In this month of June, the Pope’s prayer intention is For the Values of Sport and to “pray that sport be an instrument of peace, of encounter, and lead to dialogue among cultures and nations so that they promote values such as respect, solidarity, and personal growth”.
In communities scattered across Queensland – stretching from city centres to the vast, quiet landscapes of Quilpie, Cunnamulla, and Thargomindah – I witnessed firsthand the quiet but powerful role sport plays in shaping lives. Before my time at Mary MacKillop Catholic College in Highfields, my work as a sports administrator for Queensland Cricket brought me into close contact with communities where sport was not just recreation, but a vital thread holding people together.
In many of these regional and remote towns, particularly those with strong Indigenous populations, the arrival of a sporting opportunity was met with enthusiasm and gratitude. Sport created a natural gathering place – an arena not only for competition, but for encounter. It became a space where cultures met, shared, and learned from one another, often without words. Respect was not instructed; it was lived.
This spirit echoes the words of St Paul: “for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). On the sporting field, divisions blur. Identity, while never lost, is embraced within a shared experience. Sport, at its best, becomes a living expression of unity.
Yet this picture is not universal. Despite having Australian indigenous sporting heroes such as Cathy Freeman or Scott Boland, in suburban environments Indigenous participation is often less visible. Despite sincere efforts – Acknowledgements of Country, Welcome to Country ceremonies, and cultural celebrations – there remains, in some spaces, a reluctance to fully embrace our shared Australian story. This can lead individuals to feel as though their Indigenous heritage must be hidden, rather than celebrated.
In his encyclical Laudato Si’, Pope Francis highlighted the importance of Indigenous communities and their cultural traditions. He spoke of the need to listen to and learn from Indigenous cultures, saying:
In this sense, it is essential to show special care for indigenous communities and their cultural traditions. They are not merely one minority among others, but should be the principal dialogue partners, especially when large projects affecting their land are proposed. For them, land is not a commodity but rather a gift from God and from their ancestors who rest there, a sacred space with which they need to interact if they are to maintain their identity and values.
In Australia, this harmony must include a wholehearted embrace of Indigenous culture, an integral part of our national identity.
I saw the transformative power of this embrace during my time with Queensland Cricket. Through its Reconciliation Action Plan, the organisation created genuine pathways for Indigenous athletes – not only to participate, but to belong. Initiatives such as the National Indigenous Championships offered more than sporting opportunity; they provided a space for cultural pride.
One moment stands out. I worked with a young player who had long felt the need to hide his Indigenous heritage. Within the cricket program, supported and encouraged, he began to reconnect with his identity. For the first time, he spoke openly about being Aboriginal – with pride. Watching him step onto the field, not just as an athlete but as a young man grounded in his culture, was deeply moving. It was a moment of personal growth, but also of reconciliation made real.
This is the true value of sport. It is not only about results or performance, but about formation – of character, of community, of courage. It fosters respect, builds solidarity, and opens pathways for dialogue where words alone may fail.
As we pray that sport may be an instrument for peace, we are reminded that peace begins in these small, human encounters: on fields, in teams, in shared moments of joy and challenge. In these spaces, we glimpse God’s vision of unity – where every culture is honoured, every voice valued, and every person invited to belong.
Adam Paroz
Business Manager
Mary MacKillop Catholic College (Highfields, Queensland)