The Catholic Sportsman Show Podcast

Josh Brooks - Set Apart

Josh Brooks is a seminarian in the Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia and is our guest on this episode. Throughout his life, Josh has had a huge passion for basketball. He tried out for his high school team but didn’t make it, God had other plans for Josh. He was raised in the Baptist faith, and his parents sent him to Catholic school. While in a relationship with his girlfriend, Josh felt a call to the priesthood. He explains that being a priest is being set apart, and he feels called to that life.
Josh became Catholic and is now going into his fourth year of the seminary’s college program, then he will have four more years of theological studies prior to being ordained a priest. Along the way, Josh will continually be discerning his vocation… is God really calling him to the priesthood? Josh is blessed to have the support of his parents. Josh talks about what he likes most about being in the seminary and what he likes least. He explains the difference between the Ordinary Form of the Mass and the Extraordinary Form.
Josh hopes to use sports, especially basketball, as a tool in his ministry if God wills that he be ordained a priest. Josh ends the podcast with wonderful encouragement for both young men and women as they discern their vocations… married, priesthood, religious life, or a single consecrated life. As you listen to Josh humbly present his story, please offer a prayer for his vocation and all vocations, that we will all follow our Lord wherever He leads. Pray also that we follow the admonition of Jesus’s mother Mary to “do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5).
 
#catholicsports #catholicseminary #priesthood #catholicvocations #philly

Chase Crouse - Endure the Fire

Chase Crouse is the CEO and founder of Hypuro Fit and is our guest on this episode. Hypuro Fit is a Catholic approach to fitness or stated another way, it’s fitness with a holy purpose. Chase explains the philosophy of Hypuro Fit is not just to work out to achieve a ripped body, although strength and nutrition are a great by-product. The philosophy of Hypuro Fit is inspired by St. Pope John Paul II’s teaching on the Theology of the Body. It’s rooted in the goal of helping participants integrate a healthy lifestyle with a healthy spiritual life. Chase frequently says, “You can’t give what you don’t have.” If your body is out of shape, you might have trouble physically helping others. Likewise, if you are not spiritually fit you may not be able to help someone who may need spiritual help. Hypuro Fit’s mission is to help their clients integrate the mind and spirit and ultimately to grow in holiness. 
 
Hypuro Fit is an app-based ministry and can be used at home, at the gym, or wherever a person works out.  Hypuro Fit is staffed by a team of nationally certified trainers who are authentic disciples of Jesus and are devout Catholics. They also help clients with nutrition. Chase explains the different levels, what clients receive at each level, and the pricing. Hypuro Fit is not a canned program. It’s not an ‘everyone has to work out this way and eat that way’ approach. It’s individualized based on a client’s needs, goals, schedules, lifestyles, etc. Interestingly, about a third of Hypuro Fit’s clients are priests or religious (nuns, deacons, etc.)
 
Chase ends the podcast with a provocative question: Why are you working to be physically and spiritually fit? Chase then answers his own question, “For Catholics, your why is always a who. If your why is a who, then it’s based on love and you’re off to a good start!”
 
For information about Hypuro Fit: Catholic Personal Training | Hypuro Fit
For information about the Theology of the Body: Summary of the Theology of the Body (TOB) Waldstein
 
#catholicsports, #hypurofit, #catholicfitness, #Theologyofthebodyfitness

Scott Carter presenting Venerable Emil Kapaun - Blessed Are the Peacemakers

Scott Carter is our guest on this episode. He is the coordinator of the office for the Beatification of Venerable Fr. Emil Kapaun. Fr. Kapaun is one of the newest deceased persons to be declared Venerable by the late Pope Francis in February 2025, which is a step closer to being declared a saint in the Catholic Church. Fr. Kapaun is best known for his faith-filled and heroic participation in the Korean war. Scott tells us about the young Emil’s penchant for being an outdoorsman at a young age and his love for sports while he was in the seminary. Fr. Kapaun was ordained on June 9, 1949, and was assigned to a parish in Kansas.
Fr. Kapaun’s real calling was to minister to and serve soldiers in the war. He served as a chaplain in World War II and returned to the States when the war ended. In 1949 the Army put out a letter requesting chaplains for the Korean War and Fr. Kapaun told his bishop that he wanted to go. Scott says that Fr. Kapaun had a missionary spirit. There is an iconic picture of Fr. Kapaun celebrating Mass on the hood of a jeep. While in the Korean War, Fr. Kapaun was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor and the Medal of Honor for saving a soldier about to be shot. Eventually Fr. Kapaun was captured and sent to a prison camp.
While in the prison camp, Fr. Kapaun did everything he could to help his fellow prisoners maintain their dignity while encouraging those that wanted to give up. While his captors took Fr. Kapaun to his death, he asked forgiveness for any wrong he might have done to any one of them. Throughout his life and at the hour of his death, Fr. Kapaun put his faith into action. Miraculously, Fr. Kapaun’s remains were found many years after his death in Korea and were returned to Kansas where he is buried at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Wichita. Scott ends the podcast by recalling a reflection given by Fr. Kapaun on the radio in Tokyo in April of 1950 on the Beatitude found in Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers…”
Scott asks anyone who is praying for the intercession of Fr. Kapaun to contact him at the website listed below.
For more information about Fr. Kapaun and/or to contact Scott: Venerable Emil J. Kapaun | Official Home Page
For information about the process of sainthood in the Catholic Church: Saints | USCCB
#catholicsports, #frkaupaun, #frkapaunkoreanwar

Mario Andretti - A Relationship with God Is Not Complicated

The legendary race car driver Mario Andretti is our guest on this episode. He spoke movingly of his late wife, Dee Ann, whose unwavering support was a constant throughout his illustrious career. Mario has 3 children and 7 grandchildren. During Mario’s accomplished career he won many races and championships in various forms of auto racing. Mario talks about how he and his twin brother formed a love for car racing early in life.  He lost a good friend who crashed in a race and Mario relied on God and the support of his wife during adversities.
 
Mario won the Long Beach Grand Prix four times and proudly talks about his sons, Michael and Jeff, also competing in Long Beach, CA. Mario’s uncle was a Catholic priest, and he affectionately attributes his safety in racing to “Uncle Priest” watching over him from heaven. Mario’s good friend Fr. Phil de Rea celebrated Mass for his racing team before many races.
 
Mario is looking forward to a new venture starting next year when he will be a consultant and board member with the new Cadillac Formula 1 team.
 
For Mario, a relationship with God is not complicated, providing strength for him, and helping him avoid disasters throughout his racing career.
 
#catholicsports, #marioandretti, #autoracing, #autoracinglegend #AcuraGrandPrixofLongBeach, #CadillacFormula1Team

Rich Gannon - If Something is Important to You, You’ll Find Time for It

Rich Gannon is our guest on this episode. He is a devoted husband and father. Rich’s career includes playing for the NFL as a quarterback for 17 seasons, most notably for the Oakland Raiders. He led the Raiders to the Superbowl for the 2002 season. Rich went to the Pro-Bowl four times and was the Most Valuable Player in 2002. Following his playing days, Rich moved to the booth and excelled as a broadcaster for “NFL on CBS” for 17 seasons. He is happily still around football, broadcasting on SiriusXM NFL Radio. Since football and broadcasting has dominated Rich’s life, he was asked how he finds time for God and family. Rich quickly replied, “If something is important to you, you’ll find time for it.”
Rich attributes his success to his Catholic upbringing in a large, devoted family. Rich talks about how his faith had a positive impact in his personal and professional life. In the NFL, Rich was happy to find faith throughout the organization. With his success and accolades, Rich’s faith keeps him grounded. He is excited about the recent election of Pope Leo XIV and hopes this event invigorates the Church, especially young people. Rich talks about the importance of parents as role models in the faith of their children. He challenges us all to pray for young people to return to the Church. Rich also challenges men to take their responsibility as head of the family seriously, with passion and dedication.
Rich can be contacted through the Catholic Speakers Organization:
Rich Gannon - Business, Corporate Speaker, Faith & Fitness, Fatherhood, Men's Issues, Motivational, Professional Athlete, Radio / TV, Sports & Faith Catholic Speaker
 
#catholicsports, #raidersfootball, #nflbroadcaster, #catholicprofootball, #catholicspeakersorganization

Michael McGlinn - An Artist Uses Music, Filmmaking, and Storytelling to spread the Gospel

Michael McGlinn is our guest on this episode. He is a husband and father, film maker, recording artist, founder of Sistine Films and the Adore Him Daily website. Michael played football at Notre Dame under the legendary coach Lou Holtz, although a life of football was not ultimately Michael’s calling. While at Notre Dame he developed an interior life, a devotion to the Rosary, and a deep feeling of peace.
 
Michael left Notre Dame drawn to music and spent time in Nashville in search of his dream. He is a multi-instrumentalist (voice, guitar, bass, piano) and played with legendary musicians such as Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, The Allman Brothers Band, and Genesis.
Michael’s life changed when he was given the opportunity to shoot a film in the Holy Land. This and many other experiences led him to develop a deep devotion to our Lord as well as his Catholic faith. Michael credits his success to attending Mass, Eucharistic Adoration (Holy Hour), praying the Rosary, devotion to the Divine Mercy and Sr. Faustina. The Holy Hour helps Michael ground his busy life by dedicating each day to the Lord.
Michael encourages us to dedicate each of our days to the Lord. He challenges us to start each day in adoration of our Lord through the practice of a Holy Hour. Michael’s passionate love for our Lord and the abundant fruits of his labors are a testament to the efficacy of this practice. Through his ministries and films, Michael hopes and prays to bring many people closer to our Lord.
Links:
Sistine Films:  Sistine Films
Adore Him Daily: ADORE HIM DAILY | Substack
Divine Mercy: Chaplet of Divine Mercy | USCCB, What is Divine Mercy? The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy | The Divine Mercy
Sr. Faustina: St. Maria Faustina Kowalska - Biography | The Divine Mercy
Eucharist: The Eucharist | USCCB
Eucharistic Adoration: Eucharistic Devotion | USCCB
#catholicsports, #sistinefilms, #divinemercy, #eucharisticadoration #fightingirish

Christopher McLaughlin - The Cause for Tommy Burns – The First Step Toward Being Declared a Saint in the Catholic Church

Christopher McLaughlin joins us from Glasgow, Scotland and is one of the people heading up the Cause for Tommy Burns, hoping that Tommy will eventually be declared a saint in the Catholic Church. Christopher is our guest on this episode and shares his experiences and knowledge about the quest for Tommy’s sainthood that many are praying for. Tommy was a professional soccer player, which in Scotland and most of the world, is called football. Tommy was a footballer for the famous, and beloved, Celtic team in Glasgow from 1975 to 1989 and later coached and managed the team. Tommy died in May of 2008 at the young age of 51 of melanoma, a form of skin cancer. He left behind his wife and four children.
Christopher has a wealth of knowledge about Tommy, his life, and his humble and deep devotion to God and the Catholic faith. Christopher shares some history of Catholicism in Scotland and how it is intertwined with Celtic football. Tommy was very pious and humbly practiced corporal works of mercy throughout his life. According to Christopher, the love for Tommy was very apparent at his funeral, which included 40 priests and an estimated 20,000+ people.
Christopher describes the process of opening a Cause for Sainthood according to the Church’s Canon Law. The first step involves the bishop of the diocese where Tommy passed away. The final step, which could be a few years to hundreds of years away, culminates in the Pope declaring the person a saint. There are many steps and an enormous amount of prayer, research, and verification prior to a Pope declaring someone a saint. Opening a Cause for Sainthood does not guarantee Canonization, it often does not. 
Christopher, and his fellow researcher Philip Church, are the “petitioners” in this process (see sainthood link below). They are asking for anyone who knew Tommy or is praying for an intercession from Tommy to contact them at contact@tommyburns.org
Information about the process of sainthood in the Catholic Church: Saints | USCCB
#catholicsports, #tommyburns, #celticfootball

Amayrani Higueldo - Intense Ocean of Grace

Amayrani Higueldo actively participated in the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage last year and is our guest in this episode. This event was a precursor to the National Eucharistic Congress that was held in Indianapolis on July 20 – 21, 2024. The Pilgrimage consisted of four routes, East, West, North, and South which made the shape of a cross over America. The four groups met in Indianapolis for the Eucharistic Congress. Each group took our Lord, present in the Eucharist, as they made their way across the country ministering to everyone they met. Amayrani was on the Seton Route from the East that began in Connecticut. The Pilgrimage and Congress were part of a three-year Eucharistic Revival currently taking place in the Catholic Church nationwide.
A devoted Philadelphia Phillies fan, Amayrani shares some experiences she had on the pilgrimage, which she describes as an intense ocean of grace. Although each day was different, Amayrani experienced her love for Our Lord in the Eucharist and in the lives of the people she met along the way. Amayrani shares many heartfelt and inspiring stories as she traveled with our Eucharistic Lord and fellow pilgrims. She has had a close relationship with Our Lady of Guadalupe for most of her life. Amayrani credits Our Lady’s intercession with helping her apply for and participate in the procession. 
Amayrani is now embarking on her profession as a nurse and looks forward to blessing her patients with the dignity and love of Our Lord, as she prays for them and strives to deliver the best care possible. Amayrani encourages us all to strive daily to stay close to Our Lord by attending Mass, receiving the Eucharist, completing a Holy Hour, reading Scripture, and praying the rosary.
 
Amayrani’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amayrannniii?igsh=aDExemppZXlmZDRr&utm_source=qr
Link to the National Eucharistic Revival, Congress, and Pilgrimage:  10th National Eucharistic Congress - Official Website
Link to information about the Eucharist: The Eucharist | USCCB
Link to information about Our Lady of Guadalupe: The story of Our Lady of Guadalupe - Vatican News
 #catholicsports, #eucharisticpilgrimage, #eucharisticrevival #Phillies