Sister Marie Cacciatore
Episode 339
28 JULY 2025
She played basketball and softball in high school and also participated in archery. Present day, she serves in a role at Alvernia University – a private Franciscan university in Reading, Pennsylvania – where she works with the 38 varsity teams, including activities ranging from attending coaches meetings to praying with teams before practices and games, and joining the bus with teams to offer support and prayer. On behalf of Alvernia athletics she also serves on the Thoughtful Assessment Group, and her goal is to continue to expand her work with student-athletes and across campus in order to support and minister to as many students as possible.
Notable guest quotes:
“My parents were prayerful. Certainly, they were practicing Catholics. My mom in fact went to Mass every day. But it was a prayerful atmosphere.”
“I attended our parish school. In fact, the parish was our social, our religious, it was our total life. And then I went to high school actually here in Reading, Pennsylvania. It was kind of a convent boarding school. And then I went to Alvernia and then Villanova. In fact, my only public education was when I went for a degree in clinical and humanistic psychology at the Center for Humanistic Studies.”
“My dad participated in what then was considered semi-professional football for the Eagles. So, we all kind of, in my family, I’ve heard the saying ‘We bleed green’.”
“I don’t know if it was a spiritual call, but I felt drawn to go to that high school. Even though I was young and immature in, certainly in the spiritual life, forgive me, but I think of God pulling me. I have always felt pulled in the right direction. Praise be Jesus Christ for that. And I think that’s what happened. So, at 17 I entered.”
“I threw myself into my teaching. And along the way I had encounters with Christ, with God, that drew me into finally what I think, God help me, was a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, with His mother Mary and with God, my father.”
“In one school, I was activities director, and it involved also being at most of our varsity games and even our freshman games and junior varsity. So, I became very involved in learning about each of the sports and meeting with and cheering on the students.”
“The concerns of athletes, I think, are the same no matter what academic level, the stresses of being a fine athlete and being a fine student and having a social life. And then in there is God. Somewhere in there is God, not only to be called upon before a game because … God does not choose the winner. So, the Catholic school across town is praying to the same God to win. So, I never went in there – I used to speak to them about the talents God gave them, and how to be the best with those talents and to use them and to develop the skills.”
“I think of St. Irenaeus. Okay, Irenaeus said, I’m going to change one word in it, but he said, ‘The glory of God is a person fully alive.’ And the word that he had in there was ‘man’ fully alive. So, forgive me, but a person fully alive. And I think that is so true because you’re developing not just your mind, you’re developing your body. And you’re developing a power of the mind and the spirit to want to achieve.”
“God heard me crying on his shoulder, saying, ‘Lord, what are you doing? Did you think about this God?’ And, of course, I was told pray about it… I should have realized if God is sending me it’s going to be fine, and it was.”
“In the very beginning (at Alvernia) the Sisters prayed before every class, if they were present at an athletic event, or if they were having their own meetings, they always paused, remembered God’s presence, and began with a prayer or a reflection or silence.”
“God’s not watching his television to see you win. He’s watching to see how you’re growing, how the world, how his children are growing. So, to be mindful of your opponents, to be mindful of your coach and the referees, I think that’s all a part of our mission moment before any kind of athletic event.”
“I’m a woman full of mistakes and errors, but God is so good to me. And I think God is good to all of us despite our mistakes, and athletes will make mistakes just like the rest of us and it doesn’t mean it’s over.”
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