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When hundreds of thousands of soccer fans arrive in Kansas City this summer, area Catholic churches will be ready to help them connect with their faith.
The Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas are preparing parishes for the influx of visitors during game days and Fan Fest activities.
"We want them to see the best of who we are," Archbishop Shawn McKnight of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, said.
"We are called to extend that hospitality and welcome the stranger, so we feel like this is a really unique and special opportunity to do that," Ashlie Hand, of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, said.
In addition to English and Spanish, local churches are looking into offering Masses in French and Dutch to accommodate international fans.
"It’s just easier to relate to God and to the rest of the Church," McKnight said.
Visitors can use the OneKC website to find information about nearby churches, Mass times, and local Catholic landmarks and pilgrimage sites.
"We really think it’s important, so there’s that sort of anchor for them while they’re here," Hand said. "I firmly believe that the Catholic community needs to be part of that. We need to be at the table."
While McKnight says fans are welcome to pray for their teams, he offered a gentle reminder about divine intervention in sports.
"Yeah, you can have your favorites, and certainly you can pray for your team, but don’t expect God to pick favorites, right?" McKnight said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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