World Series Mass of Thanksgiving; Sunday, Nov. 8

We've just been very lucky and been kind of spoiled when it comes to getting some warmer temperatures, which we certainly were okay with when we were talking World Series baseball games. We know a lot of you guys are outside waiting in lines to buy merch. And we also know a lot of you guys one week ago today spent a lot of time outside as you celebrated for the first time ever a World Series championship. Parade in Milwaukee and a rally in Milwaukee. And again, the Brewers are World Series champions, which is certainly something to celebrate and to be thankful for. And with that in mind, I actually want to go ahead and bring in Bishop Haynes joining us here on Fox 6 Now. And Bishop Haynes, you guys are actually getting ready to hold a World Series Mass of Thanksgiving this upcoming Sunday. Tell me more about this. Sure, that's going to be at our 10 o'clock in the morning Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, 812 North Jackson Street. And it's a time for us to express our gratitude to our gracious God for this wonderful experience. the unity between a baseball team in a city and a state and how everybody pulled together and we were just brought together and unified in the joy of their hustle and teamwork and all the ways that they played so hard and just brought everybody to a wonderful place and so it's good for us to tell God how grateful we are for that experience and for the the way the Brewers have These have always been very deeply much a part of the community as well Yeah, absolutely. To your point there, I thought it was, you know, almost poetic that in the midst of an election season, which at times can be very divisive, we have this Brewers World Series run, which really put politics to the side and put brewers and all of us together and united for this goal of bringing home a World Series championship for the first time ever. Whatever. What? How special are, I guess, sports that they have that element of being able to bring people together? Even if you have totally different walks of life, you can just be together and united on this front, rooting for this team. Sports really is a gift that I think the Lord has given to us. It has a way of taking down boundaries. Thank uh keeping people separate because it just brings people together if you're a crowd you're cheering but also team teammates they they develop a special family type spirit and certainly the Brewers had that this year they had each other's back they encouraged each other they they would challenge each other you. and uh the the way that they operated was a whole sense of unity and of course that's so much a part of the the catholic celebration of the mass the whole point of uh of a mass is to be entering into the holy experience of union with God and God's people. And that's what we hope to make happen in our liturgy on Sunday. Yeah. To your point, last week during the parade and during the rally, all of these Brewers players kept saying, These are my best friends. And it felt like that was the truth, not just, you know, a line that they needed to say. You can tell that they have bonded and that they do care about each other on and off the field, which is just such a cool thing to see for our city and for our community. I'm also noticing some Brewers gear that you have on, Bishop Payne. So are you a longtime fan of the Brewers? What does baseball mean to you? Quite a bit. My family is all about baseball, and I was actually at the first Brewers game in 1970. I got out of school in fifth grade and was there to watch the Brewers' first game and have been following them since then. So 56 years of waiting for this experience, and so it's quite a highlight, and just every time I think of it, it makes me smile. And I think that's what everybody's feeling right now. And it's good for us to bring that to prayer and thank God for that. Yeah, absolutely. I think what else has made a lot of people smile throughout the World Series run was some of these wagers that were placed. You know, we saw some wagers made between fire chiefs, between mayors. And we also know there were some wagers made as far as some archbishops and bishops. Tell us more about this. Archbishop Rob, here in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, was in contact with Bishop Gregory Parks in the St. Petersburg Diocese, and like you said, it's very common for people to have those kind of wagers, and they agreed that... If the Brewers won, then the Bishop of St. Petersburg would give a donation to Catholic Charities, which helps the poor and the needy, and also some special hand-rolled cigars, which are apparently very big down there in St. Petersburg. And of course, we said that if... If Tampa won, then Archbishop Grob would have to give, again, a donation to Catholic charities in St. Petersburg. And also he was going to send 50 pounds, I think, of Bunzel's wonderful bratwurst. Well, we won, of course, so we got the nice donation and the cigars. But out of generosity, Archbishop Grob has decided to send the bratwurst to the meal program down there for the poor in St. Petersburg. And the Bunzels were very gracious in making that happen. And you know how delicious things from the Bunzels are. Yes. So I'm sure they'll be happy down there. Yeah. You know, following through on the wager, even though we won, they didn't get the World Series. We can at least share some brats with Florida. So love to see that. You and you know, you're mentioning some of the donations that were part of the wager there. It makes me think about the Brewers who do so much more than just compete in the MLB for our city or play baseball. They do a ton of good for our community as well. Speak to that a little bit. I know we saw a ton of donations raised for Venezuela this summer. There's the Brewers Community Foundation. Yeah, the Community Foundation is amazing. It's been a great gatherer of help for people who are trying to help people who need help. But. But, you know, we, of course, we're blessed at the cathedral by the Brewers. When I was rector at the cathedral, there's a day the Brewers go around to all over the place, different sites. And one of the sites they came to was the Open Door Cafe. at the cathedral, which has six days a week, a hot lunch for anyone who needs it at the cathedral in our little cafe there. And the brewers came and served the food and donations came our way as well from the foundation. So that's happening all over the place. The brewers do it. A lot of times they don't blow their own horn. They're very quiet about it. But they really want to help the community. And so we got to thank them for that, too. And that's something else to be. Celebrating at that Mass on Sunday. Yeah, absolutely. Okay, big question. Since I know you're a Brewers fan here, do you have a favorite Brewers player, Bishop Haynes? Oh, I like all of them. To be honest with you, I tend, I tried to play second base when I was a kid. So I tend to like the second baseman over the years. But I like them all. I cover so many eras that I just think the whole team is wonderful. But, but I guess if I had to pick one now, Bryce Harper would certainly be one because of being a second baseman. Much better than I ever was. It is. I mean, Harper's in the running there for the National League MVP. I would bet you could potentially be in the running as well for the MVP. But I know it's been really cool for a lot of these Brewers players that even in the midst of being put on such a huge stage and competing in the World Series and sometimes in a world where it's all about I and me, so many of them. constantly thanked their Heavenly Father and brought up their faith on that world stage. I know Sal Frelick comes to mind. Cooper Pratt comes to mind. What does that mean for you to hear these players really on the top level of their game give time and glory to their faith there? That says something about them and the quality of them as human beings, not just ballplayers. They know where their giftedness came from, from God, and they don't take that for granted. And they work very hard to use those gifts to their abilities, and they get special privileges. Thank And therefore, what's so nice is that they use them not just for themselves, but for other things. you And to hear them talk about that source of faith that keeps them going and makes them play so hard. very And I think also reach out to the fans, which is very generous of them to do that. You know, these guys are tired and exhausted, but they still made time much. to go amongst the fans and visit with them and talk with them. selfies and autographs and the whole bit. And it shows the quality of really their faith and how they live it. Yeah, absolutely. And again, you're getting ready to preside over a World Series Mass of Thanksgiving come this Sunday. I know the invitation is open to all. So just remind us of the details for anybody who would like to come down on Sunday. Sure. It's on Sunday, November 8th. Mass of Thanksgiving for our World Series champions, and it's going to, it takes place at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, that's 812 North Jackson Street in Milwaukee, right in the heart of downtown, and people are welcome to join us for that Mass at 10 a.m., and we'd love to have them there. Alrighty. Well, we really appreciate you giving us some of your time this afternoon, Bishop Jeffrey Haynes. I know everyone in our newsroom loved this email when it came through that you're doing this special mass because I think it's just good to, you know, take a moment and be appreciative of this World Series Championship, especially now that we've had time to. Soak it all in. It's been a busy week, but it's a great reminder that the Brewers are World Series champs. And I think that's something that Milwaukee will never get tired of hearing. But again, Bishop Jeffrey Haynes here joining us on Fox 6 Now. Thank you so much. And again, you're invited to that mass on Sunday if you would like to make it out. But certainly a very cool opportunity for us here in Milwaukee.