For a professional baseball player – even a Catholic one – it must be tough to stay in touch with one’s faith.

The travel during the six-month season is intense, and though many teams offer religious services, the preparation routine for a game sometimes takes precedence over worship.

But it’s no secret that baseball talent is a gift from God, and two players in the National League East are well aware of this fact.

Faith and Sports Combined

Washington Nationals relief pitcher Craig Stammen has become a staple in the team’s bullpen for the past few seasons.

Growing up, he said that he kept his Catholic faith separate from his baseball career. However, while at the University of Dayton, Ohio, a retreat during his junior year in 2005 changed his outlook on faith.

“The retreat allowed me to open up and share my faith with a lot of different people – people I didn’t even know,” he said. “It was a huge step forward for me. You can’t just talk the talk, but you have to walk the walk.”

As a relief pitcher, Stammen is often thrust into tough situations with runners on base as he tries to protect a lead or keep a game tied. Naturally, he’s relied on divine intervention to help him do his job.

“There have been so many steps along the way where I can’t explain how things happened or how they worked out,” he said. “I know there’s something driving my career and my life that’s far greater than I can explain.”

After he made the decision to incorporate his Catholic beliefs into his pitching style, Stammen said he was able to use his faith as an advantage to increase his mental toughness on the field.

“Once I realized that they go hand-in-hand and that God is as much a part of this as anything,” he said, “it’s made me have more peace of mind and enjoy playing baseball even more.”

Prayers of Thanks, Not Success

When Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Ben Revere enrolled at Lexington Catholic H.S., Ky., his whole life changed. His family had been religious growing up, but he said he started to become mature in his faith during his high school years.

This maturity has helped the speedster provide a spark atop the Phillies’ batting order. He said his faith has shaped him spiritually and mentally, and he’s grateful to his parents for sending him to Catholic school.

Revere said he prays every morning when he wakes up, before every game and every night before going to bed. Each Sunday, he reads spiritual passages that his father and grandfather send him to help him put everything in perspective.

On his Twitter page, Revere lists Psalm 91, which opens with: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”

“It really hits me in the heart, especially with the game of baseball and life,” he said. “There are going to be times when you have bad days. God will only give His toughest battles to the strongest soldiers. It may not be right now, but it might be down the road.”

When he prays, Revere does not ask God to help him get four hits or steal a few bases in a particular game. Instead, his prayers center on giving thanks, because without God, his baseball career would be just a dream rather than a reality.

“Lord keep everybody safe and thank you for the opportunity to play this sport and be alive today,” Revere says as he prays. “I’m just so glad He lets me wake up every morning and see another blessed day because that’s really what it’s all about.”

[hr]Contact Jim Mancari via email at jmancari@desalesmedia.org.[hr]