Names & Faces: Taraji P. Henson, Pope Francis

The Oscar-nominated actress attended her first Super Bowl on Sunday, and says it was emotional experience because of her memories of her late father.

In a papal first, the pontiff recorded a video message that was shown to the fans at NRG Stadium during the Super Bowl.

“Great sporting events like today’s Super Bowl are highly symbolic, showing that it is possible to build a culture of encounter and a world of peace,” Pope Francis said.

By participating in sport, we are able to go beyond our own self-interest and in a healthy way, we learn to sacrifice, to grow in fidelity and respect the rules.