"Lombardi Charitable Funds’ Dinner"

March 9, 2010
Year for the Priest

This past Saturday, I was privileged to offer the invocation at the annual Lombardi Charitable Funds’ dinner, a truly wonderful organization that extols the principles of excellence established by the great coach Vince Lombardi and concentrates on attacking the devastating illness of cancer. The men and women who were present were certainly individuals dedicated to carrying on the Lombardi tradition of assisting the community in which they live; however, I decided to take my life in my hands. I confessed to the Lombardi dinner attendees that I, Archbishop of Milwaukee, am a lifetime Bears’ fan. Of course, I was roundly booed, which was noted by the emcee.

I also realized the only reason I was asked to do the invocation was because the Lombardi dinner needed “da bishop” to pray for “da coach.” If you haven’t guessed by now, it was Mike Ditka, former coach of the Chicago Bears, who was being honored. I certainly enjoyed watching Ditka, first as a player, then as a coach, and also as the choreographer of the 1985 Champion Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl Shuffle. (Ah, those were indeed lean years for the Pack.)

Coach Ditka addressed the audience upon the reception of his award, paying glowing tribute to the achievements of Coach Lombardi. He spoke of the influences in his own life and of the models of excellence which inspired him. He truly spoke as a man who understands the importance of God, family and country. He also spoke as someone who understood the value of hard work and the importance of striving to be the best. It was a pleasure to sit at the same table with him, listening to his insights about sports and life.

Also at the same table were Bart Starr and his wife, Cherry. You could not ask for better representatives for the Lombardi dinner, or for two people who understand what it means to give back to the community. Cherry Starr spoke with eloquence about her husband Bart, and it was clear from his remarks that he shares a mutual devotion to his wife. The success of their marriage is obviously due to the love that they express for one another which is founded in God. The Green Bay Packers’ organization is truly blessed to have a couple of this caliber representing the best of the Packers’ tradition.

In Bart Starr and Mike Ditka, we have two individuals that could be resting on their laurels and reminiscing about their glory days, but instead, they make themselves available at an evening of tribute, surrounded by well-wishers who are seeking autographs and pictures, for the good of a charitable cause. It was very obvious to me that they were giving back, not only to the communities that supported them during their careers and to battle a life-threatening disease, but to God, Himself, who had formed and fashioned their lives and had blessed them with unique talent.

It’s also wonderful to see that, over the years, the hostilities between the Packers and the Bears have diminished. (Imagine that! A former Packer and a former Bear seated at the same table.) The proverbial hatchet has been buried too – perhaps in the Minnesota Vikings.

If anyone could unite former rivals, it would be Lombardi. Anyone who loves the sport of football recognizes the name Lombardi, almost reverentially, as it is synonymous with the word excellence. The man, himself, is noted for his tenacity of giving and demanding the best from himself and everyone with whom he was associated. A quote of his that I admire is, “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”

I don’t believe Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta played for Coach Lombardi, but Mother Teresa said, “It is not our object to be successful, but rather to be faithful.” We give our best because the One who created us demands our best if we are to be faithful in order to achieve the ultimate prize. It’s comforting to imagine that both Coach Lombardi and Mother Teresa are now playing on the same team – one team we all hope to join someday.

We may not be Mike Ditkas, Mother Teresas or Bart Starrs, but God has gifted us and we are called in the same way to return and share, with our communities, the gifts with which we have been entrusted.

Love one another and see you at Mass!

Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee

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