By Elizabeth Gresosky
The family of Mike Ditka announced on Friday that the football legend has passed away at the age of 86.
Ditka was the first tight end ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and he coached the Chicago Bears for 11 seasons, leading them to a Super Bowl victory in the 1985 season and earning the title NFL Coach of the Year in the years 1985 and 1988.
But more importantly, Ditka was proud of his Catholic faith.
John Yep, President of Catholics for Catholics, issued the following statement:
“As a lifelong Chicago Bears fan, I grew up hearing countless stories about legendary Coach Mike Ditka. Nicknamed Iron Mike – a moniker he earned due to his rugged, tough playing style, brusque manner, and his upbringing in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, a gritty steel-manufacturing town – Ditka’s real strength came from his Catholic Faith. He once said,
‘But I am so grateful for the Roman Catholic faith with which I was raised. My dad didn’t go to Church, but my mom was a terrific Catholic – a fervent convert to the faith – and always saw that we went to Mass and Catholic school.’
There is nothing like our Catholic Faith which equips us to face the hardships of life with the Iron Will that Coach Ditka exhibited throughout his life.
It’s only fitting that he passed away on the Friday before the Bears head to Lambeau Field on Sunday to play the Packers in this storied rivalry. Let’s pray for his soul because at the end of our lives everything here stays behind, even his memorable 1985 Super Bowl ring. What matters most is our Catholic Faith and love for Jesus.
Coach, you will be missed greatly and one day we hope to see you again. Until then…God Bless and Go Bears!!”
In a 2018 interview, Ditka spoke volumes about the importance of the Catholic faith, the need for more vocations, the value of the sacraments, and more.
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