Andrés Fernández (Pola de Siero, 1973) receives LA NEW SPAIN in his “home”, in San Juan XXIII de Viesques. He entered the Catholic Church when he was 14, he admits. For one year now, he has also been Sporting’s chaplain. “I don’t know anything about football,” apologizes this graduate in Canon Law, with ecclesiastical studies and rotational lawyering, who is now training in patrimonial Canon Law. About religion, his role in Mareo con Orlegi, an extensive conversation begins. He doesn’t look at the clock. He is comfortable. “I am not coming to replace Fernando Fueyo.”
–He is one of the youngest parish priests, at 50 years old.
–And now, on May 23, I celebrate my 25th birthday…
-Half life.
–I entered the Seminar at 14 and left at 25. Coming to Gijón was a complete surprise. I feel happy. Integrated. I have some fellow priests in the archpriesthood of Gijón who are ground gold.
-How was your week?
–Intense, intense. Because we have already started, notice, with the catechism children doing a Via Crucis on Friday of Sorrows. We prepared it for a while in catechism: we explained to them everything that the Passion means… Then we did a small dramatization. This year, since it rained, we had to do it in this Temple. Then we start with Palm Sunday. This pastoral unit that we make up of these two parishes –San Juan XXIII, of Viesques, and La Asunción, of Bibio–, are made up of many people.
-A lot work?
–Puff. A lot.
-More than normal?
–Yes, although well… It is also true that in these parishes people usually go to the towns. There are many people from León, who go to the processions. But there are people…
–For locating us. Fernando Fueyo, historic chaplain of Sporting, dies, and his position remains empty. But the Orlegi Group arrives and regains the position.
–For me it was something surprising. The idea that the Orlegi Group has is to give meaning to everything human. Not only do they have business interests, but also, of course. But always with some values. Give meaning to football, but with a social and human projection. The fact is that some players, already derived from Fernando Fueyo, came here – to San Juan XXIII, in Viesques – to prepare. For example, Aitor has been preparing the baptism courses, and so on.
“Fernando Fueyo continues to be Sporting’s chaplain from heaven”
–¿Aitor García?
–Yes, before going to Mexico. Then one day my vicar calls me on the phone…
-Who is it?
–José Ángel Prados, from Gijón-Oriente. He tells me: “They thought you could be Sporting’s chaplain.”
–But you’re not much of a football fan…
–No, no, no… that’s what I said! If I understand anything about football, nothing. Yes, it is true that there is a great fan base in this parish. I knew when there was football because all the kids came to me with their shirts already on.
-I had no idea?
–That the ball was round and little else. Now yes… This morning (yesterday) I was at mass in the Cathedral, a colleague told me: “You pray little, 3-1. What have you done?” (smile).
–But football does not seem very aligned with religion, they do not seem to have anything to do with it…
–But ultimately they have something to do with each other. Because as the Orlegi Group proposes, it is to seek the values that make people grow and one of the values that makes a person grow is transcendence. And religion is transcendence. It makes the person not stay on Earth. This desire for transcendence is a desire to seek a plus, a more in each of us. Get the best out of each player. But not only physically, but also humanly.
–You belong to the Catholic Church. Isn’t personalizing about a specific religion what can really transcend?
–Of course, but look… The reality is not that I am a Catholic priest and I have to be indoctrinating the players and families in a Catholic way. The vision is not that a religion is what has to be carried forward… No, not that, but the presence of transcendence. In this case, by tradition it has been the Catholic religion. Also because of the belief of many of the managers and others. But more than an indoctrination, which it is not, under any circumstances, it is a presence of a person who brings together what is human and that desire to seek transcendence. Some may think “these come from Mexico and come to indoctrinate.” Quite the opposite. In truth, quite the opposite. They are super respectful of the religiosity and way of understanding the life of each of the players. At least that’s what I’m experiencing, today.
–Returning to your choice as chaplain, you commented that when you are selected you are surprised by your profile…
–Yes, because of course… The profile of the Sporting chaplain, who will always be and this is very clear to me, is Fernando Fueyo. Sporting’s chaplain is Fernando Fueyo from heaven.
–So, you are not his substitute?
-No no. Fernando Fueyo has no substitute. I come to provide a service from what I am. I have that very clear. Sporting’s chaplain for Gijón continues to be Fernando Fueyo. Because he was beyond his life. From heaven he will be joyful about it.
–Do you think about that comparison a lot? It shouldn’t be easy.
–When someone talks about the Sporting chaplain, they imagine Fernando Fueyo, there, with his scarf. Fernando Fueyo always with his “Sporting, Sporting”. What is the difference? Well, maybe he was a fan, especially of the first team. The vision they want to establish with this figure of the chaplain is that he is the person close not only to the first team and their families, but to everything that the Sporting family means: players and those who work at Mareo and El Molinón.
–Have you already started any activity in these months?
–I have had meetings with the kids from the first team. And had the blessing of Nissan cars. But it’s curious, it wasn’t from Sporting, but from Nissan. Also with the kids from the Residence: I have had a couple of talks with them, an excursion to Chas to get to know them in another environment. Very good. Everything is very good, really.
–Have these meetings also taken place with the youth players from the youth football team or only with the boys you mentioned from the Mareo Residence?
–For now, only with these. We have busy schedules.
–Are they meetings to talk about the Catholic religion?
-No. They are human encounters.
–Do you become like a psychologist, more or less?
–Nor, because they already have them. The Orlegi Group is very clear that the fundamental thing is to bet on the kids. Offer them all areas: academic, football… And also that of transcendence. Think that many of the young people who come are Mexicans who come from Santos or Atlas and have had support there. I go and if the spiritual topic comes up, “full”. But if other topics come up that interest you and I can provide a vision of my 50 years, go ahead. It is not “the priest comes and he comes to give us catechism.” No. I go and talk about what interests them.
–Have you already seen first team players?
-Yeah. Without going into assessing the technical parts, I go into the human. They are exceptional people.
–Have you already entered the locker room?
-No. The locker room is the most sacred thing for the team. It is a place for coaches and technicians. Every time there is a game I send a message to the coach. They are very good people.
–Catholic, like you.
-Yeah. But above all, very good people. Each game I send him a message.
Andres Fernandez / To Gonzalez
–Do you answer him?
–And he answers me. It doesn’t fail. My role is not to get involved in everything, it is to be in everything. But without being the icing on the cake. You want me to come and go one day, I’ll go. But my place is the one I indicate to you.
–Do you remember Fernando Fueyo’s controversy with Rubi about going down to the locker room?
–I heard something, yes. A maxim I have is that I go where I am taken; Where I am not called, I do not go. The coach has sometimes told me after the game “come down and we’ll say hello.” But not.
–Are you a regular at El Molinón?
–They know that if the game doesn’t coincide with a mass, I’ll go.
–Where do you see it?
–Where they send me, which is usually in the box.
–It can be controversial…
–I live it with peace of mind. I go where they send me and I sit there. I try to establish a relationship with our board and those who come from outside. The welcome is always exceptional.
–You are not involved in daily life in Mareo either.
–No.
–They don’t require it either, of course.
-No no. They have my personal phone number and know that Andrés is always available. They call me and I’m always there when I can.
–Does Sporting pay you for these services?
-No! And I want to make it very clear. I can say absolutely nothing. What’s more… I went to buy some t-shirts for some kids here – from the San Juan XXIII parish – and the poor people – the workers at the club’s official store – said “I don’t know if we should give them a discount.” I told them, “It’s okay.” No. What is done is a pastoral service. Also personal.
–Have you gained fame for being Sporting’s chaplain?
–I don’t know if fame (laughs). Here she already had a lot…
-Notoriety?
-Yeah. Notoriety. It is true that being Sporting’s chaplain requires you to be consistent. Because the players and the coaching staff transmit a category that goes beyond football results. When a young man sees a player he sees something more than simply kicking a ball. If you are a chaplain with that category, you also have to be consistent. If it is true that there are friends who have stopped talking to me…
–You tease me…
-No no. Because they are closed from Oviedo (Andrés smiles and explains). I usually ate with some friends and they told me “hey, no.” But in a good way, eh? But hey, we have distanced ourselves from meals…
“The reality is not that he is a Catholic priest and has to indoctrinate the players, it is the desire to seek transcendence”
–What do you think about those fans who are skeptical about the figure of a chaplain?
–I understand it, of course. Of course I am not naive in thinking that all fans understand the figure of the chaplain and surely there are many who do not understand that a priest is in the box either. I understand it, because it is logical. If now the board tells me “we don’t see it convenient for you to be in the box”, no problem.
–Do you fear that Sporting will be associated with the Catholic religion due to your presence in the box?
-I do not think so. When I go to Chas, it is as if we identified that all the riders are Catholics. Or if I go to the bullring. Well, maybe not all those who go to the bullring are Catholics.
–In the club there are two Muslim players: Hassan and Bamba.
–They are super respectful. Seriously, and I say this without passion, because I don’t understand anything about football. Well, now I’m starting to like it and I want Sporting to win… But the players are super respectful: whether they are believers or not.
–The Sporting Foundation leads social projects, such as collaboration with the Economic Kitchen.
-It is spectacular. Laura, Alejandro’s wife, is an extraordinary woman. In every sense. She is very clear: Sporting is not just a football team. Their motto is “Win by serving.” Before being an idol, the player has to show some values. With children with disabilities they are also…
–Has it been considered in some way to locate a church in Mareo? Or a place to pray?
-No. Many said “now it’s going to be done there…”. No. The fundamental thing is that my presence is noticed, but not stand out. If it is any other way, no. Showing off, no.
-Low profile.
–It’s my way of being.
–Promotion to First Division, a question of faith?
–Work, and they work. Football, I believe, is a certain percentage of work, technique, effort, sacrifice, and the rest is luck. Faith does not enter.
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2024-03-27 03:15:00
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