Photo by Andrew Nelson

Antonio and Liliana Borges put on the team shirts of their rivals Brazil at a World Cup watch party at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church, Douglasville. The gathering drew parishioners supporting Haiti, Bolivia, the Netherlands and others, while the party focused on Morocco’s World Cup match against Brazil, favored by their Brazilian-born pastor. The Borges’ hearts are with Argentina, Liliana’s native country. Photo by Andrew Nelson

DOUGLASVILLE—Antonio Borges and his wife Liliana wore the colors of their South American soccer rival Brazil for the day, but their hearts remained with Argentina, Liliana’s native country 

A Haitian parishioner waved a Brazilian flag while holding on to her loyalty to Team Haiti. 

That’s the spirit that filled the gym at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Church, Douglasville, where some 300 men, women and kids brought their chairs from home to watch an opening game of the World Cup June 13. 

The gathering drew parishioners supporting Haiti, Bolivia, the Netherlands and others, while the party focused on Morocco’s World Cup match against Brazil, favored by their Brazilian-born pastor.  

The game connects parishioners from 29 countries and cultural backgrounds who worship at English and Spanish Masses who might not otherwise interact, helping them realize they are “one big family,” said Borges, who holds season tickets to the Atlanta United soccer team and is a parish catechist leading a men’s Bible study.  

“Sports allow us to bring different cultures, different thoughts, ways of thinking, different behaviors, and allow it to bring them all together,” he said.  

For parish pastor Father Leandro Nunes Teixeira, the hours spent in the gym go beyond winning and losing. He said while some homes have more TVs than residents, parishioners chose the church for the “magic” of time together. 

“It’s an amazing feel. It’s a magic because we have an opportunity to get together, to share, you know, talents, to share time,” said Father Leandro, wearing a fedora and blowing noise makers every time his beloved team threatened a goal against Morocco.  

Brazil and Morocco faced off in the first round of the 48-nation World Cup tournament. The parish gym erupted in joy when the Brazil evened the score to a 1-1 tie. 

The watch party organizers had to shut down the registration form due to its popularity. The parish capped the attendance at 280 people.  

Veronic Vasquez and Marco Antonio Eguez, natives of Bolivia, support the Brazil national team at the parish World Cup party on June 13. Photo by Andrew Nelson

The parish plan was a simple one. Gather the community in the gym. Cheer for the teams. Enjoy a BBQ meal, provided by the Catholic Metro Sports League, a regional sports league. 

Rob Aldrich, who supports the team from the Netherlands, said the league was excited to be there, interacting with the fans. There is an enthusiasm for sports among adults, and the goal is to recruit some to become coaches to lead youth programs, said Aldrich, the managing director.  

Organizers Evelyn Ortega, the parish communications director, and Dianna Paz, the director of religious education, inflated noise makers and handed out flags of Brazil and Morocco to incoming fans as they streamed into the gym following Saturday Mass.  

“We want them to remember the feeling of being together in fellowship. We are all one family even though we may be cheering for different teams,” said Ortega. “We are in the same church family.”  

The pastor’s national team country has won the World Cup trophy in victory five times. And he is full of memories of the global competition. During his seminarian days, he shadowed a pastor during the 2002 tournament in Japan. One of Brazil’s matches with the time change coincided with Sunday Mass. Laughing at the memory, Father Leandro said the priest decided to reschedule the liturgies for later in the afternoon so people could gather to watch the match. The priest humorously told the parishioners, “Jesus is also watching the game.” 

Speaking like a true believer, Father Leandro compared faith to the game of soccer.  

“Soccer evangelizes because soccer reminds us of something. That life, I would say, is not about a competition to shine alone,” he said.  

Even the most faithful person or player will fail if they do not care for others or allow others to play their own part, he said. Without concern for others, “even if they have talent, they still have not understood, I would say the game of life.” 

“Life and faith is like, we have to pass the ball. For everybody matters. We are a team,” said the priest.