by Marc and Julie Anderson
mjanderson@theleaven.org
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — “Open wide the doors to Christ!”
A favorite saying of St. John Paul II, the sentiment could also describe how the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is preparing to welcome visitors from around the globe during the FIFA World Cup.
Six matches will be played at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, beginning June 16 with a match between Argentina and Algeria.
Among the Catholic sites preparing for international visitors are the Community of the Lamb and the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle, both in Kansas City, Kansas.
Little Brother David of the Little Brothers of the Lamb and Father Anthony Saiki, rector of the cathedral, shared their hopes for helping visitors encounter Christ during their stay in Kansas City.
“We are excited to open our doors to both local visitors and visitors from around the world during the World Cup,” said Father Saiki. “As the mother church of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, the cathedral stands not only as a historic landmark and a place of worship, but as a point of unity for the archdiocese.
“We are trying to anticipate any spiritual needs visitors may have — a desire to encounter the Lord, a place of peace and quiet, Mass or the sacraments.”
Welcoming the stranger
The Little Brothers of the Lamb are no strangers to welcoming people from different cultures. The community’s members come from several countries, and the order has houses throughout Europe and South America.
For Little Brother David, the World Cup offers a unique glimpse of the church’s universality.
“The church is meant for all of us,” he said. “It’s a sign for us of the kingdom of God whenever we’re able to see that no one is excluded, that whatever country and race and socioeconomic background, everyone is together at the table.”
Father Saiki sees a similar connection between the World Cup and the Catholic faith.
“One of the beautiful aspects of the Catholic Church is her universality,” he said. “During the World Cup, people from countless nations, languages and cultures will gather in one city, and in many ways that reflects the very nature of the church herself.”
He hopes visitors will experience more than beauty when they come to the cathedral.
“Our hope is that visitors discover not only a beautiful building, but a living faith and a community rooted in mercy, hope and communion with Christ,” he said.
Little Brother David also sees a parallel between traveling for a major sporting event and making a pilgrimage.
“There’s this expectation that something great could take place,” he said. “The fact of traveling helps that expectation to build.”
That same anticipation can open people to God’s action, said Little Brother David.
“When we set out to go to a new place to encounter him in a new way, we let that expectation build and we make ourselves more aware, more ready to receive the graces he might want to give us,” he said.
Opportunities for encounter
Father Saiki noted the significance of the cathedral as a shrine to St. Maria Soledad, foundress of the Servants of Mary, Ministers to the Sick.
“It helps people discover this great saint who dedicated her life to the care of the sick and the dying,” he said. “It makes the cathedral a pilgrim site for anyone who is seeking St. Maria Soledad and her intercession.”
The shrine has special significance this year as the church celebrates several jubilees connected to the saint and the founding of the Sisters, Servants of Mary.
“St. Maria Soledad always saw the dignity of the person, regardless of their condition,” Father Saiki said.
“She especially saw the dignity of the sick and the dying,” he added.
The cathedral plans to expand opportunities for prayer and adoration during the tournament and remain open daily for visitors. The Little Brothers, meanwhile, expect many encounters to arise spontaneously through their missionary presence.
Little Brother David and Father Saiki believe many visitors will be looking for more than soccer.
“The cathedral will be open to everyone,” Father Saiki said. “Our hope is that visitors discover not only a beautiful building, but that they will encounter God.
“If someone has been distant from the Lord, this can be a place where they can encounter him anew and rekindle their relationship with him.”
Father Saiki added that sacred places can offer travelers a sense of homecoming.
“Even amid the energy of the World Cup, we hope visitors encounter moments of peace, fraternity and spiritual renewal that remain with them long after the tournament ends,” he said.
Little Brother David expressed a similar hope.
“I really believe that God is in charge, and that God knows what each of us needs,” he said. “My hope would be that while they’re here, God would be able to use us as an instrument to help provide whatever these pilgrims need during their stay here.
“I don’t know what needs these people will have, but I know that God does.”
