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Sport, Human Flourishing, and the Common Good: A Jesuit Perspective

Tuesday, February 24, 2026 / 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Mike and Josie Harper Center, Hixson-Lied Auditorium
Add to Calendar 20260224T173000Z 20260224T190000Z America/Chicago Sport, Human Flourishing, and the Common Good: A Jesuit Perspective <h3>Presented by: Rev. Patrick Kelly, SJ, PhD, Charles and Mary Heider Endowed Jesuit Faculty Chair</h3><h4>Event Overview: An Evening with Rev. Patrick Kelly, SJ, PhD, Charles and Mary Heider Endowed Jesuit Faculty Chair</h4><p>Fr. Kelly will draw on the role of sports in Jesuit schools historically, and the flow psychology theory of his mentor, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, to help us understand how participation in sports can foster human flourishing and contribute to the common good in our own context. The lecture will have relevance for sports participation at all age and skill levels. The lecture will be followed by a Q&amp;A with Fr. Kelly and a complimentary reception. All are welcome to attend.</p><h4>About the Speaker</h4><p>Patrick Kelly, SJ, PhD, is a Jesuit priest and internationally recognized scholar who approaches the study of sport through the lenses of psychology, theology and spirituality. A former college football captain and All-Conference free safety, he brings both lived experience and academic rigor to his work. During his doctoral studies, he worked closely with the prominent psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the author of flow psychology theory.</p><p>Fr. Kelly has published extensively on sport, theology and spirituality. He is the author of Play, Sport and Spirit (2023) and Catholic Perspectives on Sports: From Medieval to Modern Times (2012). His scholarship has led to collaboration with Vatican offices on the role of sport in human development, including his contribution to the Catholic Church's first book-length document on sports, Giving the Best of Yourself (2018).</p><p>Fr. Kelly's influence extends beyond academia, shaping students and practitioners alike--including two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, who credits Fr. Kelly's interdisciplinary course on sport as a formative influence.</p> Mike and Josie Harper Center, Hixson-Lied Auditorium
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Presented by: Rev. Patrick Kelly, SJ, PhD, Charles and Mary Heider Endowed Jesuit Faculty Chair

Event Overview: An Evening with Rev. Patrick Kelly, SJ, PhD, Charles and Mary Heider Endowed Jesuit Faculty Chair

Fr. Kelly will draw on the role of sports in Jesuit schools historically, and the flow psychology theory of his mentor, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, to help us understand how participation in sports can foster human flourishing and contribute to the common good in our own context. The lecture will have relevance for sports participation at all age and skill levels. The lecture will be followed by a Q&A with Fr. Kelly and a complimentary reception. All are welcome to attend.

About the Speaker

Patrick Kelly, SJ, PhD, is a Jesuit priest and internationally recognized scholar who approaches the study of sport through the lenses of psychology, theology and spirituality. A former college football captain and All-Conference free safety, he brings both lived experience and academic rigor to his work. During his doctoral studies, he worked closely with the prominent psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the author of flow psychology theory.

Fr. Kelly has published extensively on sport, theology and spirituality. He is the author of Play, Sport and Spirit (2023) and Catholic Perspectives on Sports: From Medieval to Modern Times (2012). His scholarship has led to collaboration with Vatican offices on the role of sport in human development, including his contribution to the Catholic Church's first book-length document on sports, Giving the Best of Yourself (2018).

Fr. Kelly's influence extends beyond academia, shaping students and practitioners alike--including two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, who credits Fr. Kelly's interdisciplinary course on sport as a formative influence.

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