• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Bishop James V. Johnston of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., and Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez, are pictured in a combination photo. The two bishops placed a friendly wager over outcome of Super Bowl LVII. (OSV News photos/Scroggins, Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau and Sarah Webb, CatholicPhilly.com)

Catholic Charities win with Kansas City, Philadelphia prelates’ Super Bowl wager

February 14, 2023
By Megan Marley
OSV News
Filed Under: Catholic Charities, Feature, News, Sports, World News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (OSV News) — The Catholic leadership of both Philadelphia and Kansas City, Mo., went the whole nine yards with their Super Bowl wager this year — but Catholic Charities has scored the most.

In what has become a tradition between bishops when their hometown teams face off at the Super Bowl, Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. of Kansas City-St. Joseph and Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez of Philadelphia kicked off the weekend of Super Bowl LVII with a friendly wager. Depending on the game’s outcome, the losing city’s bishop would make a $500 donation to the winning city’s Catholic Charities or Catholic social services.

The two clergy exchanged banter about the game on the weekly EWTN News “In Depth” TV program Feb.10, with Archbishop Pérez warning his brother bishop to get the checkbook ready. But the Kansas City Chiefs ultimately prevailed, winning 38-35 against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Feb. 12 game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

The Vince Lombardi Trophy and helmets of the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are displayed before a news conference at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. (OSV News photo/Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Via Reuters)

“This morning Archbishop Pérez called my office and said the check is on the way, so I want to thank him and his diocese for being such good sports,” said Bishop Johnston in a video posted on his Facebook and Twitter Feb. 13. “But you know, Catholic Charities in both our diocese and archdiocese do so many good things, I intend to send him a donation for the Catholic Charities appeal for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.”

“Whether you’re celebrating this week or feeling the agony of defeat, we can all count ourselves as winners by supporting our Catholic Charities agencies, who do so much to serve and to lift,” Bishop Johnston continued.

“As we approach the Lenten season here very soon, I just want to encourage all of you to consider as part of your almsgiving, or just giving some of your time and your talent, to Catholic Charities,” Bishop Johnston said. “This is a way that we can truly benefit our brothers and sisters, especially the most vulnerable.

While Bishop Johnston congratulated the Chiefs on the win and thanked Our Lady of Victory for her intercession, he wouldn’t mind if they faced the Eagles again at the Super Bowl next year.

“It was such a great game, and even though the Chiefs fans are celebrating this week the Philadelphia Eagles fans have so much to be proud of — the game could have gone either way,” he said.

For the past several Big Games, bishops have made wagers of food and/or charitable donations on the outcome of the Super Bowl.

For the 2022 Super Bowl, Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles and Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr of Cincinnati made a friendly wager over the outcome of the gridiron faceoff between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Rams won Super Bowl LVI, but students in Catholic schools in both archdioceses were winners as well. Donors contributed more than $22,000 for tuition assistance scholarships to each archdiocese’s Catholic Education Foundation. The archbishops invited supporters to become involved in their good-gesture wager through the Bishops Big Game challenge.

For Super Bowl LV in 2021, Bishop Johnston was again in the spotlight for a wager with the Chiefs’ competitor that year: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, home team for Bishop Gregory L. Parkes of St. Petersburg, Fl.

Schools in their respective dioceses — St. Elizabeth’s in Kansas City and St. Paul’s in St. Petersburg — collected cans of soup for a Souper Bowl food drive for local food pantries and made a wager to contribute to each other’s efforts. The outcome of the games meant St. Elizabeth’s sent barbecue to their Florida counterpart.

Megan Marley is digital editor for OSV News. Follow her on Twitter @mnmarley. Contributing to this story was Julie Asher, senior editor for OSV News. Follow her on Twitter @jlasher.

Read More Sports

Stop the hatred; humanity is at stake, Pope Leo says in video message

In video for Chicago’s celebration, Pope Leo urges youth to recognize the ways God is reaching out to them

Pope: Sport reveals beauty of God, teaches teamwork, humility and hope

Villanova athletes inspired that pope keeps tabs on how his alma mater’s teams fare

Babe Ruth’s legacy continues to grace Archdiocese of Baltimore

Radio Interview: Baltimore sports broadcaster shares the importance of his Catholic faith

Copyright © 2023 OSV News

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Megan Marley

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Hunt Valley parishioner recalls her former student – a future pope

  • superman Movie Review: ‘Superman’

  • Deacon Gary Elliott Dumer Jr., active in men’s ministry, dies

  • Father Robert Wojsław dies at 52

  • Loyola University Maryland graduate ordained Jesuit priest

| Latest Local News |

Quo Vadis attracts biggest crowd ever, promotes camaraderie and faith

Lay associates journey with the Oblate Sisters of Providence

Father Robert Wojsław dies at 52

Scopes Monkey Trial ignited century-long debate on evolution and belief 

Deacon Gary Elliott Dumer Jr., active in men’s ministry, dies

| Latest World News |

Three dead, Holy Family Gaza pastor injured after mid-morning Israeli attack

Proof of life for kidnapped Nigerian priest received by Alaska diocese where he served

Filled with hope, Christians know cries of the innocent will be heard, pope says

Pope calls for ceasefire, dialogue, peace after church hit in Gaza

School club gives students chance to benefit veterans, fosters Gospel value of serving others

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Quo Vadis attracts biggest crowd ever, promotes camaraderie and faith
  • Three dead, Holy Family Gaza pastor injured after mid-morning Israeli attack
  • Proof of life for kidnapped Nigerian priest received by Alaska diocese where he served
  • Filled with hope, Christians know cries of the innocent will be heard, pope says
  • Pope calls for ceasefire, dialogue, peace after church hit in Gaza
  • School club gives students chance to benefit veterans, fosters Gospel value of serving others
  • Top Republican appears to walk back probe of Catholic entities amid charged committee hearing
  • Mahmoud v. Taylor: A Supreme Court victory for parents, freedom
  • Church leaders, faithful in procession to Detroit ICE office call for just immigration policies

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en