Durban, South Africa, Mar 7, 2010 / 16:52 pm
Less than 100 days before the 2010 Football World Cup in South Africa, the Catholic bishops of the country have launched a website that delivers Catholic information relevant to the event. Planned for the site is a “virtual chapel” where soccer fans can leave prayer intentions for their teams.
The website, produced by the South African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SABC), will regularly publish news and information about churches and communities near the competition stadiums. It also explains the activities of the Catholic Church and the importance of sports in African cultures.
The just-launched website, www.ChurchOnTheBall.com, opens with a graphical menu showing a soccer stadium during a game. In the distant stands, fans hold a large banner that reads “Fans for Jesus.”
A letter from Archbishop of Durban Cardinal Wilifrid Napier introduced the website. He wrote that the World Cup offers a “unique opportunity” since it is the first to be held in Africa.