St. Anne's Angels from Our Lady of Corpus Christi were the victors in a sudden death play-off. With the bishop are Sr. Mary Katherine Malmrose, SOLT, Mary Bullu, Joe Dylong and Betsy Hess.

Tensions were high at the first annual Bishop Carmody Catholic Super Bowl held at John Paul II High School on Feb. 8. Fr. Peter Marsalek, SOLT, designed the contest, a competition of teams answering Catholic trivia questions.

Over 20 teams of four people each were on hand to participate. They were made up of Catholic lay people, religious, (though no clergy were allowed) and students. Everyone wanted to win. No one was sure they had studied enough.

Instructions had been given to study the life and teachings of Pope John Paul II, St. Paul's letter to the Romans, The Saints, Man's Vocation in the Spirit (from the Catechism) and Pope Benedict XVI. A hefty assignment!

The competition consisted of a series of questions, answered after consultation between team members. There were nerve-wrecking time limits on each question, so there could be no delay in writing the answers.

Questions, even though multiple choice, were not so easy, for example: What were the last words of Pope John Paul II? ("Now I go to the house of my Father.") and Who Baptized St. Augustine? (St. Ambrose in 387. Surely everyone knows that.)

The final rounds were played with lightening speed using a bell to indicate the participant had the answer. Bishop Carmody presented winners with a trophy.

The bishop said the competition cheered him as it "showed that people knew their faith."

The two final teams were the Thai Warriors, made up of Anne Craig, Kate Craig, Daniel Craig and Sr. Mary Anne Boon sawang, SOLT, from St. John Nepomucene Parish in Robstown and St. Anne's Angels from Our Lady of Corpus Christi, made up of Sr. Mary Katherine Malmrose, SOLT, Mary Bullu, Joe Dylong and Betsy Hess. St. Anne's Angels won in a sudden death play-off. Winners were cheered for their expertise and losers consoled themselves with refreshments and laughed at stories of how they almost got a question right. All and all it was most enjoyable. Contestants said they would participate again next year. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.