The excitement of a group of Salesian nuns attending a San Antonio Spurs game quickly went viral on social media. Wearing team jerseys over their habits, the sisters even gave the players their blessing before the game began.
The women are members of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, also known as the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco, a religious congregation serving throughout the western United States and dedicated to accompanying young people and families according to the charism of St. John Bosco.
The sisters went viral after they were seen cheering from the stands during one of the most important games of the season: the NBA Western Conference Finals.
Images of the joyful nuns quickly spread online, especially because of the enthusiasm with which they supported the team and prayed for the players.
“We keep them in prayer, and it’s not, you know, for them to win,” Sister Margaret Natal said. “It’s about good sportsmanship, that they remember who they are. That they are role models. We pray that they play to the best of their ability. We pray that they understand their responsibility.” Sister Margaret Natal told the San Antonio Express-News.
The sisters explained on their website that, for them, sports go far beyond entertainment. From a Salesian spiritual perspective, they see athletics as a way to build relationships, foster values, and reach the hearts of young people.
“It creates common ground with young people, opens doors to dialogue, and offers a natural way to foster teamwork, discipline, and virtues. That’s why their support for Spurs means so much to them,” the publication notes.
More Than 20 Years Cheering for the Spurs
Although they recently went viral during an NBA playoff game, the sisters have been following the Spurs for more than two decades.
“We had a couple elder sisters at our provincial house, our retirement house for our sisters who need assisted living. Some of them were born and raised in San Antonio, and anytime there was a game on, they would watch it. And they would get very irritated when the game had to be turned off because it was bedtime. These were die-hard Spurs fans, and since then, those sisters have passed away. But we have other sisters who have taken the baton,” Sister Bernadette Mota, director of missionary development for the Salesian Sisters, told Sojourners.
Over the years, the sisters developed a special affection for both the team and the San Antonio community. Some even met legendary coach Gregg Popovich, who visited the convent with several players after one of the team’s championship victories.
“So that’s one of the reasons we still have the love of the Spurs, because of their respect for us as religious women and the church,” she added.
The sisters clarified that they do not buy tickets to the games, since they believe it would not be a responsible use of their resources. Instead, they only attend when tickets are gifted to them. They also usually watch the games on free broadcast television because they do not have cable or streaming services.