Faith Fact: Catholicism’s Role in Popularizing Lacrosse

A young girl plays lacrosse.
iStock. Credit: iacona.

Have you ever noticed a resemblance between a lacrosse stick and a bishop’s crozier?

If so, you’re not the first. Lacrosse was popularized after St. John de Brébeuf, a 17th-century French Jesuit missionary, became aware of the game when he saw indigenous people playing it in Canada.

The French-born priest came with other Jesuits to Canada in 1625 to minister to the Hurons and learn their language and customs. When the Hurons were attacked by Iroquois in 1649, Brébeuf was captured, tortured and killed, becoming one of the North American Martyrs. Their missionary efforts bore fruit and inspired other missionaries.

During his first years in Canada, Brébeuf watched the game now known as lacrosse and was intrigued. Some of the missionaries took up the game, and Brébeuf renamed it “lacrosse,” noting that one of the sticks used resembled a bishop’s crozier cross.

The game’s popularity spread to French and other European settlers and, over subsequent centuries, found a following in Canada, the U.S. and beyond. The first college lacrosse match involved Manhattan College, a Catholic institution, and NYU in 1877. Today, many colleges, high schools and organized youth leagues participate in the sport, which is also played at the professional and Olympic levels.

Apparently, Brébeuf proved a successful missionary for lacrosse as well.

County

Share To Social Media

Pete Sheehan

Pete Sheehan

Related Stories

Stay up to date with all new things happening at the Diocese of Youngstown. Subscribe to our Newsletter here.

Cookie policy
We use our own and third party cookies to allow us to understand how the site is used and to support our marketing campaigns.