St. Benignus was born in Ireland, in what is now County Meath, and was the son of an Irish chief. He was baptized by St. Patrick, and became one of his most loyal disciples, taking over as chief bishop of Ireland.

Benignus was a gifted singer, and became known throughout Ireland as Patrick’s psalm-singer. Thousands of conversions are attributed to him through his talents.

Benignus is said to have helped compile the Irish Code of Laws and the Senchus Mor. According to Church tradition, he also contributed to the “Psalter of Cashel” and the “Book of Rights.”

Benignus was the coadjutor of the See of Armagh until 467 when he resigned. He died at the end of that year.

Chad Bowden was beaming. This was it. This was the moment.

This wasn’t a football game at the Coliseum. Sure, there were football players. USC head football coach Lincoln Riley was in attendance.

Instead, Bowden, 32, stood inside USC’s Our Savior Church, dressed in a maroon sport coat and checkered shirt, and bowed his head.

He’d spent years in baseball and football locker rooms, but nothing fully prepared him for this.

“Chad, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” said Father Matthew Wheeler, pastor at Our Savior, pouring water on Bowden’s head over the baptismal font.

“I opened up my eyes, and then everyone was cheering, and it was official,” Bowden said. “That was a surreal moment.” 

The general manager of the University of Southern California’s football program had just converted to Catholicism, the result of a lifetime of searching. 

***

Growing up in the late 1990s, Bowden wasn’t raised in a particularly religious family. Sure, they said grace before meals and he knew his prayers before bedtime, and he would occasionally tag along for Sunday Mass with his friend’s family during weekend sleepovers. But sports was king in the Bowden house. 

Chad’s father, Jim Bowden, was once the general manager of the Cincinnati Reds and later an executive with the Washington Nationals. Bowden was used to hanging around a Major League Baseball locker room with Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Larkin, and Adam Dunn, while roaming the Cincinnati Reds’ ballpark.

But while he loved baseball and he loved his dad, the sport he fell in love with was football. 

“[Baseball] was such an individual sport,” said Bowden, who began as a ball boy at Anderson High School in Ohio and started playing football in high school. 

“The only person up at the plate is that guy. And the really cool thing about [football] is it takes 11 guys coming together as one.” 

After high school graduation, he had a choice: try to play football in college, or get a job. Seeing limited opportunities to play football, Bowden moved to Los Angeles and started working, first for a sports agency, then selling Google ads over the phone.

But his heart wasn’t in it. He was looking for something that gave him the same jolt as football did. And even in LA, thousands of miles away from home, he was also still searching for something else: God. He often attended the Hollywood United Methodist Church and used to pray: “God, I’ll continue to go down the path that you laid out for me. Just continue to show me the way, please.”

***

Sorry USC fans, but Notre Dame plays a significant role in Bowden’s life and conversion.

After finding a life without football fruitless, Bowden went back to Ohio to become the defensive coordinator for his former high school coach. Later, an opportunity with the Miami Dolphins led to a job at the University of Cincinnati to help the football program with recruiting.

There he met Marcus Freeman, then the University of Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator, who would later go to Notre Dame and take Bowden with him. Freeman is currently the head football coach at Notre Dame and was at Bowden’s wedding.

Ah, yes, the wedding. Meet Ava, Bowden’s wife.

Ava and Chad went to high school together in Kentucky, but they didn’t really know each other until they reconnected as young adults.

Soon they were following each other on social media, then exchanging texts, then phone calls. They didn’t start dating right away, but the connection was real.

“We just started talking about the deeper stuff, the stuff that normally you kind of save for after the first date, but we kind of just jumped right into it because we were already at that stage of our life where we knew what we wanted,” Ava said.

In those conversations, Chad found a sounding board to explore and expand his knowledge of God. Ava, a cradle Catholic, was only happy to engage him in discussions about the meaning of life and God’s plan that “really clicked” for Bowden. 

“A lot of it really stemmed from her, and she’s a huge reason for how I’ve moved in faith.”

Ava was in the right place when it came time for Chad to make another choice: whether to stay at the University of Cincinnati or join his friend at Notre Dame.

“I was having a really hard time in my life,” said Chad. “And God put Ava right there at the right time.”

Chad chose Notre Dame and quickly became the football program’s director of recruiting, then the general manager. Being at Notre Dame and finally dating Ava kicked his education in Catholicism into overdrive.

“His time at Notre Dame really impacted him and grew his faith,” said Ava, citing visits to the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. “That was a big part of his journey. It just obviously wasn’t the end.”

Chad and Ava were married in 2024 by Father Nathan Wills, CSC, the chaplain for Notre Dame’s football team. They bought a house, Chad’s faith was growing, and Notre Dame was about to make an appearance in the national championship game.

It seemed like nothing could go wrong.

***

Days after Notre Dame lost to Ohio State in the national championship game on Jan. 20, 2025, Bowden shocked many in college football by leaving Notre Dame and becoming the general manager for rival USC. 

There was heartache, but nothing compared to what Chad and Ava were about to endure in their marriage. Since moving to Los Angeles, Ava has had four miscarriages, the last one of which was twins. 

“We’re not giving up hope or anything like that,” Ava said. “But four babies is a lot, and it takes a toll on people, their faith, their relationships.”

That’s where Ava has seen the most growth in Chad: his faith and resilience in the midst of these personal sufferings.

“Chad’s faith has never been so strong,” Ava said. “He is so confident in God’s plan and his will. I normally would consider myself a very faithful person, but obviously loss of unborn babies can be very hard for mothers. And so he’s been my rock.

“It’s either you be strong and you grow, or you cower away and you crumble and you let life’s hardships destroy you, and that’s not him.”

The couple wanted to share their story in case other families are experiencing similar hardships — and to see God working in them.

“It’s hard to talk about,” Ava said. “But sometimes there are so many other people struggling too that it’s good for them to know that they’re not alone, and that you can still have faith even through the darkest times.”

***

During the rite of confirmation, USC center Kilian O’Connor stood close behind him. 

It might seem strange that a football player was the sponsor for the general manager’s sacraments, but O’Connor said it speaks to the relationship Bowden has with the team. After suffering a career-ending injury himself, O’Connor saw Bowden’s faith at work as an example to him and others.

“Over the years, he’s someone I’ve looked up to as a leader,” O’Connor said. “I think it’s a great reminder that you can be at any stage in your life and the Catholic Church will take you and maybe that’ll be an example for other people who are thinking about joining the Church.”

In his homily, Wheeler spoke about how the journey of faith includes moments when we question where God is.

“Before we see God, so often God sees us,” said Wheeler. “He’s looking at us sitting on the couch. He’s actually working for our benefit and our blessing before we even realize it. He’s working through people, situations, circumstances. He’s working for our salvation.

“We can say in a very real way that God has used football to bring Chad Bowden to faith in Jesus Christ.”

At the end of the Mass, Wheeler presented Bowden with a certificate.

“Once again, God bless you … and fight on!” Wheeler said, referencing the name of the school’s fight song. 

In the parish’s courtyard, there were hugs, smiles, tears, and a cardinal-and-gold-colored cake that read “Welcome Chad to the Trojan Catholic Family.”

Reflecting on his faith journey that day, Bowden said he knew this was where God wanted him to be.

“It’s just the love. It’s the family. It’s the community. That’s what USC is all about.”

***

Bowden could’ve become Catholic at any point in his life. Maybe before he married his wife. Maybe while he was working at one of the most prestigious Catholic universities on the planet.

But it just happened to be in God’s time that it was USC.

“I think it was more about timing than location,” Ava said. “I think he just finally realized that it’s what he wants, and that’s where his life is going, and that the Holy Spirit is calling him to.”

“I think I was always going [to Mass] because I felt like I had to go, and I feel like since I’ve met my wife, I’ve wanted to go,” Chad said. 

“Finally, about a year ago, I was like, you know, I’m fired up to go to Mass. I want to go there. I can’t wait for the message. I can’t wait for the Scripture. I need to do this.”

In his office, Bowden has a picture that shows the Tree of Life symbolizing the original sin of Adam and Eve, along with the cross representing Jesus Christ’s sacrifice to bridge the gap between man and God.

“There’s something about that picture that really moves me,” he said. “Every day there are so many different temptations in a lot of different ways. Whether it’s food or your job, money, things you do with money. I’m just really drawn to understanding what God did for us to go up to heaven, and for him to be able to forgive us of our sins.

As his job entails everything in USC’s football program from recruiting, to the transfer portal, to, yes,  the softness of the program’s toilet paper, he tries to bring what he’s received in church to his relationships on and off the field.

“I view my job as I have an opportunity to help every young kid that’s between the ages of 17 to 22, some of them 23 years old, to help them become the best version of themselves.

“It’s not about winning or losing. That always takes care of itself. It’s all about the process and those kids being better people. Because if they end up being better people, they’re going to end up winning in football. But the most important thing is they’re going to win in life.”

(ZENIT News / Rome, 11.08.2026).- Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and sacramental theology at the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum university.

Q: What need do we have and what benefits does it bring to the Catholic Church, to sing Protestant songs within Mass? We are not Protestants! Some mention ecumenism, but I have not seen many Protestants attend Mass even if this were a good reason to sing such hymns. If we think about what the vast majority of Protestant composers think of our holy Church and of the Supreme Pontiff, we would not open our doors to say, as some people do, that if the text does not go against what the Catholic Church teaches, then there would be no problem in singing it at Mass. There are many singers in local churches who have very little or no formation in this field, and it is dangerous to open our doors to Protestant songs on the grounds that there are no documents explicitly banning them. There are many very vulnerable people who, when they hear a Protestant song, because there is no doubt that many of the songs are very beautiful, eventually might arrive at the point of joining the Protestants. I hope that the Holy Spirit will guide those who are in charge of this to make good decisions so that souls are not lost! — N.P., Nashville, Tennessee

A: Although this question hails from the United States, the original was written in Latin American Spanish. I believe that we must first broach the question within this context as it will help understand our reader’s strong position against the admission of all Protestant music within the Mass.

In Europe and most of the English-speaking world, Protestants communities of many varieties have lived alongside Catholics for many centuries. While the convivence has sometimes been quite difficult, there have been continuous mutual influences.

Until about a century ago, Latin America was almost totally Catholic, at least nominally, but with far fewer priests attending the faithful than in many other parts of the Christian world.

From the early years of the 20th century, Protestants began to establish centers in Latin America and made inroads among the Catholic population.

The vast majority of Protestants in the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking Americas have tended to be Evangelical and Pentecostal in style. They brought their lively musical traditions with them and used this music as a means to win new members for their communities.

Some of these groups also used an aggressive style of preaching in which they fiercely attacked Catholic doctrine such as devotion to Mary, the sacraments, the priesthood, and the figure of the Holy Father to persuade the faithful to abandon the Catholic Church.

Since many Catholics lacked the necessary formation to respond to these attacks, the result has been a large increase in numbers, albeit without much unity among the various groups and communities.

In this context it is easier to see why our correspondent is prone to reject the admission of all Protestant music into the liturgy; the music is so closely associated with the accusations of a doctrinal nature that it could appear to justify them and weaken the faith of some Catholics.

Another point that our reader makes, is the urgent necessity of forming those who participate in Catholic music ministry in sound criteria for choosing appropriate music for Catholic worship. This is an urgent task for many pastors so as to enhance the spiritual experience and depth of full and active participation of the faithful in the Eucharist.

While our correspondent’s approach could well be acceptable in his particular pastoral context, I would be loath to elevate it to the level of a universal principle for the whole Church.

The Catholic Church has an ancient musical tradition, and some of the greatest music in history has been produced by composers with a clear Catholic identity.

However, much of this music was in the Latin language. Unfortunately, after the Second Vatican Council with the introduction of the vernacular at Mass, many considered the ancient Latin compositions as out of fashion, irrelevant or no longer usable.

Indeed, some languages, especially those that lacked any tradition of vernacular songs for the liturgy, suddenly found themselves with a dearth of good music adapted to the new liturgy. The repertoire of traditional vernacular songs was usually more suitable to expressions of popular piety than the liturgy.

Since the need for new music was pressing, many places took what they could get — and a lot it was dross.

Almost every country experienced a period of generally dreadful music, especially in the 1970s. In Spain, for example, many traditional American or English tunes were adapted with new words, raising tourists’ eyebrows as they heard Spanish versions of «Nobody Knows the Troubles I’ve Seen,» «Land of Hope and Glory» or «Blowing in the Wind» belted out at Mass, or even the «Lord, Have Mercy» and the «Sanctus» sung to the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” and «Help!»

The situation has greatly improved over the years, and many fine Catholic composers of suitable liturgical music have emerged in almost every language. Italy, France and Spain have made great strides both in suitable hymns and Mass settings. Latin America is still a work in progress, albeit with some excellent contributions. German and English already had a certain patrimony of suitable hymns, but this has grown exponentially since the Council.

Hence, while it will still likely take several decades, it is probable that a new corpus of good liturgical music will be formed in accordance with the principles of Vatican II and authentic Catholic tradition, along with a recovery in the legitimate use of the best music from the Catholic Latin and vernacular heritage.

Although some bishops’ conferences have produced lists of songs to form a minimal national repertoire, in most cases it is left to the judgment of local bishops as to the suitability of a particular song. Mass settings, on the other hand, generally require approval at the level of the bishops’ conference liturgy office.

Gleaning from several sources, I think we can say that there is a general consensus as to what makes suitable liturgical music. With no pretension of being exhaustive, I suggest some general criteria:

— The text of compositions of a hymn or song should be inspired by Scripture, the liturgy, and the writings of the saints although vested in a poetic form.

— They should contain sound doctrine and spiritual teaching.

— The text should be, in some way, a community confession of faith, expressing perennial and orthodox truths rather than current issues.

— As a corollary to the above point, liturgical hymns should prefer the «we» to the «I.» This is not an absolute rule; the «I» may be used if the I is found in Scripture or can be interpreted in a community way. In other words, the songs used in the liturgy should not be an expression of a personal individualistic devotion even though they may be used in other contexts.

— Liturgical melodies are there to assist in prayer and should be distinctive in style and tone from worldly music. Their function is to elevate the spirit — not set the foot tapping or the imagination rolling. Therefore, they should never be baptized versions of current hits (or, as is more common, hits from the previous generation) but should seek to express the religious value of the text. For the text in Catholic tradition always has priority over the music and in a sense is its soul.

— Insofar as possible, liturgical music should be able to be sung by an assembly with or without the support of a choir without excluding the occasional use of more complex polyphonic melodies.

All this should be taken into account in the case of Protestant hymns, especially in the English language, given the great number and variety of such compositions.

Many Protestant songs would not fulfill the above criteria, even though they might contain no doctrine contrary to the Catholic faith or any ambiguity. They were written for a different spiritual and a distinct style of worship than that of Catholic liturgy.

Quite a few songs are excessively personal and devotional in sentiment and often require trained vocalists rather than the whole assembly to execute them. If they have nothing against the faith, they may occasionally be used in other spiritual contexts such as retreats.

Some can never be used because the text contains doctrine that is explicitly contrary to Catholic teachings or is at least ambiguous.

Given the vast quantity of such music, we must also recognize some elements that could permit their use. For example, there are some nominally Protestant hymns, particularly of the Anglican tradition, that are actually English translations of Catholic Greek, Latin or Celtic texts.

Indeed, some were deliberately composed by certain High Church Anglicans to secretly introduce Catholic-leaning ideas into Anglican worship. Among these is a popular version of “St. Patrick’s Breastplate,” composed by Cecil Frances Alexander, wife of an Anglican archbishop, in 1889 and quickly adopted by Catholics as well. She is also the author of the popular Christmas hymn «Once in David’s Royal City.»

Another example is the hymn «O Come, O Come Emmanuel,» based on the Catholic Divine Office antiphons for the final days of Advent and composed by Anglican clergyman Thomas Helmore (1811-1890).

Among examples of hymns that were composed by Protestants yet have been widely adopted into Catholic worship in English we could count «O Sacred Head Sore Wounded» composed by J.S. Bach; «Jesus Christ Is Risen Today» first appearing in 1749; «Now Thank we all Our God» by Lutheran clergyman Martin Rinkart (1586-1649); «Praise to the Lord» by J. Neander (1650-1680); and «Abide with Me» by Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847). The latter was reputedly St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s favorite hymn and was used at her funeral.

Finally, while maybe a stretch, St. John Henry Newman’s «Lead Kindly Light» was composed while he still firmly defended the Anglican Communion.

Given this history, and with due precaution and pastoral prudence, it is possible to use Protestant compositions provided they fit the criteria for Catholic liturgical worship and have no doctrinal difficulties.

* * *

Readers may send questions to zenit.liturgy@gmail.com. Please put the word «Liturgy» in the subject field. The text should include your initials, your city and your state, province or country. Father McNamara can only answer a small selection of the great number of questions that arrive.

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Massimo Introvigne

(ZENIT News – Bitter Winter/ Rome, 11.08.2026).- Five months after the assassination of Bishop Osório Citora Afonso, the Catholic Church in Mozambique continues to wait for answers, and the silence of the authorities has become part of the story itself. The bishops’ concern grows as the investigation stalls, and the hypotheses circulating among Catholics point to a crime that may have originated in more than one sphere of influence.

The murder took place on June 6 inside the bishop’s residence in Quelimane. The weapon was a large‑caliber firearm normally associated with military operations. The bishops of Mozambique themselves stated on September 4 that the bishop died in “strange circumstances that have yet to be clarified.”

Monsignor Osório was killed not with a standard handgun, but with a large-caliber weapon of war. The attackers bypassed security systems and executed the killing with precision. Two clerics have been arrested: the chancellor of the diocese, Father Adelino Novais Amado, whom Osório had decided to dismiss, and another cleric, Father Celso. Authorities have seized their phones, along with those of the bishop and the current apostolic administrator, Monsignor Estevão Ângelo Fernando. Yet no official explanation has been offered regarding the motive, the perpetrators, or the chain of command behind the operation.

The bishops’ conference has repeatedly expressed its dismay. They remember that Mozambique has a long history of investigations that never reach full conclusions, especially in cases involving political figures, journalists, and public officials. They fear that the same pattern may repeat itself unless the authorities provide a transparent and persuasive account of what happened. The lack of formal updates from SERNIC, the agency leading the investigation, compounds their frustration.

Two hypotheses dominate public discussion. The first is widely shared among Catholics who admired Bishop Osório’s outspoken stance against corruption. He denounced abuses of power, economic interests that damage the common good, and the situation in Cabo Delgado, where violence, political interests, and opaque networks intersect. Sister María Gómez‑Lechón, who worked in Mozambique for decades, described him as “an uncomfortable figure for numerous sectors of power due to his denunciations of corruption, social injustices, and certain entrenched structures both in society and within the Church itself.” Those who support this hypothesis believe the killing was planned by actors with significant resources, which would be consistent with the weapon used and the professional manner in which the attack was carried out.

The second hypothesis arises from the arrests of the two priests. Some investigators, also based on local media’s investigations, have suggested that the bishop may have been targeted because he was confronting internal irregularities within the Church. The bishops have acknowledged the need for a serious internal examination of conscience, citing undue financial influence and inconsistencies in some clergy’s lives. Yet they also insist that the evidence against the arrested priest is thin and that premature conclusions risk obscuring the broader context. The hypothesis of a rogue priest acting alone is unconvincing, given the operation’s logistical complexity.

These two hypotheses are often presented as alternatives, although the available facts do not require such a separation. Corruption in Mozambique is widespread and can intersect with ecclesial structures. A bishop who challenged political interests and confronted internal irregularities may have found himself at the crossroads of multiple networks capable of violence. The possibility that the crime stemmed from overlapping motives cannot be ruled out.

The bishops have asked for a rapid and persuasive investigation. They insist that identifying those who commissioned the killing is essential for reconciliation and for the credibility of institutions. They also warn that rumors, especially those involving other bishops, are damaging the search for truth.

In July, Pope Leo XIV received the president and vice president of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique, Archbishops Inácio Saure and João Carlos Hatoa Nunes, as well as the archbishop emeritus of Beira, Claudio Dalla Zuanna. The Pope expressed his solidarity and urged the Mozambican Church to transform this tragedy into a path of renewal. The bishops returned from Rome strengthened by this support, yet their grief remains. They continue to ask the questions that the entire country is asking: who killed Bishop Osório, who ordered the crime, and what motive guided the operation.

The investigation must advance with determination. A bishop who dedicated his life to justice and pastoral service deserves a full accounting of the forces that ended his mission. The Church in Mozambique waits for answers, and the country waits with it.

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