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Local Catholics and Catholic agencies are using Sunday’s Super Bowl as a way to promote fellowship while raising money and collecting goods for various causes.

Big Red is pumped for Sunday's Super Bowl. So are local Catholics who are using the big game as a way to help the community, further their leadership skills and raise funds for internal projects.

St. Rose Parish in Anthem raised $1,300 during its second annual NFC championship tailgate party Jan. 18 (it raised the same amount in 2007). Parishioners rented a space in the parking lot where they set up camp to enjoy a potluck and listen to the game outside or catch the action on TV inside the chapel where they cheered the Arizona Cardinals on to victory. 

The Castaneda family won the “golden” football for best tailgate space. They laid out green Astroturf and set up mini end-zone uprights for the occasion. They also imported their own TV and, of course, sported Cardinals jerseys.

This weekend, the women of the parish are sponsoring a food drive benefitting Foothills Food Bank. They collected more than 2,800 pounds of food and $600 during last year’s effort. At least 11 other parishes throughout the diocese are officially registered to participate in this year’s Souper Bowl of Caring.

The nationwide effort challenges teenagers to raise money, collect food or participate in service activities for a local charity of their choice. More than 160 groups statewide reported raising nearly $83,000 and collecting almost 26,000 cans last year. Read more about last year’s diocesan effort. Stay tuned next week for photos.

Other Catholics are getting into the football spirit this weekend too:

Other Catholics are getting into the football spirit this weekend too:

• St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Chandler is holding a “Super Bowl of Leadership” conference Jan. 31. Caryn Meron, director of the diocesan Office of Research and Planning, will coach parishioners on four quarters or sessions, to help them develop a vision for the future. She’ll help leaders to score more with an engaged community, eye the finish line and more.  
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  Lifeteen staff jump for joy in Cardinals Country, the Arizona Cardinals-sponsored dining room at Camp Tepeyac in Prescott. Some 300 teenagers attended camp last July with thousands of others using the facility for retreats throughout the year.

  Life Teen leaders posted photos of themselves jumping for joy over the Cardinals’ recent success. The team owners and players have donated money over the years to build Camp Tepeyac in Prescott. Its dining room, dubbed “Cardinals Country” or “Cardinals Lodge,” features a tiled image of the team’s logo and other team peraphanelia.  

• The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is making sure the Valley’s homeless doesn’t miss out on Super Bowl mania. It’s opening the Henry Unger Dining Room Sunday where homeless individuals can watch the game and enjoy traditional Super Bowl snacks. More than 250 people showed filled the dining room to watch the NFC championships Jan. 18. Click here for more information.
• Some priests are ensuring churchgoers don’t miss the action either. Various parishes have adjusted their Mass times for its regular Sunday evening liturgy to accommodate Super Bowl fans. Check your local parish for details. 

Regardless of the outcome of Sunday’s big game, the seven Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill living in Scottsdale will be happy. The Greensburg, Pennsylvania-based sisters are big-time Steelers fans and Cardinals fans. (The teams were actually one in the same at one point). 

“We have signs up for both,” Sr. Marie Theresa said.

Sr. Marian Grace Brandt, principal of Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, let the students wear red today in honor of Sunday’s game.

Come Sunday, the sisters may be in red and black themselves or in yellow and black. But one thing’s for sure. They’ll likely be doing what many other Arizonans will be doing: watching the game on the big screen and, at least occasionally, yelling at it.

“Sometimes you can’t even hear the TV announcer with ‘Go, go!’ ‘Get him!’ ‘Stop it!’” Sr. Marie Therese said.