The Value of Sports: Pope Leo's June Intention – Fr. Reed Flood – 06/29/2026

Fr. Reed Flood is chaplain at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines and assistant vocations director for the Diocese of Des Moines. What the Pope is asking. Pope Leo XIV's June prayer intention is "for the values of sports" — that sport may be an instrument of peace, encounter, and dialogue among cultures and nations, promoting respect, solidarity, and personal growth. Fr. Flood frames sport as a genuine good meant to point us toward the worship of God, and as a training ground for virtue, echoing St. Paul's athletic imagery. Key takeaways: Sanctify your fandom – Rather than praying for a team to win, pray that the athletes you admire become saints. Eutrapelia / "good play" – Take sport seriously without being severe; aim for the virtue in the middle, marked by delight, camaraderie, and growth. Play and the liturgy – Drawing on Josef Pieper (Leisure: The Basis of Culture) and Romano Guardini, Fr. Flood describes how both sport and the liturgy lift us beyond mere necessity into something greater. Keep Sunday for the Lord – His simplest practical advice: don't schedule sports over Sunday Mass. For high school students: Fr. Flood invites teens to Ad Astra, the summer youth conference hosted by Serva Fidem ("Keep the Faith") in partnership with the Diocese of Des Moines, alongside Fr. Max Carson and others. Details and registration: servafidem.org. Explore the Holy Father's monthly intentions through the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network. Catch more at IowaCatholicRadio.com. #PopeLeoXIV #ValueOfSports #CatholicPodcast #FrReedFlood #DowlingCatholic #CatholicMorningShow #IowaCatholicRadio #Catholic #WorldCup #ServaFidem Credits: Produced, Edited, and Mixed by Ayden Pugh, Alexia Baker, and Brady Grimm. ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Catholic Morning Show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode — and if this one was worth your time, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It takes ten seconds and it's the single best way to help more people find the show. 🎧 LISTEN LIVE Catch The Catholic Morning Show live, weekday mornings on Iowa Catholic Radio. Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our Stations LINKSYou can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here! More from Iowa Catholic Radio:Sunday Dive with Katie PatrizioMan Up! with Joe StopulosCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrBe Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián MoncadaMaking it Personal with Bishop William JoensenFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleThe Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos Liturgy & DevotionsThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Daily Mass from St. Francis of AssisiThe Daily Mass from St. Pius XThe Daily Mass from St. TheresaSunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint JohnWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.