When MLB superstar Bobby Witt Jr. was in the ninth grade, most of his classmates received the Sacrament of Confirmation. He did not.
Already ranked as the top player in his age group nationally thanks to his travel-ball performances, the young shortstop’s demanding schedule kept him from the sacrament. Yet the desire never faded.
A lifelong practicing Catholic from Colleyville, Texas, Witt attends Mass regularly with his family — the entire “Witt Crew” — together especially during baseball’s offseason. But regarding the missed sacrament, his sister Shaley encouraged him to reach out to Fr. Zachary Burns at Good Shepherd Catholic Community. That simple nudge set in motion a beautiful journey of faith.
[Find out more about his experience with link at the end of article.]
Sacraments of Christian Initiation
Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist together form the sacraments of Christian initiation, which “lay the foundations of every Christian life” (CCC 1212). Confirmation, in particular, strengthens and completes the grace of Baptism. It seals the recipient with the Gift of the Holy Spirit, empowering him or her for witness and service in the Church and in the world.
Usually, those baptized Catholics who have not received Confirmation during their youth would participate in OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) and receive Confirmation during Mass on Holy Saturday.
For Witt, it had to be little different. With the baseball season underway, Witt would not have been able to receive Confirmation during the Easter celebrations. Instead, with permission from his pastor, Witt was able to get Fr. Zachary Burns (a Franciscan friar and parochial vicar) to offer him private preparation during the off-season.
Fr. Burns explained the unique situation for Witt. “Because of the unique hurdles of navigating the time constraints of the MLB season, I was given permission by the pastor of our parish to handle Bobby Jr.’s confirmation prep privately. We met almost weekly during the offseason, sometimes for two-plus hours at a time.”
Fr. Burns invited Witt’s wife, Maggie — who was baptized Presbyterian but attends Mass weekly with Bobby — to join the sessions as well.
“I figured it would be great to give her the opportunity to learn more about the Catholic Church considering she attends Mass every weekend, already. I was so impressed by both of them," the priest said.
Eager students
The priest said that Bobby and Maggie arrived each week with notebooks in hand, ready to learn. They asked thoughtful questions and showed genuine hunger to understand the Catholic faith more deeply — especially the meaning of Confirmation. “Maggie, in particular, really surprised me with her incredible openness. Sometimes she came with so many questions that we would talk for almost an hour before covering any of the scheduled material.”
One of Fr. Burns’ favorite memories was walking the couple through the Mass in the empty church, then giving them a tour of the sacristy to explain the vestments, sacred vessels, and liturgical books.“Afterward, Bobby became much more vocal about his appreciation for the Mass and its purpose,” Fr. Burns shared. “He talked about how excited he was to attend Mass now that he really understood each element of the liturgy.”
Originally, Witt was to be Confirmed in late January; however, a massive ice storm hit North Texas that changed the plans. Fr. Burns explained, “It all worked out in God’s providence, though, as we were able to do it right in between the end of the World Baseball Classic and the beginning of the MLB season while the Royals were in town to play the Rangers in an exhibition game at Globe Life Field in Arlington.”
The ceremony -- the ritual for Confirmation outside of Mass -- was a huge success, held in the adoration chapel at Good Shepherd in Colleyville and attended by his immediate family, Maggie’s parents, and Royals’ manager Matt Quatraro. Witt chose the confirmation name Andrew, his own and his father’s middle name.
Role Model on and off the field
Fr. Burns spoke warmly about the experience:
In addition to being a world-class athlete, [Bobby's] just a stand-up guy: humble and soft-spoken, but also incredibly focused and driven. His faith is of primary importance to him, and I know he’ll be such a great role model for young Catholic ball-players everywhere.
“He does things the right way both on the field and in life. He’s a man who values the fundamentals, whether that's taking extra fielding practice or making sure he gets to Sunday mass even when his schedule is crazy. That’s such a valuable example.
“His strong character and spirit is a testament to his family who have always valued their Catholic faith and provided a great example for him. His sisters, especially, have been such a driving force and positive influence in his life. I really can't say enough nice things about the whole Witt family.
Never too late
If you missed the Sacrament of Confirmation — whether because of sports, work, family circumstances, or simply because the opportunity passed you by — Bobby Witt Jr.’s story is a powerful reminder: It is never too late.
Reach out to your parish priest. The Holy Spirit is still waiting to strengthen and seal you with His gifts. Witt’s quiet determination shows that even an MVP-caliber athlete can make faith the true priority. In doing so, he reminds all of us that the greatest “most valuable” thing in life isn’t a trophy or a contract — it’s the transforming grace of the sacraments.
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