Play, Sport and Spirit: a day to educate body, mind and heart

A full day dedicated to learning, reflection, and dialogue on the deep connection between sport and spirituality. This is the spirit that will animate the “Play, Sport and Spirit” workshop, organized by the Jesuit Education Foundation and the St. Aloysius College and together with Mediterranean College of Sports. The event will take place on October 22nd, 2025, in Malta, at the St. Aloysius College Auditorium. 

The initiative stems from a clear goal: to strengthen the dialogue between schools and sports centers, creating a shared space where physical education teachers, principals of sports high schools, directors, coaches, and coordinators can exchange ideas on how sport can also become a tool for personal and spiritual growth. 

The workshop will have a formative and participatory format, designed to encourage peer-to-peer dialogue: the content presented will serve as a starting point for vibrant discussions about individual experiences, values, and educational challenges. Speakers will include Fr. Patrick Kelly SJ, who will offer a historical and cultural perspective on the role of sport in the Jesuit educational tradition and present the theory of “flow” as a key to understanding the educational and spiritual value of the sports experience, and Fr. Javier Bailén Llongo, who will speak about the virtues that can be cultivated through sports practice, offering concrete tools inspired by Ignatian pedagogy. 

Participants will also have the opportunity to visit the new sports facilities of St. Aloysius College. 

Taking part in “Play, Sport and Spirit” means exploring new educational perspectives on sport, strengthening the network between schools and sports centers, and gaining concrete tools to support young people in their personal and spiritual development through sports activities. 

Download the informational brochure and the full program now!

For further information
Fr. Javier Bailén SJ
https://www.educatemagis.org/global-stories/holistic-formation-through-sports-how-sports-can-serve-as-a-channel-for-evangelization-in-the-21st-century/
https://www.laciviltacattolica.com/sports-ministry/
https://thejesuitpost.org/2025/04/finding-god-in-football-the-ignatian-examen-applied-to-sports/

Fr. Patrick Kelly SJ
https://sites.udmercy.edu/faith-sport-cultures/
https://www.commonhome.tv/interview/faith-sports-and-the-common-good/
https://dornsife.usc.edu/iacs/2022/12/02/scholar-qa-rev-patrick-kelly-s-j-ph-d/
https://sites.udmercy.edu/faith-sport-cultures/wp-content/uploads/sites/204/2021/06/Sport-and-the-Spirit-of-Jesuit-Education.pdf