Fernando Mendoza brings Heisman Trophy to his church in Bloomington BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — Indiana University junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza has led the program to unprecedented success in his first season in Bloomington. The Hoosiers are the No. 1 seed in the College Football Play off and will face No. 9-seeded Alabama on Thursday afternoon in the Rose Bowl. There has been a lot of national attention on Mendoza this season, especially after he won the Heisman Trophy earlier this month, becoming the first-ever IU player to win the award. Many across the country learned at that time just how important faith is to Mendoza. “Honestly can’t thank the Man above (God) enough,” Mendoza said the night he won the Heisman Trophy. “I would never thought this would be possible, but through unwavering belief in my faith, to everybody instilling that in me, I’ve been able to get to this point.” Mendoza is a practicing Catholic and spends plenty of time at the St. Paul Catholic Center in Bloomington. “We have about 1,200 students who come to mass every weekend,” St. Paul Catholic Center priest Father Patrick Hyde told News 8 Sports’ Andrew Chernoff. “For a long time, he was just a really tall one (worshiper) who was at mass every weekend.” Hyde, who has been at the St. Paul Catholic Center since 2016, said Mendoza’s presence in the IU Catholic community has been inspiring. “It’s been really neat to hear from the other students how seeing him – and he’s just here at mass like anyone else – just praying, trying to grow in holiness, trying to do good in the world,” Hyde said. “And to see that witness for the other students, to be like, ‘Wow. He’s got all of these things that are on him and he’s here every Sunday.'” But as much as Mendoza inspires others, others, like Hyde, must also be inspiring Mendoza. On Christmas Eve, Hyde said Mendoza reached out and asked if he could bring the Heisman Trophy by the Catholic center. “He came over and we walked out, and there, in an Amazon box, there was the Heisman Trophy,” Hyde said. “It was just so surreal because it was so normal just sharing in the joy and the glory of an accomplishment of one of our people. But then also, holding the Heisman Trophy and being like, ‘Whoa.'” Hyde posted a photo of himself, fellow priests and Mendoza with the Heisman Trophy: Fernando Mendoza brought the Heisman Trophy by St. Paul’s Catholic Center (Photo courtesy: X / Father Patrick Hyde) “What a generous gift that was of Fernando to us, as the priests, to share that gift with us,” Hyde said. Hyde said one of the neatest things is that Mendoza doesn’t only win on the football field. He’s also winning the game of life. “For me, as I’ve kind of watched Fernando throughout the year, I love the fact that he gives ‘Glory to God,'” Hyde said. “But he’s also lifting up his teammates, lifting up his coaches, pointing out to how other people have been a part of it.” Hyde cannot wait to see what else Mendoza accomplishes going forward. “It’s been really wonderful to see good things happen to a good person,” Hyde said. “To see someone who is just a genuinely kind and considerate young man, to see him have that kind of success, and to see him not only have the success as a football player, but to remain authentically himself. That’s probably the thing I love the most.” Hyde is in Pasadena, Calif. this week for the Rose Bowl. He attended the Hoosiers’ Big Ten Championship Game victory over Ohio State earlier this month inside Lucas Oil Stadium: Father Patrick Hyde (left) at the Big Ten Championship Game in December (Photo courtesy: Instagram / @hoosiercatholic) For more on this story, be sure to watch “All ACcess Indy: Pasadena” Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. EDT on WISH-TV. ...read more read less