Pro Tips From Las Vegas Faithful for the Raiders’ New QB| National Catholic Register
When the Las Vegas Raiders selected former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza as the No. 1 overall pick, they secured more than a Heisman Trophy winner and national champion. They drafted a player whose rise has been shaped as much by public witness as by on-field excellence.
For a franchise searching for stability, Mendoza offers the expected traits: precision, durability and composure under pressure. His résumé made him the consensus top selection long before draft night. But alongside that résumé has been something less typical within the realm of competitive sports: a visible, consistent Catholic faith he has carried without hesitation into the national spotlight.
Throughout the Hoosiers’ historic title run, Mendoza prayed the Rosary weekly, listened to Mass online before games and maintained close relationships with the Dominican priests from Indiana University’s Catholic center. From the Heisman ceremony to the national championship stage, he has spoken about that faith unabashedly.
Now, that witness is headed to Las Vegas.
Often reduced to the lore of the Strip, the city is described by Catholics in different terms — not as a contradiction, but as a parallel reality where a deep and growing community of faith endures well beyond its reputation.
“Yes, many people know Las Vegas for gambling and the Strip,” Auxiliary Bishop Gregory Gordon of the Archdiocese of Las Vegas told the Register. “Sometimes it’s given the moniker ‘Sin City,’ but there’s a tremendous community of faith throughout the Las Vegas Valley and throughout Southern Nevada that … we’re hoping that Fernando and his family can soon be a part of.”
In other words: Mendoza won’t be arriving alone.
As the Register reported in 2024, Catholic life in Las Vegas has expanded rapidly in recent years, particularly since the diocese was elevated to an archdiocese in 2023. This year alone reflects that momentum: 525 catechumens entered the Church at the Easter vigil — the largest number ever recorded — and 20 men are preparing to enter seminary, another record.
“We see these signs of growth as a blessing from the Lord, but we also acknowledge that Mendoza’s gifts are also a blessing,” Bishop Gordon said. “He has a special opportunity to share and inspire young people, and old alike, with his gift of sport, but also with his tremendous fidelity and faithfulness in the Church.”
The bishop has already seen what that kind of witness can look like in the NFL. Since the Raiders relocated in 2020, he has celebrated Mass for the team on the vigil before games, serving as the organization’s Catholic chaplain.
“It’s been a blessed opportunity to share the Word of God and the Body of Christ with those who will be going onto the field at Allegiant Stadium and playing football the next day,” he said. “We’re hoping that if it’s the Lord’s will that Fernando comes to Las Vegas, he’ll be a part of that community.”
A Tight-Knit Community
Among young Catholics in the city, Mendoza’s anticipated arrival has been met less with surprise than with a quiet reassurance.
“You wouldn’t think about it,” said Jake Espinoza, a 26-year-old Las Vegas native, “but it’s a very vibrant community. We’re one of the fastest-growing archdioceses.”
Despite the city’s size, he said, the young-adult community feels unexpectedly connected.
“It’s very tight-knit,” he said. “[There’s] a lot of community, a lot of events. … At all of the churches, we go across and hang out with each other. It’s not really isolated; it’s a great place to get to know people.”
That means someone like Mendoza — new to the city, highly visible, but looking for something grounded — wouldn’t have to search long.
Parishes such as St. Joseph, Husband of Mary; St. Joan of Arc in downtown; and Holy Spirit function less like separate hubs and more like a shared network. Young adults move between them for Bible studies, socials and speaker events, often recognizing familiar faces wherever they go.
“If I see a [new] young person, I’ll go introduce myself,” Espinoza said. “We try to be very welcoming.”
Even the city’s pace has shaped how that community practices its faith.
With work schedules stretching across all hours, daily Mass times span from early morning to evening. Confession is widely available. At St. Bridget, perpetual adoration offers a constant place of prayer. At the Catholic center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), a 7 p.m. Sunday Mass draws students at the close of the weekend.
And sometimes, that faith becomes visible in ways that cut directly across the city’s reputation.
On the first Saturday of each month, the men’s young-adult group at St. Joan of Arc gathers for a public Rosary — occasionally along Las Vegas Boulevard itself. Espinoza called this a “powerful” witness to the faith.
For Emma Gegen, 28, that visibility reflects something deeper.
“We’re a very open and diverse group of young adults here in Las Vegas,” she told the Register. “We have so many different cultures and backgrounds. … We’re really a melting pot. I think there is a little something for everybody within the Catholic community.”
Gegen, who helps lead young-adult ministry at St. Joseph, Husband of Mary, said the strength of the community isn’t concentrated in one parish but spread across the valley.
“Every parish is in need of volunteers,” she said. “If you’re a young adult in Las Vegas and want to stay involved and grounded in your faith, a great way to do that is to get involved with [those] volunteer opportunities.”
It’s a simple formula and one that, intentionally or not, answers the question many outsiders might have about living faithfully in a place like Las Vegas.
An Invitation to Build the Body of Christ
“I think Las Vegas is a place where if you want to indulge in a vice, it is extremely easy,” said Ivan Lara, a 29-year-old native of the area who works in parish ministry.
But that’s not the defining feature, he noted. Rather, community is.
“The main thing you have to combat that is a sense of community,” he said. “Having people that are striving for virtue with you … that’s what makes the difference.”
His advice is practical and would apply just as easily to a No. 1 draft pick as to anyone else.
“Have a firm understanding of what your priorities are,” he said. “If you recognize that there’s nothing more important than spending those first 10 minutes in the morning in prayer and showing up to confession or Mass, then you’ll always keep [what’s important] as No. 1.”
For Gavin Weir, a 20-year-old convert and UNLV student, that reality became clear quickly.
“It’s almost like there’s a whole different world here with the Catholic community in Vegas,” he said. “And I didn’t expect that.”
In the two years since his conversion, he has watched young-adult communities at Our Lady of Wisdom and St. Francis of Assisi grow rapidly, not just in size, but in visibility.
“It’s been really cool to see a transformation of what we imagine Las Vegas’ [secular] hospitality to be,” he added, “and to have people remember Vegas for a Christian and loving hospitality instead.”
That kind of witness, he added, is exactly what resonates — especially with young people. “They want to see people that are genuine about their faith.”
Which is why Mendoza’s presence would likely carry weight beyond football success.
“I think evangelization starts off with curiosity,” said Lara. “This man has access to literally anything he wants, and yet he’s living such a different life of faith. People think, ‘Well, what am I missing here?’”
Bishop Gordon, addressing Mendoza’s impending arrival, said the invitation is already there.
“We look forward to praying with you,” he said. “We look forward to blessing you and also working together to spread the faith and to grow the Church in the years ahead.”
He recalled a coach once joking that the NFL should stand for “Not for Long,” as “in the NFL, nothing is permanent.”
“But we know that when he comes here,” the bishop said, “there will be an infinite number of ways in which we can work together to build up the Body of Christ.”
Mendoza will arrive in Las Vegas as many athletes do — with expectations, pressure and a very public platform.
But he may also find something less expected waiting for him: a Church that is growing; a community that is closely connected — and in the heart of “Sin City,” a faith that is very much alive.
