CATHOLICS TURN CITY MARATHON INTO YEARLY PROMOTIONAL HABIT.

Byline: Daniel Taub Daily News Staff Writer

More than 100 Roman Catholic priests, nuns, seminarians and parishioners are planning to run in the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday in an effort to educate people about the lighter side of the faith.

Wearing fluorescent green shirts bearing the slogan "Get a Life!" and encouraged by signs such as "Go, Sister, Go," the runners will try to show during the 26.2-mile race that the Catholic lifestyle is happy and healthy, said Sister Kathy Bryant, coordinator of the event for the vocation office of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Bryant said that many young people have become priests and nuns after seeing "Run for Vocations" efforts over the past nine years.

"It kind of helped them to see the human side of the vocation and to encourage them to enter (it)," she said.

Bryant said that runners started training in September and that they are getting together this weekend for a carbohydrate dinner and a Mass - which includes blessing the runners' shoes.

"It's not a real serious group. It's probably the most informal gathering of priests you ever saw in your entire life," Bryant said, noting that beer is served at the "Carbo Load Dinner" and that many priests wear shorts and running shoes to the Mass.

Runners also sign up "prayer sponsors" before the race, Bryant said. Sponsors are encouraged to pray for the runners and also for young people to devote their lives to the faith, but can sign up for any type of religious activity they like.

Dick Franco, a parishioner at St. Joseph the Worker in Canoga Park, has run in every Los Angeles Marathon and has been a part of "Run for Vocations" since he learned about it three years ago.

Franco, 55 - who took up running again 15 years ago, after having competed in high school and college - said he has signed up friends, family and co-workers as sponsors.

"It's a whole variety of different things," Franco said of the sign-ups. "Some reading of passages from the Bible, taking time out to do special prayers, just a variety of things."

During the marathon, runners will pass seven Catholic churches along the marathon route, Bryant said, and church parishioners will be outside cheering for the fluorescent-shirt-clad runners.

All marathon runners are invited to attend a "Mass for Marathoners" at 5:30 p.m. today at Blessed Sacrament Church, 6657 W. Sunset Blvd., in Hollywood. Runners' shoes will be blessed.