Pope Francis has endeared himself to many — both Catholics and non-Catholics alike — since being elected in 2013. If sports fans needed another reason to treasure Pope Francis, they now have one, as the “avid sports fan” will be spreading a message of peace and hope during Super Bowl LI.
According to the Associated Press, Pope Francis has taped a video message that will be shown on the screen at NRG Stadium in Houston “either before the game or during the first quarter.”
“In the message, the pope says he hopes the Super Bowl will be ‘a sign of peace, friendship and solidarity for the world.'”
This message is timeless. Yet it comes at a time in which peace, friendship and solidarity have seemed hard to come by.
There has been plenty of upheaval surrounding President Donald Trump’s executive order temporarily banning immigration from seven Middle East nations. An order that Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, an immigrant and Muslim, recently spoke out against, among many others in the sports world.
Pope Francis believes that sports can bring about social change, as noted by the Associated Press, and we look forward to the message he brings this Sunday in Houston.