The appeal of the Olympics is that they decide who can claim the title of best in the world. They also, less gloriously, decide who can claim the title of second best in the world. Despite beating out every competitor on Earth but one, silver medalists can feel a special type of disappointment. In a Read more
Rio Olympics are a “huge missed opportunity” to improve the lives of the country’s poorest, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (Cafod) has said. With all eyes on Brazil this summer for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Cafod said that the plight of Brazil’s indigenous peoples and the Amazon should be centre stage.Read more
Last night, watching the Olympic closing ceremony, like millions of others , I heard a digitally remastered John Lennon singing Imagine. The song was familiar, but the words took me by surprise. These words encapsulate so many of the modern objections to religion and faith, that it seems a good idea to present a few counter-arguments. Read more
While Team Great Britain’s (and New Zealand’s) crews rowed to four gold medals at the London Olympics, a Catholic priest, who is a chaplain offering pastoral support to visitors to the Games, meditated on the parallels between the Olympic sport and the life of a Christian. “Rowing is the perfect metaphor for life,” says Father Read more
Olympic athletes are known for their discipline, training, and hard work. Their finely toned bodies are considered the height of physical perfection. But this year’s Olympics features an athlete whose physical form looks a bit different: Oscar Pistorius, a South African runner, is a double leg amputee. Oscar Pistorius is known as the “fastest man Read more
Some people are simply gifted at sport; they excel at any challenge involving a ball, a stick or a physical contest nearly as soon as they turn their hands to it. One such person is Father Geoff Hilton, a priest from Salford diocese in the north of England, who will be serving as one of Read more
Religious symbols have been banned from a “faith” badge designed for chaplains at the London Games in case they cause offence. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Locog) asked its advisory committee of faith representatives to suggest ideas for the lapel pin, which is intended to be the lasting symbol of Read more