In the highlands of Peru, the annual ‘Clergy Champions’ soccer tournament brings together over 150 priests from seven dioceses for a competition that goes far beyond the game. Held on July 2, the event culminated in a dramatic penalty shootout victory for the Diocese of Huancavelica over Cusco, sparking celebrations among seminarians and clergy.
The tournament, now in its tenth year, was born from the friendship among priests who studied together at the major seminary in Abancay. Father José Raúl Ayuque Tornero, an organizer, explained that it started as a simple gathering of friends and has since become a tradition for strengthening priestly fraternity, promoting vocations, and using sports as a means of evangelization.
Throughout the day, families and seminarians cheered alongside marching bands from St. John Vianney Minor Seminary and the Teresa de la Cruz educational institution. The final match, played as the sun set early behind the Andes, was a thrilling contest that ended in a draw, leading to a penalty shootout where Huancavelica’s goalkeeper saved Cusco’s final kick, and Father Santiago Salazar scored the winning goal.
Reflecting on the event, Ayuque emphasized that the league is much more than a sports tournament. ‘These gatherings strengthen our own sanctification as priests. We meet older, younger, and newly ordained priests from different backgrounds, and we see how the Lord continues to call each one amid varying circumstances,’ he said. The tournament also sends a powerful message to young people: ‘The priest’s mission is not limited solely to piety or prayer. All the realities of life can and must be offered to God.’
Father Doroteo Borda López noted that the league helps show that the Church remains alive and that priests are ‘just as normal people as anyone else.’ He added, ‘On the field, we get angry, we play, we run, and we have our differences, but afterward, we continue sharing our lives.’
Organizers hope to expand the tournament to include dioceses such as Ica, Arequipa, and Tacna, with the Archdiocese of Huancayo announced as the host for the next championship. The event underscores that sports are an integral part of priestly formation, with seminaries dedicating at least one hour daily to physical activity. ‘Sport disciplines the body, makes it more agile, and helps eliminate the body’s toxins,’ Ayuque said. ‘When our physical condition is well cared for, it also becomes easier to engage attentively in prayer and the encounter with God.’
