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Europe. Friday 11 th July. "Dear players, you are very popular. People follow you, and not just on the field but also off it. That's a social responsibility." (Pope Francis, an address to the Argentinean and Italian football teams, 2013). Unity.
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Europe Friday 11th July "Dear players, you are very popular. People follow you, and not just on the field but also off it. That's a social responsibility." (Pope Francis, an address to the Argentinean and Italian football teams, 2013)
Unity • As members of the family of God, Christians around the world inhabit one village. When Christians worship, they link themselves to this worldwide village full of beauty, of struggle and of hope.
Football as a force for good. FABRICE MUAMBA, Retired Premier League player • FabriceMuamba is a retired footballer who played for Arsenal, Birmingham City and Bolton Wanderers. • In March 2012, Fabrice suffered a cardiac arrest whilst playing for Bolton. He received treatment on the pitch and went to hospital. • Since then he has gone on to make a remarkable recovery. He is now a football pundit and is studying sports journalism at university as well as spearheading the Hearts and Goals campaign aimed at raising awareness of the UK‟s biggest killer – sudden cardiac arrest.
Shirts of hope • As Fabrice recovered in hospital, fans from all over the UK and Europe placed hundreds of football shirts at the Bolton Wanderers' stadium as a sign of hope and support to the player. In March 2013, a year after his collapse, FabriceMuamba donated these shirts to CAFOD. • The shirts are destined for the midfielder's homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to go to children and young people who have become separated from their families through poverty and conflict. • Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore said: “It is fitting that the shirts left at Bolton's gates should go to young people in the DRC whose lives are very different to ours but whose love of football is the same. It is a symbol of the healing power of football around the world.”
Joined by football • Some of the young people receiving the shirts are supported by CAFOD's partner CAJED in eastern DRC. These young people are often living on the streets and have been separated from their families. Some are former child soldiers. • These young people come and have fun playing football with each other through CAJED. Through our partner, young people can also access support services like accommodation, education and training for work. They can also get health care support, advice about drug abuse, and advice about HIV and AIDS. Accessing these services helps young people to turn their own lives around and stay away from conflict. • A final word from Fabrice: "It is marvellous that the tributes can go on to do greater good. There are many young children facing difficult lives and they remain in my thoughts and prayers."
Prayers of intercessions LEADER: Let us remember those suffering in poverty and hunger. Nearly one billion people go to bed hungry every night and two million children die from malnutrition every year. Gracious God, we pray for an end to such suffering, in justice and peace. Hear our prayer, ALL: In your love, answer LEADER: Let us remember those striving for universal education. Around 69 million school-age children are not in school. Gracious God, we pray the thirst for knowledge throughout the world is quenched so that the potential of all children is realised. Hear our prayer, ALL: In your love, answer. LEADER: Let us remember those working to improve child health. Nine million children still die each year before they reach their fifth birthday. Gracious God, we pray we always care for people of all ages as if caring for Christ. Hear our prayer, ALL: In your love, answer.
Go and do “Live your sport as a gift from God.” Pope Francis
