Exploiting the enormous interest aroused by the World Cup to boost vocations in the Catholic church: the idea is that of the national Office for Vocations of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, which recently launched an advertising campaign in which priests are compared with football champions. In the poster a football player holds a football in his hand and concentrates on his mission, while facing him the same player is dressed as a priest and shown praying. “Football represents an important part in the life of many young people”, explains Paul Embery, head of the Office for Vocations. “To become professional footballers you need dedication, passion, years of preparation and perseverance, and the support of the team is essential and is not limited just to the match. The priest too has these characteristics. We wished to communicate to the young the idea that the work of the priest is satisfying and full of satisfactions”. The World Cup is giving rise to a series of initiatives in the Church, some curious. Like the one thought up by Father David Cain, priest of the diocese of Nottingham, and a keen Derby and England fan, who has decided to set up a “World Cup Chapel” in Nottingham’s Catholic Cathedral. The chapel is embellished not only with the traditional icons of worship, but also with large flags of all the teams competing in the World Cup. “The hope is that new believers and visitors may enter the chapel”, says Father David, who is convinced that “the World Cup is an important occasion for communication between different peoples” and that football can “promote harmony between nations”. Father Cain makes no predictions about the outcome of the championship, but speculates about who might be the patron saint of football: “I am not sure that there is an official patron saint but perhaps Saint Mirren should be considered for the job”, he says.
