Seton Hall University will host the next Sport at the Service of Humanity (SSH) Conference in South Orange, New Jersey, from November 4 to 6, 2026. The event is organized in consultation with the Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education and focuses on the themes of inspiration, inclusion, and involvement under the title “Communication, Collaboration, Community: Sport at the Service of Humanity.”
The SSH initiative began in October 2016 during the First Global Conference on Faith and Sport at the Vatican. Its goal is to bring together leaders from faith, sports, business, and other sectors to explore how faith and sport can unite people and inspire positive social change. Since its inception, SSH has developed into a global movement that seeks to combine passion for sport with faith-based values.
This upcoming conference marks the sixth time SSH will be hosted in the United States and is the fifth occasion it will take place at a BIG EAST Conference school. Previous hosts include Villanova University (2017), Loyola Marymount University (2018), Georgetown University (2019), Marquette University (2023), and Creighton University (2024).
Monsignor Joseph Reilly, S.T.L., Ph.D., president of Seton Hall, said: “The influence of sports on society has never been greater. For athletics to provide maximum benefits to humanity, we must ensure their administration, participation and impact reflect positive, faith-based life-affirming values. Seton Hall is pleased to host this year’s SSH Conference, which will advance the excellent work done in prior years and lend our unique perspective to issues of sports, faith and business.”
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark stated: “Sport has the unique capacity to unite communities, lift spirits, and call forth the best in each of us. I am grateful that Seton Hall is embracing this vision by hosting a gathering that reflects the Church’s broader mission: to integrate faith and athletics in ways that promote human dignity, compassion, and hope.”
The conference will be an invitation-only event for leaders from athletics, media, education, faith communities, and youth sports. It aims to use sport’s visibility as a tool for positive change through panels and discussions about strengthening ties between faith and sports within educational settings.
Philip Leopold, SSH Board Director and CEO/Executive Director commented: “Sport at the Service of Humanity is thrilled to be working with Seton Hall University in bringing this event together. The goals of Inclusion, Involvement and Inspiration epitomize the potential for both sport and faith to serve people who are disadvantaged and excluded in so many different ways. Sport at the Service of Humanity aims to grow awareness of these goals through discussion, as well as action, among all those who share that desire to make a difference — whatever their faith, whatever their sport. Seton Hall has a wonderful vision for this Conference, and I think the outcomes will be uniquely impactful.”
In preparation for Seton Hall’s conference in 2026, BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman took part in an SSH Sport for Good roundtable workshop held on October 16, 2025 at Vatican City. This meeting brought together various stakeholders including sports executives and athletes such as Anquan Boldin—co-founder of Players Coalition—to discuss how sport can benefit society by encouraging programs focused on human development.
Bishop Paul Tighe from the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education added: “His Holiness Pope Leo believes that sport, especially when it authentically captures the Christian spirit, is a powerful tool to foster human, educational and spiritual growth. I am delighted with this initiative coming from Seton Hall, and applaud both the University’s and Cardinal’s commitment to the promotion of sport as an endeavor that enriches the lives of all people.”
Details about speakers or specific sessions will be included with invitations sent out ahead of November 2026.
