Pope’s Words Inspire Pro-Life Olympic Torch Bearer

By Thaddeus M. Baklinski

WATERLOO, Ontario, January 4, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Al Smith, a former athlete who volunteers as a programmer at a local radio station producing and hosting a Catholic radio show, said the words of Pope Benedict XVI inspired him when he carried the Olympic Torch as it makes its ceremonial way across Canada.
Mr. Smith carried the torch for 300 meters on December 28 after he was selected from more than 100,000 applications for the coveted torchbearer positions.
“When I carried the Olympic Torch on Monday, I was thinking and praying for Pope Benedict XVI,” said Mr. Smith.
“The Pope blessed the Olympic flame on the first day of the Italian torch relay for the 2006 Turin Winter Games. The torch briefly stopped in St. Peter’s Square, where a Swiss Guard held the flame aloft for the papal blessing. Pope Benedict said from the window of his studio overlooking the crowded square, ‘May this flame remind everybody of the values of peace and brotherhood that are at the basis of the Olympics.’ I was pondering his words as I carried the torch.”
“As a former athlete, carrying the torch seemed a natural fit, so I submitted an application,” explained Mr. Smith. “I was an avid swimmer and won a provincial title in 1984 for the 100-meter butterfly in the Masters Division, and I was also a provincial record holder a few years earlier in the 400-meter individual medley. My swimming resume also includes a bronze medal at the Canadian Masters Swimming Championships in 1993.”
“I feel truly blessed to have been selected,” says Mr. Smith, who wasn’t just randomly picked to be a torchbearer.
The theme for the Olympic Torch relay is “Create a Better Canada.” As part of the application process, Smith had to write about his commitment to the community.
Mr. Smith, a dedicated pro-lifer, produces and hosts the radio show "Holy Rosary" at FM 98.5 CKWR which broadcasts Sunday mornings from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Smith describes his show as a "spiritual oasis for Catholics and Protestants alike."
"Holy Rosary" features meditations on the life of Jesus Christ, stories about the Saints, news from the Vatican, inspirational music and reflections.
"The show provides for the spiritual needs for those who may not be able to get out and attend a church service or pray in a public place of worship," Mr. Smith said.
You can watch Al Smith's pro-life run with the Olympic Torch on YouTube here and here.