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Kobe Bryant, Formed and Saved by His Catholic Faith
Aletelial ^ | April 15, 2016 | Philip Kosloski

Posted on 04/15/2016 2:22:00 PM PDT by NYer

On Wednesday, April 13 Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest athletes of all time, ended his 20-year basketball career with a bang, scoring 60 points in his last game.

While Bryant’s stats can be recited by many  five-time NBA champion, two-time Olympic champion, 18-time All-Star and the third leading scorer in NBA history — few know about the role his Catholic faith played in helping him through one of his darkest hours.

Born in Philadelphia, Kobe Bryant was raised in a Catholic household and even spent some of his youth in Italy. Drafted into the NBA at the age of 17, he eventually married Vanessa Laine at St. Edward Roman Catholic Church in Dana Point, California. Two years later they had their first child. Bryant was at the top of his game and everything seemed to be heading in the direction of his dreams.

Then he made a big mistake.

In 2003, Kobe Bryant was accused of raping a woman in his hotel room, while he was in Colorado for knee surgery. He admitted having sex with the woman but denied rape. A judge eventually dropped the charges, but the woman went on to file a civil lawsuit against Bryant that was settled outside of court. In the midst of it all, he issued a public apology, stating that he was sincerely ashamed of what he had done.

The incident had major consequences as numerous sponsors abandoned him and his reputation was tarnished. In 2011, his wife filed for divorce.

Yet during one of the darkest moments of his life, Kobe Bryant turned to his Catholic faith. In an interview with GQ last year he explained:

“The one thing that really helped me during that process — I’m Catholic, I grew up Catholic, my kids are Catholic — was talking to a priest. It was actually kind of funny: He looks at me and says, ‘Did you do it?’ And I say, ‘Of course not.’ Then he asks, ‘Do you have a good lawyer?’ And I’m like, ‘Uh, yeah, he’s phenomenal.’ So then he just said, ‘Let it go. Move on. God’s not going to give you anything you can’t handle, and it’s in his hands now. This is something you can’t control. So let it go.’ And that was the turning point.”

After some rough years, Kobe Bryant reconciled with his wife, and they remain married to this day. Together they have founded the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation (KVBFF), which is dedicated to, among other things, helping young people in need, encouraging the development of physical and social skills through sports and assisting the homeless. Asked about this commitment in 2013, Bryant’s answer would likely have made Pope Francis very happy:

My career is winding down. At the end of my career, I don’t want to look back and just say, “Well, I had a successful career because I won so many championships and scored so many points.” There’s something else that you have to do with that.

[The homelessness] issue is one that kind of gets pushed on the back burner because it’s easy to point the blame at those who are homeless and say, “Well, you made that bad decision. This is where you are. It’s your fault.” In life, we all make mistakes and to stand back and allow someone to live that way and kind of wash your hands of it … that’s not right.

Throughout all of his trials, and perhaps even in response to them, Bryant has realized that fame and fortune were nothing compared to the importance of faith and family. When everyone else in the world abandoned him, the Catholic Church was always there.

He may be an All-Star and NBA legend, but even superstars can use the foundational support of faith-formation, and a good priest to turn to.


TOPICS: Catholic; Moral Issues; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: kobebryant; raper; rapist; thelosangelesrapers; thugculture
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Kobe Bryant 60 Points Highlights | Jazz vs Lakers | April 13, 2016 | NBA 2015-16 Season
1 posted on 04/15/2016 2:22:01 PM PDT by NYer
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To: Tax-chick; GregB; SumProVita; narses; bboop; SevenofNine; Ronaldus Magnus; tiki; Salvation; ...

Catholic ping!


2 posted on 04/15/2016 2:22:23 PM PDT by NYer (Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy them. Mt 6:19)
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To: NYer

Anal rape is not a good legacy.

Sorry.


3 posted on 04/15/2016 2:27:05 PM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: NYer

The million dollar ring helped...


4 posted on 04/15/2016 2:27:36 PM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: NYer

He’s a thug.


5 posted on 04/15/2016 2:28:05 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: trisham

You could be right but on what basis?


6 posted on 04/15/2016 2:34:12 PM PDT by Mercat (Boredom is a problem on the inside. And happiness, too, is an inside job.)
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To: NYer

Is he Catholic like Pelosi and Biden are Catholic?


7 posted on 04/15/2016 2:34:32 PM PDT by punknpuss
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To: NYer

Nice positive [and hopeful] story.


8 posted on 04/15/2016 2:35:25 PM PDT by mlizzy (America needs no words from me to see how your decision in Roe/Wade has deformed a great nation. -MT)
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To: NYer

60 points how many times did he try to score....120 times? He is a pyle. I still remeber the day that rape story came out. The media was in shock. So where many of his fans.

Go away Kobe....and please be quite.


9 posted on 04/15/2016 2:35:56 PM PDT by ColdOne (poochie... Tasha 2000~3/14/11 HillaryForPrison2016)
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To: trisham
I had to trouble you, but do you have any information to back up your charge?

Kobe is just a name to me - I have no regard one way or another for the man. However, I
was surprised to read this story, which is one of contrition, repentance, healing, and faith.
I thought it spoke pretty well of the man.

No?
10 posted on 04/15/2016 2:39:01 PM PDT by jobim
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To: NYer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSpX-IPBXEQ

Nobody is perfect. Here is a link to Kobe Bryant’s interview with Chris Collingsworth about Bryant making the U.S. Olympic team in 2008. Bryant says that representing the greatest and best country in the world was his greatest accomplishment. Chris Collingsworth was dumbfounded.


11 posted on 04/15/2016 2:39:21 PM PDT by forgotten man
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To: Sacajaweau

My wife said the lakers gave her a ring too at the retirement last game that was for her keeping her mouth shut and going along with the reconciliation crap after the rape kinda a parting gift


12 posted on 04/15/2016 2:40:55 PM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom yes I know)
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To: punknpuss
Is he Catholic like Pelosi and Biden are Catholic?

Well, if he is, it is good that he picked a career where he would not do as much direct damage by helping to enact bad laws.
13 posted on 04/15/2016 2:45:27 PM PDT by Dr. Sivana ("There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit."-R.Reagan)
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To: NYer

Guess he’s voting Cruz


14 posted on 04/15/2016 2:47:00 PM PDT by Bubba Gump Shrimp (A Canadian... denying Americans the right to vote...but he's a principled constiutional conservative)
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To: jobim
Kobe is just a name to me - I have no regard one way or another for the man. However, I was surprised to read this story, which is one of contrition, repentance, healing, and faith. I thought it spoke pretty well of the man.

You are right on.

15 posted on 04/15/2016 2:50:23 PM PDT by Digger
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To: NYer

Celebrity drivel, nothing more.


16 posted on 04/15/2016 2:56:58 PM PDT by Fungi
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To: punknpuss

Is the Pope Catholic? .... ah... never mind. lol


17 posted on 04/15/2016 3:03:51 PM PDT by shalom aleichem
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To: NYer

Leaning on Christ was the smart thing to do.

God bless Kobe and Vanessa and their ministry.


18 posted on 04/15/2016 3:11:14 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: ColdOne

**and please be quite.**

And please be quite ............what?


19 posted on 04/15/2016 3:13:08 PM PDT by Salvation
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To: shalom aleichem

The pope is a Jesuit. The jury is still out on the whole Catholic thing.

CC


20 posted on 04/15/2016 3:14:22 PM PDT by Celtic Conservative (CC: purveyor of cryptic, snarky posts since December, 2000..)
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