“He [God] chose the most beautiful day for the Christian Church – he couldn’t have chosen a better day. And it has been this day that God has chosen for Pope Francis to meet him,” said Father Sergio Codera. After one last blessing on Easter Sunday, the Pope’s passing reverberated across the globe. The bells tolled, and a billion mourned as the spiritual leader who stood for the weak and the marginalized took his final breath, aged 88. The NCAA community, too, felt the loss. John Calipari and Dick Vitale were two to make that known.

Faith has always been a cornerstone for many in the game. That’s true for the celebrated sportscaster, too, who relied on his Catholic faith and the power of prayer as he battled through cancer. And when the passing of the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics came his way, the Hall of Famer was left heartbroken. “I am so sad to learn of the passing of POPE FRANCIS – May he RIP!” he wrote.

As announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Pope passed away at 7:35 on Monday morning after battling health issues over the past few years. Though Francis had returned home after hospitalization for double pneumonia, the Vatican revealed he suffered a stroke, which led to a coma and eventually, heart failure. The Pope had already looked frail in his last appearance on Easter Sunday at St. Peter’s Basilica, but he managed one final blessing. “Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter,” he’d say.

Now, as the community grieves, the Arkansas head coach joined in, too, for a few kind words.

John Calipari is someone who has often expressed his Catholic beliefs publicly. He has revealed how his faith has been a source of inspiration and guidance, impacting his coaching philosophy. But Pope Francis’ passing meant much more than what surrounded the religion. The Pope, who presided over the Catholic Church for more than 12 years, stood for the marginalized, voiced environmental concerns, and addressed significant matters in reform for the Vatican.

In Coach Cal’s words, “He was a Pope for social justice for the poor and many firsts. Lived a humble life right to the end and never forgot his roots. He will be missed by all of us Catholics around the world.”  

John Calipari is an old-school Catholic, raised in a Pennsylvania steel town. No matter where he is, he makes it a point to attend church every morning. It’s a routine that grounds him–something he sticks to, day in and day out, as noted by Reid Forgrave of GQ magazine. He’s said before that being Catholic shapes how he coaches and leads young men. But at the same time, he’s never one to push his beliefs onto others.

But that faith is what got him to Arkansas.

John Calipari says a catholic priest helped him take the job at Arkansas

Coach Cal had one of the most desirable jobs in the country. The job of coaching the Kentucky Wildcats. Coach Cal had a phenomenal time at Kentucky leading the blue blood nation to 12 March Madness trips, 4 Final Fours and a championship. He had cemented himself as one of the best in the business.

But things looked bleak in his final years at Kentucky. Since 2019 the Wildcats could only muster up a single big dance victory and you could tell that coach Cal’s time was coming to a close soon. But due to the nature of his 10 year deal signed in 2019, the university wasn’t ready to fire him. It was Calipari who decided to move on. And according to him, it was a catholic priest who helped him do it.

“We were out west and we had a priest with us, a Catholic priest, he gave mass one morning in his room,” Calipari said. “And I said to him, ‘Father, I’ve gotta decide what I’m going to do here. One is Arkansas the other is Kentucky.’ And he told to me go for an hour walk and have in your mind that you’re the Arkansas coach, and then on the way back, that you’re the Kentucky coach. You’ll see what moves your heart and what you want to do — and I did that.”

And just like that, it was official. John Calipari inked a five-year deal with the Arkansas Razorbacks–marking a new chapter in his storied career.