A South Carolina priest has been making headlines lately for the unusual way he’s raising money for his parish — namely, by playing in a national poker tournament. With the blessing of his bishop, Father Andrew Trapp has already won $100,000 in the “PokerStars.net Million Dollar Challenge”; he recently taped an episode that could win him $200,000 and a shot at the million-dollar final round.
“It was an amazing experience,” said Trapp. “I think I represented the church well and the priesthood well, which was my main goal. Whether I won or lost, I think my parishioners will be proud of me. And I really thank them for their prayers and support. It means a lot to me.”
Father Trapp has faced the inevitable question about whether a poker-playing priest is really the best representation of the Church, but he feels comfortable in what he’s doing:
Orthodox. Faithful. Free.
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“The Catholic Church teaches in its Catechism that games of chance (card games, etc.) or wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice,” Trapp wrote on his blog at www.saintfactory.com. He has reiterated that point in interviews. “It is not sinful to buy a lottery ticket, buy raffle tickets or play a slot machine or table game at a casino. … So the Catholic approach to games of chance is kind of like our approach to drinking – there is normally nothing wrong with drinking a beer or glass of wine, but it is morally wrong to drink to excess and become drunk.”
That all seems reasonable enough — though some who have seen the darker side of gambling addiction may disagree. What do you think: Is there a difference between seeing a priest drink wine at dinner and playing poker in a nationally televised tournament? Or is this a harmless pursuit that just might be a unique opportunity for proselytizing?
[H/t Heidi Schlumpf]