Trevor Williams, pitcher for the Washington Nationals baseball team and a parishioner at St. John the Beloved Church in McLean, invited religious women around the diocese to a “Ladies Night” game at Nationals Park in Washington Aug. 31. The invitation to the Nationals versus Miami Marlins game included free tickets, complimentary refreshments and on-field access before the game.
“If we’re going to have a ‘Ladies Night’ at the stadium, what better opportunity to bring our religious sisters out to the game?” Williams said.
Religious orders who attended included the Daughters of St. Paul in Alexandria and the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist in Falls Church. After they arrived, the religious, who were first-time visitors at Nationals Park, picked up commemorative certificates.
Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist Lucia Treanor said she was excited for the game, although her baseball allegiance was divided because she traditionally roots for other teams.
Daughter of St. Paul Sister Chelsea Bethany said that while she isn’t a huge sports fan, she enjoys watching baseball often.
“I am a Nats fan, except when my home team is playing, which is the Baltimore Orioles,” she said.
Before the game, Williams met with the religious on the baseball diamond. If Our Lady attended the “Ladies Night” game, Williams joked to the sisters, “I think she would have a blast at today’s game, and she would want the Nationals to win.”
Sister Bethany agreed. “I think she would have fries with us, and it would be great. She would want everyone to be safe and enjoy life,” Sister Bethany said with a laugh.
Evangelizing in a baseball career can come in many different ways, Williams said.
“As long as I keep playing, Catholicism is going to be front and center,” he said. “We can do that in many ways, winning with grace and losing with grace and interacting with players: to do these little things, to show that Catholicism is alive and well, not just in the D.C. area or in the Virginia area, but around the league.”
