Below is the press release:
From the unlikely theme “Competition in faith” to a clear, convincing report based on the sacred texts. This is the operation carried out by Monsignor Marco Gerardo for a meeting desired by Panathlon Taranto Principato (president Dr. Angelo Vozza) and which was also attended by knights and ladies of the Eq. Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem (delegate Prof. Mainini) of which Monsignor Gerardo is assistant.
A theme, the one already mentioned, which received the applause of the Panathlon governor, Dr. Ludovico Malorgio, who in a message underlined how “The ethical principles of sport go well with the Christian faith”.
The evening was introduced – in the “Salone delle Troccole” of the Arciconfraternita del Carmine – by Panathlon president Aldo Vozza, followed by a greeting from delegate Benedetto Mainini.
“Let’s clear the field of misunderstandings right away,” the learned prelate began, “because “competition” is certainly not synonymous with “antagonism.” And, as a well-known expert on biblical texts, he undertook a long and enthralling gallop between the Old and New Testaments, in which we find texts that refer first to physical but not sporting experience, and then to clearly sporting references.
It goes from the prophet Amos who announces the supremacy of God over man (“The swift will not escape, the strong will not use his strength, and the warrior will not escape”); to Jacob’s encounter with the “unknown” (the angel of God) with whom he fights and from whom, in the end, he asks for a blessing. Which he obtains, but together with the crippling of his hip. For which he will then be called Israel: “a man who fights with God”.
“The experience of faith – underlined Mgr. Gerardo – ultimately it is the continuous battle between what is the will of God and the will of man.
And then some precious references to the New Testament starting from Saint Paul who warns the Corinthians: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run but only one receives the prize? I run…I fight”.
And in the second letter to Timothy the well-known passage “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have won the faith”.
In short, for those who believe that life is faith and faith is life, the arena is not foreign. “But be careful! – concluded Don Marco – as in sports, also in faith training is needed…”.
Faithful warned…etc.etc.
