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The divine drama of the Toronto Blue Jays' current postseason run isn’t lost on Fr. Terrence “Terry” McKenna, who continues to support his favourite team and find spiritual echoes hidden on baseball's grandest stages.
The retired pastor of St. Mary Immaculate Parish in Richmond Hill, Ont., McKenna has long been a notable fan of the sport of baseball and the hometown Toronto Blue Jays. Just days after the squad's impressive Game 4 win over the New York Yankees to send them to the ALCS for the first time since 2016 (but before a discouraging two-game losing streak to open the series against the Seattle Mariners), McKenna shared his thoughts on the team’s current charge.
“ It's great to see how a lot of no-names, at least to the average public, have accomplished this athletic feat. These young men have chosen to believe in teamwork instead of being lone rangers, and they're looking to make a name for themselves,” he said.
After ending the Yankees’ season with an exciting 5-2 win on Oct. 8 in the American League Division Series, Jays infielder Ernie Clement was caught rushing to join a team photo while in the midst of a post-game interview — a now viral moment that McKenna points to as an example of the passion the 2025 team holds.
“When he left that interview and readied himself to get in the photo with his teammates, it was too late, and they had to start over, but it shows that everyone wants to be there. When you add up everyone doing their best, it’s a winning staff,” he said.
The winner of the AL Championship Series will advance to the World Series, with the Blue Jays not having played for the Major League crown since their back-to-back seasons as champions in 1992-93. McKenna was not shy in sharing his memories of the historic squad this year’s team hopes to emulate.
“ I can remember what I was doing the day they won in ’92 or ’93,” he said. “I was in Richmond Hill at St. Mary Immaculate, and I’ll never forget it.”
McKenna served St. Mary’s for many years, with it holding the distinction of being the last parish he called home before being appointed to the Pearson Airport chaplaincy and retiring officially in 2021.
Now, with a little more time on his hands, the priest still keeps up with the team the old-fashioned way, preferring to follow the Jays in the sports reports on the radio over television broadcasts.
The now 79-year-old shared how he continues to view the Blue Jays and the sport of baseball as a whole as a much-needed glue in today’s divisive times.
“ We need something that's not about partisan politics, good versus evil, even Catholic versus Protestant or something like that. When it's all over, there's some crying and there's some cheering, but we could say it was just a game — we won or we tried hard to win,” he said.
McKenna spoke to how the sport emulates everyday life and the faith as well, a reality that’s become more apparent to him as the years go on.
“ I think the game is so good in that it's not always action, there’s a lot of waiting, and you have to be ready to make snap decisions and snap moves. Watch the batters, they know the reputation that these pitchers have, and they have to make this quick discernment, quick discernment is something we deal with in our faith,” he said.
“Everyone plays their position in baseball, whereas in hockey, anybody can score or defend all over the ice. Here, you stay at your post and do your best and be ready because things can happen fast, even when they seem to be standing still for a while.”
McKenna will be following the Blue Jays closely as usual as they look to continue the road to glory, having already captured the hearts of Canadians and at least one retired priest.
“ You want to take it all if possible, and I’ve heard how some felt that this lone Canadian team was not considered a contender, maybe they want the Americans to win the American game, but the Blue Jays have shattered that conspiracy,” he said.
“I think that in their own minds, they have proven something, and anything else from here on will be a bonus.”
A version of this story appeared in the October 19, 2025, issue of The Catholic Registerwith the headline "Priest finds spiritual in Jays’ winning run".
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