Editorial

Amid the celebration and heartbreak of the Olympics comes a golden moment of faith

If you are among the millions who tuned into the Winter Olympics in Italy on Feb. 6-22, the Games again provided high-energy drama and spirited competition that displayed both “the thrill of victory” and “the agony of defeat.”

One only need to look at the roads travelled by both the U.S. women and U.S. men’s hockey teams to see how persistence, dedication and teamwork led to gold medals for both teams.

On the other end of the spectrum, viewers witnessed the heartbreak of 21-year-old U.S. figure skater Illia Malinin, the heavy favorite to win the men’s individual figure skating gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. In the lead going into his final skate, Malinin dropped to 8th place after falling twice during his free skate.

To his credit, Malinin spoke to a reporter immediately after his mistakes and blamed himself for his disappointing finish.

There are other Olympic results and stories that rarely make headlines in the secular media because faith is on display, but thanks to our media partner OSV News, we are able to share the story of 19-year-old Polish ski jumper Kacper Tomasiak.

The teenager captured two silver medals and a bronze, becoming Poland’s first ski jumper to win three medals at a single Winter Olympics. But instead of a flashy celebration, Kacper asked for a thanksgiving Mass, placing his medals on the altar in gratitude to God.

His rapid rise to fame immediately attracted commentators and fellow athletes, as reported by OSV News, but beyond his records and athletic precision, Kacper’s sign of the cross before each jump drew nearly as much attention, thanks be to God.

After winning his first silver medal, Kacper reflected on his performance with humility—which is, friends say, his normal trait. “I don’t really know how I did it. I jumped well. Maybe not perfect, but very well. I’m definitely a bit tired after all of it, but I’m also very happy. This is the happiest day of my sporting life,” said Kacper, who is an altar server at his parish in Poland.

Father Edward Plen, a longtime Olympic chaplain of Polish athletes, said Kacper’s gesture and his desire to attend Mass reflects something deeply authentic.

“Kacper came to me and said it would be good to thank God for these medals,” Father Plen told OSV News. “He came, and I must say it was a Mass full of gratitude to God and for Kacper. It was very moving. I said that the most beautiful thanksgiving for a medal is when the medals are placed on the altar and during the elevation—God himself comes to that altar, and looks not only at those medals, but above all at Kacper’s beautiful, pure heart.”

Father Plen added that, despite his success, Kacper’s humility is striking.

“You do not have to loudly proclaim that you love Jesus,” the priest said. “People who look at your life will begin asking about Jesus themselves. And that is the greatest victory.”

—Mike Krokos