The Super Bowl and the Saints

It is that wonderful time of year again! The weekend of the Super Bowl is always an exciting time, although without a New York team- particularly the Giants- it is not as exciting as it could be, but fun nonetheless.

I have never been to Indianapolis, so I do not know what that football city is like. I am certain that they are excited and amped up and ready to go. No doubt, with the talent on that team, especially headed by Peyton Manning, they are expecting that the Super Bowl trophy will be brought to Indianapolis.

Conversely, I have been to New Orleans and was stunned by the devotion of the fans in the Big Easy. There is a surreal love affair that is going on between the fans of the Saints and the team itself. With all the Saints' paraphernalia on sale and all the fleur-de-lis earrings that women were and t-shirts and jerseys that the residents wear, it is hard to spot anything not marked with this Saints' symbol.

The residents of Louisiana, however, will remind you that the fleur-de-lis is not just a symbol of their football team, but also of their Louisiana culture and history, present since the time of the Louisiana Purchase. At the same time, in the last four years or so, it has become a symbol of the resurrected city of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. They are similarly proud of this fact and use this flowery symbol to remind all that not only is the football team great (at least for this year), but that their city is great as well.

I particularly like the symbol of the fleur-de-lis, not because it is a symbol of the team or of the city or even of the French ancestry of Louisiana, but most importantly and proudly, because it is a sign of the Blessed Virgin Mary- a representation that long outdates the team, the state and even the French!

While either the Colts or the Saints are worthy of the championship this year and also worthy of my support, as they are both classy organizations, a team that has risen from the destruction of that terrible Hurricane, has brought to life the region with hope of celebration and at the same time both calls itself the "Saints" and sport a beautiful symbol of Mary, our Blessed Mother, will garner my official support. Go Saints!

--Fr. Marc A. Vicari