THE FIRST EVER DIOCESE of Orange Soccer Tournament featuring priests and seminarians squaring off on the pitch brought together parish communities for an afternoon of friendly competition and camaraderie.
TEAM ANGELS EMERGED VICTORIOUS DURING THE DIOCESE OF ORANGE VOCATIONS SOCCER GAME ON NOV. 28, 2025. PHOTO BY IAN TRAN/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
Organized by the Diocese of Orange’s Office of Vocations, the Nov. 28 match at the St. Jeanne de Lestonnac sports facility in Santa Ana was a way of promoting vocations by showcasing priests and seminarians in an environment outside of traditional settings, said Fr. Quyen Truong, parochial administrator at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Irvine, who helped organize the event.
The match pitted Team Angels vs. Team Saints, with the Angels coming away with a 3-2 victory.
“I think it’s good to show people that priests and seminarians are human too,” said Fr. Truong, who has played soccer since he was a young boy. “It’s good to organize this game to promote vocations.”
The tournament also provided an opportunity for seminarians, many of whom were home for Thanksgiving break, to reconnect with their community before returning to school, said Fr. Cheeyoon Chun, director of Priestly Vocations.
Participants also enjoyed a meal together prior to the match.
“It’s just a way for families and the diocese to come together to have a day of friendship and fellowship,” Fr. Cheeyoon said.
While fundraising is not the main goal, the event also raises some money for vocations, Fr. Cheyoon said.
Seminarian Ivan López Salgado also grew up playing soccer and recalled playing on the St. Jeanne de Lestonnac field when he played for Cypress High School.
“When I was discerning the priesthood in high school, there was a seminarian who was really good at soccer, and I thought I too can be a seminarian and play soccer.”
Now, Salgado plays soccer once a week with his fellow seminarians and said it is one of the highlights of the week.
“We enjoy the camaraderie, just using our bodies to have the change of pace from academics to athletics,” he said. “It’s just a lot of fun.”
Fr. Charbel Grbavac, O.Praem, a Norbertine priest at St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado Canyon, was also excited to participate. Fr. Grbavac began playing soccer as a boy in his native Croatia and said soccer is the perfect sport to unite communities.
He said he likes to use spiritual analogies to connect the sport of soccer to Catholic teachings.
Faith and sports can coexist, he said, as long as faith always comes first.
“Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,” Fr. Grbavac said. “God gave us a body to glorify him. You want to come and bring Christ to people where they’re at. People love sports. Soccer is beautiful because you can play on grass, the beach, indoors and outdoors.”
Drawing a red card in soccer is analogous to committing a mortal sin, he said.
“In soccer, if you get a red card, you’re out of the game,” he said. “If you commit a serious, grave sin that offends God, His grace leaves you. You’ve mortally wounded your own soul. You’re out of the game just like with a red card. Like St. John Bosco would say, ‘have all the fun you want, just don’t sin.’”
Fr. Grbavac also recalled organizing “pray and play” events when he served as associate pastor at Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church in San Pedro.
“Every first Saturday, we do ‘pray and play,’ celebrate Mass at 9 a.m. and at 10 a.m. soccer begins,” he said. “At noon, everything stops. As a family, the community comes together with a potluck meal and we all pray together, and it gives a chance for people to know each other, strengthen each other, take your mind off your suffering, your bills, your duties and to enjoy a day of fellowship in Jesus Christ.”
He added: “We’re going to glorify God today with a friendly soccer game.”