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Busy On Sunday? Attend Mass Early

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By MICHELLE BEARDEN

mbearden@tampatrib.com

Published: January 30, 2009

TAMPA - Catholics, put aside your guilt. You don't have to choose between going to Sunday's Super Bowl activities or Mass.

The Diocese of St. Petersburg, in conjunction with Catholic Athletes for Christ, has come up with a plan to make everyone happy.

At 4 p.m. Saturday, Bishop Robert Lynch will celebrate a "Kick-Off" Mass at Christ the King Catholic Church, 821 S. Dale Mabry Highway. Attending the evening vigil fulfills the obligation that requires Catholics to attend Sunday Mass.

"We're expecting a lot of visitors in town this weekend, and they may be looking for a place to go," says the Rev. Len Plazewski, director of vocations for the diocese. "And our own local Catholics may want to keep their Sunday free as well."

Invitations have been extended to visiting NFL players in Tampa for the game, but don't expect to see any Pittsburgh Steelers or Arizona Cardinals at the Mass: Priests come to them on game day.

Catholic Athletes for Christ, launched in 2006, is similar to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Both groups support a faith fellowship among professional and student athletes and seek ways to promote their values in the athletic community.

Last year, the group sponsored the first "Kick-Off" Mass at the Super Bowl in Phoenix. Organizers hope to make it an annual event.

The Mass is also a way to let non-Catholics know that the denomination supports sports.

Although Plazewski isn't privy to what Lynch plans to address in the sermon, he has an idea.

"I think we can count on that it will have something to do with sports."

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