Vikings chaplain brings faith to the field

For Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh, the daily schedule is packed.

Each week of the football season is filled with team meetings, practices, workouts and weight training. Even meals with teammates are scheduled for appointed times.

For players serious about their spiritual life — like Walsh, who grew up Catholic and attended Mass regularly with his family — it can be hard to find time to pray and nurture a spiritual life.

So, when he was drafted by the Vikings last season, he didn’t expect to see a guy wearing a Roman collar on the sidelines with the team during games.

For the past 11 years, Father Michael Van Sloun, pastor of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata, has been helping Catholic players, like Walsh, as well as coaches and other team staff members to keep their lives focused despite the pressures of the NFL. He helps them, he says, to “be men of God.”

One of two chaplains, Father Van Sloun’s primary jobs is to preside at Mass on Saturdays before Sunday games.

“I didn’t expect this to be the case in the NFL,” Walsh said. “The fact that they basically bring Mass to you is just awesome.”

continue at The Catholic Spirit

PS> I love the face lift on TCS, kudos to Craig Berry!