Nick Rennpage
Episode 378
4 MAY 2026
As a student-athlete, he competed in swimming, water polo, and sailing, and he later coached swimming at the municipal, club, and high school levels. In addition to having turned to cycling, he is the Mission Officer at the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy, where he hopes to help athletes and coaches articulate a vision of sport that is deeply human, spiritually grounded, and attentive to the movement of grace in embodied experience, all while he is pursuing graduate studies at the University of Detroit Mercy, focusing on Ignatian spirituality and athletics.
Notable guest quotes:
“Well, of course, Mass every Sunday. We were one of the families that went to Mass on vacation… And all the sacraments that I could have, of course. And I went to public school, so I went to CCD class on Wednesday nights, I think. And I bring this up because there is a moment that I remember – I was probably in third or fourth grade – and it’s one of these things that maybe set me on the path I am now. But I remember just having this insight … that … studying my faith is something that is giving me a lot of life.”
“I went to public high school. I was in FCA, Fellowship (of) Christian Athletes, in high school, youth group, and the other big part of my faith and my youth was attending Spring Hill Camp.”
“I was on this cycling tour. It was a cycling and canoeing trip. And one of the counselors was riding right next to me. I was probably 13 or 14. And we were just chatting about cycling and our faith and everything, and I told this counselor, ‘This combination of things, the things we’re doing on this camp, is something that I want to do the rest of my life’.”
“John Carroll (University)… the fact that it was Catholic was a plus… we definitely had to do a good amount of studies in theology and philosophy. And I loved that.”
“I fell in love with Saint Ignatius in my coursework and continued to read afterward. It’s like, ‘I just need more of this in my life. I think I can help folks in this way.’ And that led me eventually to teaching Catholic high schools.”
“The exercises is like the main retreat within the spirituality of Saint Ignatius… the main drive of it… is to deepen your relationship with Christ as a friend, just like the apostles would have. And also, to use Christ’s love as a way to make decisions to figure out, to better know what God is calling you to in small ways, but also in big ways. Like ways that might change your life.”
“Most teams would have an athlete … and they would be voted upon to be the chaplain, and they would lead their team in prayer at four practices and competitions. They’d arrange a team Mass … and they would lead a sports examen.”
“Every week I’d come in and I’d have a little quote on what would look like a bookmark that they would put in their journals. I’d have a quote, I’d talk about the quote, I’d tie it to their sport. And the quote was always about faith. And so, these chapel talks would bring together the faith life of the team, the faith life of the individuals and their sport. And the idea of it is right at the heart of the spirituality of St. Ignatius, which is that God works in all things.”
Related link: