Author photo of Patrick Kelly

Patrick Kelly

Jesuit Fr. Patrick Kelly, Ph.D., is holder of the Heider Chair at Creighton University. He has worked closely with Vatican offices regarding sport as an aspect of culture for many years. His most recent book is Play, Sport and Spirit (Paulist Press, 2023).  

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Folarin Balogun of the U.S. and Belgium's Brandon Mechele compete in the FIFA World Cup at Seattle Stadium July 6, 2026. (OSV News/Reuters/Albert Gea)

World Cup demonstrates the power of sports to foster encounter

"What we were learning from the World Cup in its early phase was that sport can be experienced as a human phenomenon with internal goods or intrinsic rewards," writes Patrick Kelly. 

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