Champions of Faith DVD - May 22, 2007

Champions of Faith: Baseball Edition on DVD is a groundbreaking film from Catholic Exchange that showcases the intersection of sports and faith in Major League Baseball by profiling many of the most accomplished and devout figures in the game both on and off the field. Major League baseball champions Mike Piazza, David Eckstein, Jeff Suppan, Mike Sweeney, Jack McKeon and Rich Donnelly lead an All-Star line-up in this moving and uplifting sports special that tells the story of champions of faith in baseball like no other film ever made.

$19.95
Great Gift for Father's Day!
ORDER NOW

See the Champions of Faith trailer!

See the Champions of Faith World Premiere!

"Champions of Faith is a unique intersection of Catholicism and culture ... This is a prime example of what the Church needs to be doing to reach people where they are. It is a beautiful expression of evangelization through media."

--Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia

Shot in breath-taking Hi-def video and set to a rousing musical score and soundtrack featuring Grammy Award-winning Third Day and legendary recording artist Bob Dylan, Champions of Faith: Baseball Edition serves to humanize some of the most celebrated and accomplished ballplayers of our time and restore the “sports hero” to its proper place in the American culture. You will laugh, cry, stand, cheer and be awed by the captivating personal stories captured in these interviews and the thrilling game highlights provided by Major League Baseball Productions. Champions of Faith is the inaugural production of Catholic Exchange's new film and video division and provides some of the biggest names in our national pastime with a unique forum to discuss faith, family, teamwork, sacrifice, leadership, humility and the many virtues and spiritual lessons they have learned from the game.

The players, coaches, and managers interviewed for this project and featured in this film include Mike Piazza, David Eckstein, Mike Sweeney, Jeff Suppan, Jack McKeon, Tom Glavine, Craig Biggio, Sean Casey, Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, Jim Leyland, Mike Scioscia, Lance Berkman, Tim Salmon, Juan Pierre, Mark Prior, Carlos Beltran, Ozzie Guillen, A.J. Pierzynski, Chris Speier, Rich Donnelly, Sandy Alomar, Sr., Sandy Alomar Jr., Mark Teahen, and former players Darrell Miller and Sal Bando. Champions of Faith: Baseball Edition provides an emotionally powerful, action-packed glimpse into what makes a baseball player – and a human being – great.

In August of 2004 Pope John Paul II formed the Vatican's Office of Church and Sport. His idea was to encourage a "sports culture which promotes a vision of sports activity as a means of integral personal growth and as an instrument in the service of peace and brotherhood among peoples." Sports activities are the number one extracurricular activity among today's young people. The industry of sports attracts millions of viewers each year and has become a multi-billion dollar business. The once innocent and heroic form of leisure activity is now marked by the scandals of talented athletes who fall short of heroic accolades. In many instances, our favorite sports have been hijacked by steroid abuse, immorality, and illegal activity and in the seediest of cases, murder. This is why we need Champions of Faith.

ORDER NOW

Meet Some of the Players

Mike Piazza is a 12-time National League All-Star and the all-time home run leader for catchers in Major League history. Piazza began his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and has also played for the Florida Marlins, New York Mets and San Diego Padres. This off-season, he joined the Oakland Athletics. Thus far during his 14-year career, Piazza has hit .309 with 419 home runs, 1,291 RBIs and 308 doubles in 1,702 games. A devout Catholic, Piazza met Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in November 2002. In 2005, he married Alicia Ricker at St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Miami, Florida.

Sean Casey has been a Major League player since late in the 1997 season and in 2006 was a member of the Detroit Tigers, who claimed the American League championship before advancing to the World Series. In his first-ever postseason, Casey batted .432 with five doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs in 10 games. During the World Series, he hit a sizzling .529 with two doubles, a pair of homers and five RBIs in five contests. Casey is a .302 career hitter with 278 doubles, 123 home runs and 653 RBIs in 1,193 games. Casey is a lifelong Catholic who says his faith is the root of who he is as a Christian.

Jack McKeon is a two-time National League Manager of the Year and has been considered one of the most colorful managers in baseball during his 50-plus years in the game. McKeon came out of retirement during the 2003 season and led the Florida Marlins to a dramatic “David vs. Goliath” World Series victory over the New York Yankees a few months later. By doing so, he became the oldest manager ever to win the World Series. McKeon is a devout Catholic and daily communicant who has a special devotion to St. Therese of Lisieux and the Blessed Mother.

Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez is one of the top catchers to ever play in the Major Leagues and helped lead his 2006 Detroit Tigers team to the American League championship and a World Series appearance. The 16-year veteran is a 13-time All-Star who earned his 12th Gold Glove Award in 2006, extending his record for catchers. He was named the 1999 American League Most Valuable Player while playing for the Texas Rangers and has posted a .304 career batting average with 2,354 hits, 473 doubles, 277 home runs and 1,119 RBIs in 2,023 games heading into the 2007 season. Rodriguez is a lifelong Catholic who learned the faith as a youngster growing up in Puerto Rico.

Listen to an interview with the producer of Champions of Faith!

Tom Allen, president and editor-in-chief of Catholic Exchange, distribution executive of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ , and co-author of the million-selling A Guide to the Passion, is the Executive Producer of Champions of Faith. Veteran Chicago television and radio sportscaster and Host of Catholic Exchange Today, John Morales, narrates this powerful film. The production team of Emmy-winning producer Lino Rulli and photojournalist Dean Krueger bring over 20 years of television experience to Champions of Faith. They have won some of the nation's top awards in journalism working for NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, CBS Television, and network stations and affiliates across the country.

Catholic Spotlight is your chance to hear from Catholic authors, Catholic musicians, and other creative minds in the Catholic world. Tune in to find out what is hot and new in the Catholic world. Visit CatholicSpotlight.com to listen to the latest broadcast - an interview with the producer of Champions of Faith!

Subscribe to our RSS feed or subscribe with ITunes.