The OC Catholic Sports League started its soccer season with a thrilling first week of games. Below are the final scores for the games played on Dec. 5.
ST. BARBARA 0-5 CRUSADERS
KCSWLA UNITED 4-3 HOLY WATER
SAN ANDRES 7-3 NEW CREATION
FAITHFUL 0-0 IRVINE CATHOLICS
ST. JOACHIM 3-0 DDG
HOLY CROSS 4-3 KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
The team to watch this week was St. Joachim from Costa Mesa, a new team to the league, made up mostly of its own parishioners as well as some from St. Columban parish. St. Joachim is led by Father Carlos Leon from Peru – the second priest to take part in this league (the first was from Our Lady of Peace in Irvine). Father Leon says this league was a great opportunity for young adults to come together and share their love for the sport of soccer and their love for Jesus Christ.
The Orange County Catholic Sports League is starting its ninth season and has seemingly been the answer to the Pope’s expressed need for creating more ministries directed toward young adults. The participants in this league are from all walks of life. From devout Catholics to protestants and non-practicing Catholics, all come together to pray before each game to get in touch with the Lord and share their love for soccer and each other.
What makes the league so special are its rules and founding goals. As this excerpt from 1 Corinthians 12:12 says: “…as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.” The league consists of many that come together to form one unit. Just as players all come together to Church to praise our Creator as one Church they do the same when they go and play as a unit. Complete strangers become close friends on the pitch to function as a team fighting for the goal of winning. The combination of Christ and sports has become a perfect outreach to young adults as they can all relate to both subjects.
Nick Porrazzo contributed to this report.