Passau bishop Stefan Oster is the new sports officer of the German Bishops’ Conference. In this capacity he is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Olympic pastoral care in Munich this weekend. When he was young, he put opponents on the mat, today he keeps fit at home with a cross trainer. Among the sports greats of today, he is particularly taken by one: Liverpool FC team manager Jürgen Klopp.
Question: Mr. Bishop, you recently became sports bishop of the Catholic Church in Germany. What is your connection to sport?
Oster: I did sport regularly and intensively up until my bishopric.
Question: In which disciplines?
Oster: In my childhood and early youth I was quite successful as a judoka. Later I played tennis and soccer, both of which I liked, but not too well.
Question: When you went to school, the subject was still called gymnastics. Your favorite physical exercise?
Oster: At that time I was quite flexible and could do many floor exercises quite well. But basketball and football were my favorites.
Question: Your best coach?
Oster: Was a judo coach of my childhood. Only afterwards did I understand that he had the two most important qualities that a coach and a teacher need: He was passionate about his profession. And he really had a heart for children and young people. I really learned a lot from him, both athletically and personally.
Question: Who would you like to swap shirts with?
Oster: Today I am concerned with philosophical questions regarding sport – and I am also looking for images for the proclamation in sport. Things like team spirit, asceticism, training, games, commitment. All of this can also be a metaphor for the life of faith. In this respect, I find the manager of Liverpool FC, Jürgen Klopp, for example, an interesting personality. He is a successful trainer and at the same time speaks openly about his Christianity.
Question: As a bishop, you have a busy schedule. Is there still time for physical training? At least at bishops’ meetings you could go for a morning jog with your Bamberg colleague.
Oster: I have an elliptical machine at home that I use regularly and I do gymnastics. At the bishops’ conference I sometimes go for a walk.
Question: Organized sport now has a credibility problem similar to that of the church. Is there something where both can learn from each other?
Oster: Professional sport has lost its credibility in many ways: commerce, doping, corruption, improper mixing with political interests and more. Church and sport can achieve a lot together if they stand up for values such as solidarity, integration, inclusion and fairness. There are also points of contact with the fundamental concern for health. In fact, I believe that the proper concern for physical and mental health that faith commands us to have includes physical activity.
Question: The German Olympic chaplaincy is celebrating its 50th anniversary with you. What is there to celebrate?
Oster: I let myself be surprised since I’m new here. The Catholic Olympia chaplain Elisabeth Keilmann tells me that the chaplains accompany the German teams at both the Olympic Games and the Paralympics, offer church services and also support them in crises. It’s not just about the sport – about victory and defeat – but about the whole person with all the experiences of joy, suffering, success, and also about limits. In a way, they keep the door open to people’s souls and hopefully to heaven as well – especially in places where physical concerns sometimes become all too dominant or the mental pressure on the athletes increases. It is a valuable asset to be able to speak openly with the sports chaplains.
