Just as Fernando Valenzuela tipped his eyes to heaven during his famous windup when he pitched, so did the hundreds of faithful who flocked to his funeral in Los Angeles at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Nov. 6.

In Catholicism, the sacrament of reconciliation is a core value of our faith since it absolves us of our sins, cleanses our souls, and brings us closer to God.

The baseball world has lost a legend. A controversial one, but a legend nonetheless.

A beloved NBA superstar who got his start on the Georgetown University courts died Sept. 30. Dikembe Mutombo, class of 1991, passed away at age 58 from brain cancer.

Perseverance, fortitude, grit and calm in the face of a storm often accompany the description of prominent athletes. At the funeral Mass of deceased brothers Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau Sept. 9 at St. Mary Magdalen Church in Media, however, it was their wives who emulated the aforementioned attributes as they took turns giving words of remembrance for their fallen husbands.

As family, friends, teammates, coaches, media, acquaintances and even strangers struggled mightily to make sense of the devastating tragedy Aug. 29 that took the lives of National Hockey League star Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and his brother, Matthew, 29, no expression adequately conveyed the sense of loss that tore apart the fabric of a popular, much-loved family with deep Catholic roots.

When the New York Knicks acquired Brooklyn Nets star guard Mikal Bridges this summer, Villanova University faithful rejoiced! The Knicks already had three former Villanova Wildcats on the roster: Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo — all of whom were huge contributors to New York’s success last season.

When the great Carl Erskine died on April 16 at the age of 97, it had me thinking: How many former Brooklyn Dodgers are still left?