Keep the faith: Meet the Kansas City Chiefs chaplain Father Richard Rocha
By Jackson Kurtz
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — As the Chiefs players enter Super Bowl week, they’ll soon be joined by their team chaplains who helps them in their faith.
We caught up Father Richard Rocha, pastor at St. Robert Bellarmine, who is also a KC Royals chaplain.
Rocha has been around football most of his life. He played college ball at Benedictine College and then coached high school and college for 14 years.
“It’s the three f’s; faith is first and foremost, and then family and then football,” said Rocha.
A spiritual anchor, Rocha has been with the Chiefs for seven years, helping players through the highs and lows of the game.
“Just being there for the encouragement, gosh, you know, keeping them just centered on in their faith in such a way,” said Rocha.
Whether Rocha is serving mass, giving confessions, or being there to talk, he says the players’ devotion to be well-rounded men doesn’t just stop on the football field.
“Mahomes and some of these others, and Harrison is the one that wears his faith on his sleeve, and the kids admire that. They’re normal guys that are really trying to pursue and keep God in the center of their life,” said Rocha.
So win or lose.
“If we win, we’ll praise you; if we lose, we’ll praise you and thankful for the opportunity,” said Rocha.
Rocha says he’ll be traveling to Arizona for the Super Bowl later this week.
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