence. He says: Do you not know that, in a race in the stadium, everyone runs but only one wins, the first one? Run in such a way that you might obtain the prize (1 Cor 9:24). In a certain sense, this is your daily experience in tennis. But Saint Paul is referring to the challenge of giving an ultimate significance to one's own life. I therefore want to urge each of you to get involved, not only in sports - as you are already doing with excellent results - but in life, in the search for good, for true good, without fear, with courage and enthusiasm. Get into the game, both with others and with God, giving the best of yourselves, giving your lives for what it's truly worth and for the sake of rewards that will last forever. Put your talents at the service of the encounter between people, for the sake of friends, for the sake of inclusion.
Dear brothers and sisters, I ask you to share my greetings with your family members and with your friends. May the Almighty God bless and protect you always, and please, don't forget to pray for me. Thank you.
Now, all together, let us pray to Our Lady before I give you the blessing (Hail Mary).
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