God Squad Priests Sweep Seminarians in Three
January 11, 2018
DIOCESE—The ballplayers walked away from the third game banged up and even a little bloody.
An officials’ time out in the second half was to see if anyone had a bandage in a pocket or purse. Someone did.
Diocesan priests in the God Squad took all three basketball games from the seminarians, 69-60, 61-41 and 72-62.
The games at Aurora Central Catholic High School, Boylan CCHS in Rockford and Marian CCHS in Woodstock were the first Vocations Office Holiday Tourney.
”The games were a ton of fun,” said Father Keith Romke, diocesan vocations director. “It was a great opportunity for the priests and the seminarians to get together and deepen our fellowship.
“And the best part about it,” he said, “was seeing the smiles on the faces of those who attended.”
He said they would “definitely” try to do it again, but mayby not three games.
Father Sean Grismer, an ACC graduate and one of the priests on the diocesan vocations team, helped organize the games and schedule volunteers, including fellow ACC grads and ballplayers. Brian and Mike O’Donnell. Brian is a non-Rockford Diocese seminarian.
Mike created some of the game one highlights when he dunked a shot, followed shortly by sinking the first of two freethrows, but shorting and rebounding his second shot for a three-point play.
Among volunteers were IHSA referees and St. Mary, Huntley, parishioners Tim McMahon and Jerry Reedy at the Boylan and Marian games; ACC juniors Max Ariano and Alex Rakas announced and Charlie May refereed at ACC; Father Thomas Doyle and Amy Deitz announced and kept score at MCCHS.
Seminarian parents who helped by taking tickets and selling snacks included Linda Callaghan, Tim and Mary Jo Lyons, Bill and Karen Moore, Bob and Susan Pfundstein, Mark and Debbie Reichardt, Kathy Gehrig, Marcie, Scott, and Victoria Girolamo, Greg and Erin Kladar and Nello and Alicia Monaco. Some brothers and sisters helped, too.
—Sharon Boehlefeld, features editor