Celebrating St. John Paul II: The Athlete Pope
St. John Paul II’s life was a testament to God’s providence and grace. Born Karol Józef Wojtyła in 1920 in Wadowice, Poland, he faced tremendous hardship early in life, losing his mother, brother, and father before the age of 21, and enduring the cruelty of both Nazi and Communist occupation. These sufferings became his crucible of holiness, and through his deep trust and total surrender to God, he was formed into a man of unshakable hope, joy, and courage.
Known as the “athlete pope,” St. Pope John Paul II had a deep love for sports and nature. He played soccer, skied, kayaked, hiked, often retreating to the mountains of Poland to pray and connect with God’s creation. For him, nature was not just scenery, but a sanctuary where his heart and mind were raised toward Heaven. He always emphasized the connection of the physical and spiritual, body and soul. In his Catechesis on Human Love, he wrote, “The body, in fact, and it alone is capable of making visible what is invisible: the spiritual and the divine.” Theology teaches that the soul animates the body and gives it life, and through the body we come to know both God and one another.
Whether in conditioning or competition, the body becomes a living encounter: it reveals character, expresses effort and desire, and allows us to experience others in their fullness. John Paul II taught that athletics are not an end in themselves, but rather a “gymnasium of virtue,” where courage, perseverance, self-control, and teamwork are cultivated. Through the discipline of training and the joy of play, body and soul grow together, united in the pursuit of excellence and openness to God. In this way, every practice, every race, every game, and every shared effort becomes a form of prayer: a tangible way to encounter God while offering the gifts He has given to us.
St. John Paul II believed that faith elevates sport, and that sport can prepare the heart for faith. He envisioned athletes as “champions of the human spirit.” Ultimately, John Paul II understood that life is about more than success, medals, championships, or victories. It is about becoming who God created us to be. In his encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), he wrote, “The glory of God is man fully alive… Man is called to a fullness of life that goes far beyond the dimensions of his earthly existence.” Sport reflects this truth. When athletes fully give their all on the field of play: heart, mind, body, and soul…they become the glory of God.
Therefore, as women of faith and competitors in sport, we are invited to follow the example of St. John Paul II. Let us pursue holiness with passion, compete with integrity, and love with courage. May we, like him, live our lives fully alive for the glory of God.