The popularity of poker continues to draw people from all sorts of diverse backgrounds together, with not even members of the clergy immune to the game’s appeal. Father Andrew Trapp will be making an appearance on a new poker game show airing this Saturday on the Fox TV network, called ‘PokerStars.Net Million Dollar Challenge’ and, as he explains, “All you had to do to get on the show was to enter a free online tournament.”
The priest certainly had to earn his place on the show though, as in order to qualify he had to first compete against 10,000 other online hopefuls in a Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournament with the top 10 going through to the second qualifying round. Next, he had to produce a video for YouTube to be screened by the show’s producers before finally being chosen to be a contestant.
Father Trapp will be hoping to scoop the show’s top prize but for anyone uncomfortable with the thought of a poker playing priest, he was quick to point out that “in Catholicism, the “sinfulness” of playing games of chance is a “matter of moderation.”
Furthermore, Trapp will be playing not for any personal gain but in order to benefit the whole of his local community and congregation. As he explains, “I don’t need money myself. The church pays for all my basic needs,” but all monies won will be donated towards the local church to effect badly needed repairs as well as oversee expansion of the 900 seater church to accommodate a growing congregation.
Members of the congregation have so far managed to raise $3.5 million and Trapp is hoping to give the collection a boost from his latest poker exploit. We wish him the best of luck on the show although Trapp seems to have already assessed his chances positively and believes he may have an edge over the opposition:
“I’m going to be dressed like a priest,” he explained.” That will probably be something that most haven’t come up against. They’ll probably be thinking, ‘Can this guy bluff? Is God going to be mad at me if I knock him out of this game?’”
How does he explain that the bible says playing cards are evil……
Who cares what the bible says, it also says anyone who works on a Sunday will go to HELL !
Father Andrew is so grounded and the Catholic faith is so true and real. Read the Bible a little more and you will learn how God works and how good and loving he really is.
It’s great when a Priest shows that he is a “regular” guy. They like sports of all kinds. Nothing wrong with that. They sacrifice much so if this money will be donated back to his church, I am all for it.
Unless you walk in his shoes, you cannot judge what intent he has in his heart.