By Fr. Justin Fulton
This weekend, many a diet and New Year’s Resolution will come tumbling down... due to the Super Bowl. Yes, after a month of frustration and fatigue, triumph and some jubilation, that pesky bag of Cheetos, some pizza rolls, a crock-pot of cheese dip, and a colossal concoction of caloric and coronary delight on a table will knock out many days of self-control. It is like clockwork. Soon after the groundhog comes out in early February and before there is another onslaught of chocolates and cake on Valentine’s Day, the good ole’ Super Bowl locks the world down with commercials, festivities, football, entertainment, and... lots of food.
This year’s Super Bowl is bound to entertain us all as we see youth versus vintage in Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs and Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It should be a game for the ages and I am looking forward to it. If you should tune in, enjoy it safely with your family—and feel free to save some buffalo wings and Cheez-Its for me.
One item has to be shared, given we have in the past helped women out as a direct result of the Super Bowl. Did you know that there is a correlation between Super Bowl Sunday and human trafficking and domestic violence? The theory is that many people participate in high-risk binge drinking, drugging, carousing, and gambling since this is the last football game of the year. And when all of these ingredients mix, worse things will commence. When someone loses a ton of money and is now drunk and angry, sometimes a woman and children are in the direct line of danger. It is sad, but it is a reality and it is a reality that St. Gianna Women’s Homes has seen and responded to. Abusers take out their frustrations and abuse at a higher rate on Super Bowl Sunday than many other days of the year.
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska is marking the 10th anniversary of St. Gianna Women’s Homes this year. We work for the day that our services are no longer needed, but friends and supporters, those days are very, very long ahead of us. Unfortunately, we always have a need for our services in Lincoln and through our St. Gianna West-Hastings program. Yet, we are proud of our 10 years of existence and the countless lives we have saved—born and pre-born. Our work is important, pro-life work. We build-up the lives of women and children. We protect them. We help women who are fleeing abortion give birth to miraculous bundles of joy.
Would you do us a favor and mention us to your friend groups and family not only during the Super Bowl but beyond that as well? Share the good work of Jesus Christ being performed through our services at St. Gianna Women’s Homes.
Enjoy the food. Enjoy the game. But remember that for some out there experiencing the Super Bowl may not be all that fun.
Pray for our women and children at St. Gianna’s. And thank you for all of your prayers and support of Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska!
