By Fr Jackson Saunders
One of the joys in my calling as a priest is commentating football on ONE FM Shepparton. I’ve been nicknamed ‘The Pontiff,’ which is the inspiration for the name of this new column.
This coming Sunday marks the Goulburn Valley Football Netball League Grand Finals at Deakin Reserve in Shepparton.
The headline matches will feature Echuca and Kyabram in seniors’ football, with Echuca and Euroa facing off in A-Grade netball. We are on-air from 2pm on 98.5 ONE FM.
It’s been a long pilgrimage to the big dance for all teams competing for a premiership.
Across football and netball, Echuca leads the way with six sides taking part in Grand Finals. The Shepparton Bears, Shepparton Swans and Mooroopna each have two teams competing. Euroa, Kyabram, Shepparton United and Seymour have one each.
The pilgrimage to get here has included long pre-seasons and home-and-away campaigns.
Sport is a huge part of our life. Just last weekend I announced to our parishioners at St Brendan’s that I’d been to our parish primary schools for footy colours day. The people were immediately engaged. There was some good laughs and banter when I informed them that, unfortunately, Collingwood was the most popular team in the schools.
Life too is a pilgrimage. For us believers, it’s to win a prize through faith that never withers (1 Corinthians 9:25).
