JEAN-PAUL AFIF HAS built a life marked by notable achievements: professional basketball player, wealth advisor, movie producer, community servant, husband and father.
But for Afif, a devout Catholic and active member of multiple faith-focused organizations, one role surpasses all the others.
“I always like to start with saying I’m a husband and a father,” Afif said. “But first and foremost, we’re called to be a child of God.”
Afif, his wife, Krista, and their nine children — who range in age from 21 months to 17 years old — worship at St. John Maron Catholic Church in Orange. He recently shared his thoughts about his journey in a wide-ranging conversation on OC Catholic Radio with host Lisa Hendey, reflecting on how faith shapes every part of his life.
“It’s less about the trophy or the title or the prize,” Afif said. “It’s more about the journey, and more about what we’re called to be.”
A three-sport athlete at Temecula Valley High School and Linfield Christian School, Afif went on to play junior college basketball at St. Catharine College in Kentucky before transferring to Loyola Marymount University and later the University of North Dakota. Standing 6 feet, 7 inches, he earned a one-year contract with the NBA’s Sacramento Kings in 2002, then spent several seasons in the NBA Development League before transitioning briefly into coaching. Eventually, Afif moved into banking and finance, becoming a wealth advisor for Morgan Stanley.
A NEW KIND OF COMMUNITY
During the radio interview, Afif spoke at length about his involvement in the Orange County chapter of Legatus — an international organization of Catholic lay business leaders and their spouses. For him, Legatus represents more than professional fellowship; it has become a spiritual anchor.
Founded in 1987 by Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan, Legatus takes its name from the Latin word for “ambassador,” reflecting its mission to apply and spread the Catholic faith in the business world. The Orange County Legatus Chapter was officially chartered in October 1989.
Afif said he joined Legatus to be among other business professionals who wanted to bring Christ into every part of their professions and every facet of their lives. The organization became something even more personal for him and his wife: the perfect date night.
“Somebody had told me long ago, you should never ever stop dating your wife,” Afif said.
But with the responsibilities of everyday life — especially the hustle and bustle of raising nine children — date nights were inconsistent.
“It’s not that date nights were unfulfilling; it’s that we didn’t keep them, and when we did, they weren’t always what we wanted them to be … Maybe one night we go to a concert and have a date night that was a perfect 10 but then skip the next five months of date nights, and then the next one we went on was In-N-Out Burger and it wasn’t a date night.”
Afif began to contemplate what a truly revitalizing evening with his wife should look like. Whatever they do as a couple, Christ should be at the center, he concluded. Legatus offered exactly that. Monthly Legatus meetings include confession, the Rosary, a traditional Mass and a guest speaker.
The impact of including Christ made date nights purposeful, he said.
JEAN-PAUL AFIF IS INTERVIEWED BY OC CATHOLIC RADIO’S LISA HENDEY. PHOTO BY LOU PONSI/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
“It has been the best thing I’ve ever done,” Afif said. “Once we joined Legatus and we began to experience the fruits, we’ve been rejuvenated tenfold. Legatus has really made me a better husband, father, Catholic and businessperson.”
Afif also serves on the board of the Orange County Legatus Chapter and on the boards of First Friday Friars, Obria Medical Clinics and the Santiago Retreat Center. He serves in the cadre of the Orange County chapter of the Order of St. Lazarus as well.
His insights extend beyond Legatus and into his daily life. Preserving Sundays, protecting dinner hours and encouraging his children to spend time in Eucharistic adoration are priorities.
“Spend 15 minutes in front of the Eucharist a day,” he said, “and it’ll make all the difference in the world.”
To learn more about the Legatus Orange County Chapter, visit legatus.org/orange-county