By Maureen Smith
JACKSON – Father Burke Masters headlined the Catholic Charities Journey of Hope meet and greet and luncheon Monday and Tuesday Nov. 6-7.
A few dozen fans turned out Monday night to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame for a meet and greet, including a busload of students from Madison St. Joseph High School.
On Tuesday, more than 800 people listened to him speak at the Journey of Hope luncheon at the Jackson Convention Center. Father Masters told the story of his greatest moment of sports, when he hit the home run that propelled the Mississippi State University Bulldogs to the College World Series, and then contrasted it with his actual performance in the series, which was less than stellar. He went on to talk about how his life was truly not complete until he became a priest and began working in vocations to help other people find God’s will for their lives, but he does hold onto his baseball roots as chaplain for the Chicago Cubs.
The Journey of Hope is one of Catholic Charities’ main fundraising events each year. After the lunch, a representative from the organization invites attendees to make a pledge to support the work of Catholic Charities throughout the diocese.