World Cup scores with Paterson clergy celebrating global unity #Catholic – The calendars of clergy in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., are typically set to their sacramental ministry. But this summer, some diocesan clergy have also been setting aside time for the FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer. They see direct analogies between the game and the Body of Christ. One of these priests, Father Frank Lennie, chaplain at DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, N.J., sometimes wears a kilt to games. Venues around the United States are hosting World Cup matches, including at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., which will hold the finals on July 19. Father Lennie often wore a Team USA jersey as he watched World Cup matches at home or at a local establishments before Belgium eliminated the team in the men’s soccer tournament’s round of 16. “I was hoping they would do a little more than what they did, but they had a successful World Cup — nothing to complain about,” Father Lennie said. Meanwhile, Father Daniel O’Mullane, pastor at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Boonton, N.J., had Team USA in his heart but still rooted for his birthplace, England, through the quarterfinal round. “I am an American citizen, but I was born and raised in England, and it’s just like your first love,” said Father O’Mullane, who also supports perennial Premier League contender Liverpool. “I don’t think that there’s really anything compelling about giving up my first love as it relates to football [as soccer is known elsewhere],” he said. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. During his priestly formation in Rome, Father O’Mullane played for the Pontifical North American College soccer team, the Martyrs, where he was a standout forward in the famous Clericus Cup. Father Lennie wore traditional Scottish attire when he took in a World Cup tune-up match with team of his ancestry at the New York Red Bulls’ home stadium in Harrison, N.J. He kept his auxiliary membership of the Tartan Army when Scotland played in its first World Cup in 28 years before getting eliminated. “I was kilted up, and singing the ‘Flower of Scotland’ with everybody, which was pretty emotional for me,” Father Lennie said. “I’m not 100-percent Scottish, but it’s what I identify the most as because my name is Scottish.” Father Lennie is semi-reluctantly joining Father O’Mullane in rooting for England, Scotland’s archrival, in the knockout rounds. The priests aren’t alone in their love of soccer and the World Cup. Deacon Luis Carlos Mendez of St. Christopher Parish in Parsippany, N.J., proudly traveled to Toronto in Canada to support Panama when it played Ghana in the preliminary rounds. Neither Father Lennie nor Father O’Mullane had that opportunity, but as they watch a World Cup match or a Red Bulls match at their stadium in Harrison, they find parallels between the game they love and the faith they live and evangelize as priests. “The game has its own particular beauty. That’s probably the best place to explore it as it relates to the things of God,” Father O’Mullane said. He noted that a soccer team can achieve greatness when its different parts work together like the Body of Christ. “God wants us to celebrate the particular inherent beauty of what we’re able to witness and participate in,” he said. Father Lennie was moved by how Scotland’s “Tartan Army” embraced opponents such as Brazil during pregame parties in Miami’s South Beach, and how Americans have adopted visiting teams as their own, such as Kansans adopting Algeria. He said the World Cup in North America has fostered a sense of togetherness between strangers, welcoming the visitor as one’s own as Christ teaches. “There’s a lot to celebrate there, whether it’s the skill of particular people, watching teams come together or celebrating how well-received America has been by the various populations traveling to the country and how grateful they are,” Father Lennie said. “There was a lot of pressure and a lot of false narratives before the World Cup about what was going to happen with all these different people coming to America, but I think those have been found out to be not true,” he said. O’Mullane still holds out hope for England winning its first World Cup title since 1966, even as his parish celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 19 at a location just 27 miles away from the site of the World Cup final. “The day at the parish culminates with 11 a.m. Mass and a picnic until 3 p.m. I said to everybody, ‘There should be enough time to go to the picnic and get home in time to watch England win the World Cup,’” Father O’Mullane said.

The calendars of clergy in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., are typically set to their sacramental ministry. But this summer, some diocesan clergy have also been setting aside time for the FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer. They see direct analogies between the game and the Body of Christ.

One of these priests, Father Frank Lennie, chaplain at DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, N.J., sometimes wears a kilt to games.

Venues around the United States are hosting World Cup matches, including at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., which will hold the finals on July 19. Father Lennie often wore a Team USA jersey as he watched World Cup matches at home or at a local establishments before Belgium eliminated the team in the men’s soccer tournament’s round of 16.

“I was hoping they would do a little more than what they did, but they had a successful World Cup — nothing to complain about,” Father Lennie said.

Meanwhile, Father Daniel O’Mullane, pastor at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Boonton, N.J., had Team USA in his heart but still rooted for his birthplace, England, through the quarterfinal round.

“I am an American citizen, but I was born and raised in England, and it’s just like your first love,” said Father O’Mullane, who also supports perennial Premier League contender Liverpool. “I don’t think that there’s really anything compelling about giving up my first love as it relates to football [as soccer is known elsewhere],” he said.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

During his priestly formation in Rome, Father O’Mullane played for the Pontifical North American College soccer team, the Martyrs, where he was a standout forward in the famous Clericus Cup.

Father Lennie wore traditional Scottish attire when he took in a World Cup tune-up match with team of his ancestry at the New York Red Bulls’ home stadium in Harrison, N.J. He kept his auxiliary membership of the Tartan Army when Scotland played in its first World Cup in 28 years before getting eliminated.

“I was kilted up, and singing the ‘Flower of Scotland’ with everybody, which was pretty emotional for me,” Father Lennie said. “I’m not 100-percent Scottish, but it’s what I identify the most as because my name is Scottish.”

Father Lennie is semi-reluctantly joining Father O’Mullane in rooting for England, Scotland’s archrival, in the knockout rounds.

The priests aren’t alone in their love of soccer and the World Cup. Deacon Luis Carlos Mendez of St. Christopher Parish in Parsippany, N.J., proudly traveled to Toronto in Canada to support Panama when it played Ghana in the preliminary rounds.

Neither Father Lennie nor Father O’Mullane had that opportunity, but as they watch a World Cup match or a Red Bulls match at their stadium in Harrison, they find parallels between the game they love and the faith they live and evangelize as priests.

“The game has its own particular beauty. That’s probably the best place to explore it as it relates to the things of God,” Father O’Mullane said. He noted that a soccer team can achieve greatness when its different parts work together like the Body of Christ. “God wants us to celebrate the particular inherent beauty of what we’re able to witness and participate in,” he said.

Father Lennie was moved by how Scotland’s “Tartan Army” embraced opponents such as Brazil during pregame parties in Miami’s South Beach, and how Americans have adopted visiting teams as their own, such as Kansans adopting Algeria. He said the World Cup in North America has fostered a sense of togetherness between strangers, welcoming the visitor as one’s own as Christ teaches.

“There’s a lot to celebrate there, whether it’s the skill of particular people, watching teams come together or celebrating how well-received America has been by the various populations traveling to the country and how grateful they are,” Father Lennie said. “There was a lot of pressure and a lot of false narratives before the World Cup about what was going to happen with all these different people coming to America, but I think those have been found out to be not true,” he said.

O’Mullane still holds out hope for England winning its first World Cup title since 1966, even as his parish celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 19 at a location just 27 miles away from the site of the World Cup final.

“The day at the parish culminates with 11 a.m. Mass and a picnic until 3 p.m. I said to everybody, ‘There should be enough time to go to the picnic and get home in time to watch England win the World Cup,’” Father O’Mullane said.

World Cup scores with Paterson clergy celebrating global unity #Catholic –

The calendars of clergy in the Paterson Diocese, N.J., are typically set to their sacramental ministry. But this summer, some diocesan clergy have also been setting aside time for the FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer. They see direct analogies between the game and the Body of Christ.

One of these priests, Father Frank Lennie, chaplain at DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, N.J., sometimes wears a kilt to games.

Venues around the United States are hosting World Cup matches, including at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., which will hold the finals on July 19. Father Lennie often wore a Team USA jersey as he watched World Cup matches at home or at a local establishments before Belgium eliminated the team in the men’s soccer tournament’s round of 16.

“I was hoping they would do a little more than what they did, but they had a successful World Cup — nothing to complain about,” Father Lennie said.

Meanwhile, Father Daniel O’Mullane, pastor at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Boonton, N.J., had Team USA in his heart but still rooted for his birthplace, England, through the quarterfinal round.

“I am an American citizen, but I was born and raised in England, and it’s just like your first love,” said Father O’Mullane, who also supports perennial Premier League contender Liverpool. “I don’t think that there’s really anything compelling about giving up my first love as it relates to football [as soccer is known elsewhere],” he said.

Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

During his priestly formation in Rome, Father O’Mullane played for the Pontifical North American College soccer team, the Martyrs, where he was a standout forward in the famous Clericus Cup.

Father Lennie wore traditional Scottish attire when he took in a World Cup tune-up match with team of his ancestry at the New York Red Bulls’ home stadium in Harrison, N.J. He kept his auxiliary membership of the Tartan Army when Scotland played in its first World Cup in 28 years before getting eliminated.

“I was kilted up, and singing the ‘Flower of Scotland’ with everybody, which was pretty emotional for me,” Father Lennie said. “I’m not 100-percent Scottish, but it’s what I identify the most as because my name is Scottish.”

Father Lennie is semi-reluctantly joining Father O’Mullane in rooting for England, Scotland’s archrival, in the knockout rounds.

The priests aren’t alone in their love of soccer and the World Cup. Deacon Luis Carlos Mendez of St. Christopher Parish in Parsippany, N.J., proudly traveled to Toronto in Canada to support Panama when it played Ghana in the preliminary rounds.

Neither Father Lennie nor Father O’Mullane had that opportunity, but as they watch a World Cup match or a Red Bulls match at their stadium in Harrison, they find parallels between the game they love and the faith they live and evangelize as priests.

“The game has its own particular beauty. That’s probably the best place to explore it as it relates to the things of God,” Father O’Mullane said. He noted that a soccer team can achieve greatness when its different parts work together like the Body of Christ. “God wants us to celebrate the particular inherent beauty of what we’re able to witness and participate in,” he said.

Father Lennie was moved by how Scotland’s “Tartan Army” embraced opponents such as Brazil during pregame parties in Miami’s South Beach, and how Americans have adopted visiting teams as their own, such as Kansans adopting Algeria. He said the World Cup in North America has fostered a sense of togetherness between strangers, welcoming the visitor as one’s own as Christ teaches.

“There’s a lot to celebrate there, whether it’s the skill of particular people, watching teams come together or celebrating how well-received America has been by the various populations traveling to the country and how grateful they are,” Father Lennie said. “There was a lot of pressure and a lot of false narratives before the World Cup about what was going to happen with all these different people coming to America, but I think those have been found out to be not true,” he said.

O’Mullane still holds out hope for England winning its first World Cup title since 1966, even as his parish celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 19 at a location just 27 miles away from the site of the World Cup final.

“The day at the parish culminates with 11 a.m. Mass and a picnic until 3 p.m. I said to everybody, ‘There should be enough time to go to the picnic and get home in time to watch England win the World Cup,’” Father O’Mullane said.