Caleb Williams, a graduate of Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C., accepts the Heisman Trophy. / USC Football YouTube
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 12, 2022 / 17:00 pm (CNA).
When Caleb Williams stood up to the podium accept the Heisman Trophy Saturday, the University of Southern California (USC) quarterback gave credit to his Catholic education for showing him how to be a “man for others.”
A graduate of Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C., Williams made clear that he has not forgotten his roots. He expressed his gratitude for his time at the Jesuit-run all-boys’ Catholic school.
“The Gonzaga experience both on and off the field helped to prepare me in more ways than you can imagine,” he said.
After thanking his “brotherhood at Gonzaga College High School,” Williams thanked his high school coach, Randy Trivers.
“Coach, you may not know this, but the Gonzaga mantra that you drilled into us, ‘men for others,’ has helped inspire me to create the Caleb Cares Foundation, which is all about giving back, so thank you coach, thank you Gonzaga.”
Williams founded Caleb Cares to combat bullying. Nicknamed “Superman” because of his athletic abilities, according to the foundation’s website, Williams hopes to “inspire more superheroes to fight bullying so we can all realize that what makes us different is our superpower.”
Meanwhile, Williams’ brothers back at Gonzaga excitedly cheered him on as he accepted the famed Heisman Trophy. Online footage shows the Catholic high school students excitedly cheering, banging on drums, and chanting, “We love Caleb!”
As if to demonstrate what it means to be “a man for others,” Williams spent his speech thanking others, even recognizing his entire offensive line by name and having them stand for an ovation. “This doesn’t happen without you, thank you,” Williams stated as the crowd broke into applause.
Williams also recognized his mother and father, saying, in a heartfelt and tearful moment, “it may seem to go unnoticed and unappreciated, but you mean the world to me.”
At USC, Williams led his team to a 11-2 record, throwing 47 touchdowns, completing 296 of 448 passes (.661), and rushing for 372 yards.
Four years ago, while a sophomore at Gonzaga College High School, Williams made national headlines for his performance and game-winning Hail Mary in the football team’s championship game. Many have called this game “the greatest high school football game ever played.” Watch the highlights below:
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Philadelphia, Pa., Jul 19, 2017 / 10:15 am (CNA/EWTN News).- A prominent Catholic journal’s critique of American religion and politics got quite a bit wrong, Philadelphia’s Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said yesterday.
Denver Newsroom, Dec 30, 2021 / 11:56 am (CNA).
The Archdiocese of Baltimore has declared new COVID-19 protocols in response to a rising number of positive cases of the virus. “Now more than ever, it is impor… […]
Pope Francis greets thousands of children and their families as he makes his way through St. Peter’s Square during the first World Children’s Day, Saturday, May 26, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
Vatican City, May 26, 2024 / 13:15 pm (CNA).
After an exuberant kick-off event on Saturday for the first World Children’s Day, Pope Francis gathered together with tens of thousands of children in St. Peter’s Square for Mass on this feast of the Holy Trinity. A piercing early summer sun moved everyone — from nuns to the boys’ choir — to shade their heads with colorful hats.
Thousands gather in St. Peter’s Square in Rome on Saturday, May 26, 2024, for the first World Children’s Day with Pope Francis. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
The creation of a World Children’s Day was announced by the pope on December 8, 2023, at the midday Angelus. The idea for it was suggested to the pope by a 9-year-old boy in an exchange shortly before World Youth Day in Lisbon.
Among the special guests at the Mass was Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who together with her daughter Ginevra, met the Pope briefly before the Mass.
With this first event complete, Francis announced at the end of the festivities today that the next World Children’s Day will be held in September 2026.
Among the special guests at the Mass for the first World Children’s Day was Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who together with her daughter Ginevra, met the pope briefly before the Mass on Saturday, May 26, 2024. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
The One who accompanies us
The Holy Father, smiling and clearly happy to be surrounded by children, completely improvised his homily, making it a brief and memorable lesson on the Holy Trinity.
“Dear boys and girls, we are here to pray together to God,” he began. But then counting on his fingers and enumerating, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, he asked, “But how many gods are there?”As the crowd answered “one,” the pope praised them and started talking of each of the Persons of the Holy Trinity.
He began with God the Father — “who created us all, who loves us so much” — asking the children how we pray to him. They quickly answered with the “Our Father.”
Pope Francis went on to speak of the second person of the Trinity, after the children called out his name — Jesus — as the one who forgives all of our sins.
When he got to the Holy Spirit, the pope admitted that envisioning this person of the Trinity is more difficult.
“Who is the Holy Spirit? Eh, it is not easy …,” he said.
“Because the Holy Spirit is God, He is within us. We receive the Holy Spirit in Baptism, we receive Him in the Sacraments. The Holy Spirit is the one who accompanies us in life.”
Using this last phrase, the Pope invited the children to repeat the idea a number of times: “He is the one accompanies us in life.”
“He is the one who tells us in our hearts the good things we need to do,” the Pope said, having the kids repeat the phrase again: “He is the one who when we do something wrong rebukes us inside.”
The pope speaks to thousands of children and many others who gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday for the first World Children’s Day on the feast of the Holy Trinity. May 26, 2024. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
The pope ended the homily thanking the children and also reminding them that “we also have a mother,” asking them how we pray to her. They answered “with the Hail Mary.” The pope encouraged them to pray for parents, for grandparents, and for sick children.
“There are so many sick children beside me” he said, as he indicated the children in wheelchairs near the altar. “Always pray, and especially pray for peace, for there to be no wars.”
Applauding the grandparents
The pope frequently urges young people to seek out their grandparents, and the give-and-take of his homily gave the impression of a beloved grandpa surrounded by his grandkids. He insisted that the kids quiet down for the time of prayer.
When the Mass concluded, and after praying the midday Angelus, the pope summarized the lessons of the homily: “Dear children, Mass is over. And today, we’ve talked about God: God the Father who created the world, God the Son, who redeemed us, and God the Holy Spirit … what did we say about the Holy Spirit? I don’t remember!”
The children needed no further invitation to answer loudly that “the Holy Spirit accompanies us in life.” Joking that he couldn’t hear well, the Pope had them say it again even louder, and then prayed the Glory Be with them.
Pope Francis speaks with a group of children in St. Peter’s Square in Rome during the first World Day of Children on Saturday, May 26, 2024. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
The pope also asked for a round of applause for all the grandparents, noting that at the Presentation of the Gifts, a grandfather had accompanied a group of children who brought forward the bread and wine.
Dreaming and dragons
After the closing procession, Italian actor Roberto Benigni took the stage for a lively and inspirational monologue that combined good humor and life lessons.
While Benigni is known especially to the English-speaking world for his role in Oscar-winning Life is Beautiful, in Italy he’s also known for his commentaries on important issues, combined with his exuberant humor.
“When I was a boy, I wanted to be pope,” he told the audience.
Urging the children to read — “Kids need to read everything!” — he paraphrased G.K. Chesterton who insisted that fairy tales are important: “Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed,” Chesterton said.
Italian actor Roberto Benigni speaks at the World Children’s Day in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. He took the stage for a lively and inspirational monologue that combined good humor with a call for children to read and to dream. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA
“Dream!” Benigni urged the children. “It’s the most beautiful thing in the world. But I want to tell you a secret. You’ll tell me you know how to dream; you’ll say you just have to close your eyes, sleep, and dream. … No, no. I’ll tell you a secret — to dream, you don’t have to close your eyes. You have to open them! You have to open your eyes, read, write, invent.”
The actor emphasized the need to be peacemakers, saying that the Sermon on the Mount contains “the only good idea” that’s ever been expressed. War is the “most stupid sin,” he lamented.
“War must end,” Benigni insisted, going on to quote a famous author of children’s literature. “You will tell me: That is a dream, it is a fairy tale. Yes, it is, but as Gianni Rodari said, ‘Fairy tales can become reality, they can become true!’”
In October 1916 Georgia Tech played Cumberland College. The score after 1 quarter was 63-0. At the half it was 126-0, 3rd quarter – 180-0, and the final score was 222-0 – the worst defeat in college football history. The coach of Georgia Tech on that (tragic and fateful) day was John Heisman – the man after whom the trophy is named.
If memory serves (I’m a bit of an old coot), this award used to be called the Downtown Athletic Club Trophy – I like that better.
In October 1916 Georgia Tech played Cumberland College. The score after 1 quarter was 63-0. At the half it was 126-0, 3rd quarter – 180-0, and the final score was 222-0 – the worst defeat in college football history. The coach of Georgia Tech on that (tragic and fateful) day was John Heisman – the man after whom the trophy is named.
If memory serves (I’m a bit of an old coot), this award used to be called the Downtown Athletic Club Trophy – I like that better.