Power of sports prevalent at global conference

This past week, Major League Baseball’s director of community affairs Melanie LeGrande and I traveled abroad, far away from the postseason games, and joined 148 other invited delegates from around the world at the very first Sport at the Service of Humanity Conference at the Vatican.

The purpose of the conference was to use the power of sports to convey a message of inclusion and acceptance of all nationalities, cultures and ethnicities, as well as define our responsibility on how best to help those who are marginalized and disadvantaged.

Playing in and working for MLB has afforded me many opportunities I wouldn’t have had otherwise, and meeting Pope Francis certainly falls into that category. It’s difficult to describe how his presence impacts people, and his support of sports and encouragement of this conference to ignite a united effort to help make the world a safer, healthier and more inclusive place is a call to action everyone should appreciate regardless of religious beliefs.

At the conference, it was clear we would be focusing on major sports and global sporting events, but we also experienced the Vatican’s respectful acknowledgment of the many faiths practiced around the world. Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders from every continent were invited, and each day began with a blessing by those leaders that was inclusive and peaceful.

There were numerous speakers with powerful messages, and two female athletes in particular made indelible impressions, sharing powerful, personal stories that were painfully sad but ultimately triumphant and inspirational.

Maria Toorpaki, who is from …

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