Why did a Jewish football star choose a Catholic school? Faith.

From The Forward: 

Lewis Burik may not play in a single Stanford football game this season. At practice, the sophomore inside linebacker trains with everyone else. At games, Burik is on the sidelines, a walk-on to a football team ranked seventh in the country. But Burik, who was raised as a Reform Jew, with a Jewish mother and Catholic father,told DNA Info he doesn’t mind sitting out and just enjoys being part of the team. And he even chose St. Ignatius College Prep’s team instead of the fourth-best public school in Illinois, Whitney Young, because of St. Ignatius’ “faith-based learning.” “Lewis had to adapt to learn a foreign religion and, as always he excelled,” St. Ignatius football coach John O’Connor told DNA Info. At his Catholic high school he was “needle in a haystack,” he told DNA Info. But he enjoyed the religious classes. He completed four years of religious studies courses, had monthly Mass at school and prayed with the football team in Mass before each game. “I took a risk, but I loved going to Catholic school,” Burik told DNA Info. “It was very healthy for me to think about theology and God in an academic setting.”

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Photo: The Forward