Mission & Culture

Arrows RFC is a Catholic Community with the purpose of forming men in Christian virtue through competitive Rugby.

We are BOTH a Catholic Community AND a Rugby Club.

Arrows Rugby Code of Conduct

As a member of Arrows RFC, relying on God, with the help of this Community, I will strive to uphold the following principles:

I will be a team player supporting those around me and the leadership of this club by bringing a positive attitude and willingness to participate fully in the overall strategy put forward by Club Leadership.
I will seek to glorify our Lord with my words and actions both on and off the field as related to Arrows RFC, letting go of self-interest for the good of the Arrows Community.
I will treat all members of this Community as brothers and sisters in Christ by showing respect and upholding their basic human dignity.
I will encourage, welcome, and receive diverse thoughts and opinions that may be different than my own; unless those diverse thoughts or opinions become detrimental to the club itself.
I will not alienate or discriminate other members due to faith, ethnicity, gender, or athletic ability.
I will speak kindly about women and their inherent dignity as daughters of Christ.
I will be respectful to the coaches and team leaders and support them in their work.
I will respect the Referee and the authority inherent to his or her position regardless of the situation.
I will treat all opposing players with respect and dignity, not responding with anger, violence, or ill-willed aggression in moments of frustration or unfair play.
I will treat all opposing fans with respect and dignity, not retaliating to crude or hurtful comments or gestures.
I will treat fellow members of this Community with truth and mercy when they fail to uphold the principles outlined above.
And when I fail to uphold this Code of Conduct, I will seek forgiveness first with our Lord and secondly with the members of this Community knowing that we will all falter.

Arrows Rugby Chi Rho Shield

One of the earliest symbols associated with Christianity is the 'Chi-Rho'. It is created by superimposing the first two letters (XP) of the Greek word for Christ, ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ.

According to historians Eusebius and Lactantius, 4th Century Emperor Constantine was at prayer to the Roman gods the night before the Battle of Milvian Bridge in AD 312. While meditating, he had the vision of a sign (the Chi-Rho) and heard a voice decree the Latin “In Hoc Signo Vinces” or “By This Sign Thou Shalt Conquer.” The next morning before the battle was to begin, he instructed his entire army to affix this symbol onto their shields.

Constantine would win that battle and go on to lead his army to reunite Rome and become the undisputed Emperor. This battle marked the beginning of Constantine's conversion to Christianity. In AD 313, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, granting Christianity a legal status in the Roman Empire. While the Edict did NOT make Christianity the official state religion, the Edict of Thessalonica (AD 380) would make it so under Emperor Theodosius I.

St. Sebastian - Patron Saint of Arrows Rugby Football Club

Sebastian’s early journey to Faith is unclear; however in his late 20s - with the intent of evangelization - he joined the imperial Roman army and served during the enormous Christian persecution of Emperor Diocletian. For his courage, he was promoted to the Praetorian Guards - an elite unit of the army - which allowed him to move more freely (with discretion) in the service of converting souls to Christ. When it was discovered that he was a Christian, Diocletian ordered Sebastian’s execution by archer firing squad for the perceived betrayal. He was shot full of arrows “as an urchin is full of pricks” and left for dead.

Miraculously, Sebastian was not dead and instead was nursed back to health by St. Irene of Rome - who had only realized he was still alive when she retrieved his body for burial. After returning to health, Sebastian confronted Dicoletian and chastised him for his sinful persecution of Christians. This shocked the Emperor because he was actually alive, yet the free speech expressed was what most astounded him. Diocletian ordered Sebastian to be clubbed to death and so he was effectively martyred a second time. His body was buried in the catacombs of Rome, where now stands the Basilica of St. Sebastian (outside the walls).

St. Sebastian is the patron saint of soldiers, athletes, those who desire a saintly death, and of ARROWS RFC.

Dear Commander at the Roman Emperor’s court, you chose to be also a soldier of Christ and dared to spread faith in the King of Kings, for which you were condemned to die. Your body, however, proved athletically strong and the executing arrows extremely weak. So another means to kill you was chosen and you gave your life to the Lord. May athletes be always as strong in their faith as their patron saint so clearly has been. Amen.

MORE RESOURCES:

CLICK HERE for more details about St. Sebastian's life from Catholic.org.

CLICK HERE to buy a copy of The Dauntless Christian (a children's historical book about St. Sebastian) by Carolyn Cooney.

CLICK HERE for St. Sebastian prayer cards, medals, rosaries, and other devotionals from CatholicCompany.com.