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.

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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.

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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.

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“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.

Six months ago, we were told we could rent empty classrooms in a beautiful location right next to a Catholic parish, which would enable our students to walk to daily Mass.

We were thrilled. The location perfectly fits the stately English style of our Chesterton Academy. I waited for the lease contract to be sent over.

A month later, I was still waiting.

Two months later, still waiting. I messaged the person who was to send the contract and got no response. I tried again but was met with radio silence.

I realized they must have changed their minds about renting to us.

No big deal, I thought. There must be hundreds of places to rent in our small city. I’ll find the best option, and we’ll secure a location.

I found several good options and spoke with the leasing agents. It was then that I learned we would need a certificate of occupancy from the city before we could have our school at any location.

No big deal. How hard could that be?

Turns out, very hard.

What I naively thought would be an easy process turned into meetings with the city’s building inspectors and fire marshals. Location after location, they shot us down.

“It won’t work, sorry.”

“You have to install an automatic fire sprinkler system. It will cost over $100,000.”

January went by. Then February.

We hired a headmaster for the school, who will start in the summer. We had a score of students ready to attend the school. We had to have a location.

So I turned to Saint Joseph.

Saint Joseph—that stalwart defender of the Holy Family and protector of the Church—is renowned for interceding for any need and obtaining the necessary graces for it.

Our team started a 30-day novena to Saint Joseph to find a location.

March passed, along with St. Joseph’s feast day, and the first novena ended. No location worked.

I started a second 30-day novena.

April arrived, and still no location met all the constraints and requirements.

The end of April came, and with it the end of the second novena. I found a location that I thought could work. It stood a few hundred yards outside the city limits and thus only needed to comply with the fire code.

We moved forward in negotiations with the landlord, and after six months of searching, the landlord sent over the lease contract.

I signed it on May 1, the feast day of Saint Joseph the Worker.

I couldn’t have planned that if I had tried.

I told my son that God’s providence often shows up this way: a small but unmistakable set of circumstances that align perfectly.

Sure, an atheist could dismiss it as a coincidence. But we Catholics know better. Nothing happens outside of God’s perfect wisdom.

Not every prayer is answered so clearly, nor so favorably. Often, the answer to our prayer is “no.” Sometimes we don’t get an answer one way or the other, at least not in the timeframe we were hoping for.

But we believe in faith that every prayer is answered, and that God works for our good in every circumstance, even when it is painful.

So whatever you are facing right now, turn to God in prayer.

Pray a novena. Entrust to Him your fears, worries, and needs, and be confident that He will answer your prayer in the way that is best for you.

It is a wonderful time to grow closer to Jesus through this devotion. Adding one (or more!) of the following prayers to your prayer routine can help.

Here are Five Powerful Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Every Catholic Should Know:

General Prayer Sacred Heart of Jesus Prayer:

O most holy Heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore you, I love you, and with a lively sorrow for my sins. I offer you this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure, and wholly obedient to your will.

Grant, good Jesus, that I may live in you and for you. Protect me in the midst of danger; comfort me in my afflictions; give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, your blessings on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death.

Within your heart, I place my every care. In every need let me come to you with humble trust saying, Heart of Jesus, help me. Amen.

Saint Gertrude the Great Prayer to the Sacred Heart:

O Sacred Heart of Jesus,
fountain of eternal life,
Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love.
You are my refuge and my sanctuary.

O my adorable and loving Saviour,
consume my heart with the burning fire
with which Yours is inflamed. Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Your love.
Let my heart be united with Yours.
Let my will be conformed to Yours in all things.
May Your Will be the rule of all my desires and actions. Amen.

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque's Prayer to the Sacred Heart:

Lord Jesus,
let my heart never rest until it finds You,
who are its center, its love, and its happiness.
By the wound in Your heart,
pardon the sins that I have committed
whether out of malice or out of evil desires.

Place my weak heart in your own divine heart,
continually under your protection and guidance,
so that I may persevere in doing good
and in fleeing evil until my last breath. Amen.

Blessed Miguel Pro’s Sacred Heart of Jesus Prayer:

Heart of Jesus, I give my heart to Thee; but so enclose it in Thee that it may never be separated from Thee. Heart of Jesus, I am all Thine; but take care of my promise so that I may be able to put it in practice even unto the complete sacrifice of my life. Amen.

Memorare to The Sacred Heart of Jesus:

Remember, O most kind Jesus, that none who have had recourse to Your Sacred Heart, implored its assistance, or called for mercy, have ever been abandoned. Filled and animated by this same confidence, O divine Heart, Ruler of all hearts, I fly to You, and oppressed beneath the weight of my sins, I prostrate myself before You. Despise not Your unworthy child, but grant me, I pray, an entrance into Your Sacred Heart. Sustain me in all my combats and be with me now, and at all times, but especially in the hour of my death. O gracious Jesus! O amiable Jesus! O, loving Jesus! Amen.

Lastly, here's the Litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

Here are five of the most common misconceptions about the Trinity:

Myth 1: The Trinity did not exist in the Old Testament.

Truth: God has always existed as a Trinity. While the Old Testament does not reveal the Trinity as clearly as the New Testament does (though hints of it appear throughout), that does not mean God was not triune. The doctrine of the Trinity describes God’s eternal nature.

Myth 2: The persons of the Trinity are different forms God switches between.

Truth: People often unintentionally suggest this idea when they use oversimplified metaphors to explain the Trinity. One popular example compares the Trinity to water, which can exist as steam, liquid, or ice while still remaining water.

The problem? The three persons of the Trinity — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit — exist simultaneously and have from all eternity. God does not switch between modes or forms. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct persons who eternally exist in perfect unity. 

Myth 3: The persons of the Trinity operate independently of one another.

Truth: Christians often say the Father is the Creator, the Son is the Savior, and the Holy Spirit is the Sanctifier — and rightly so, according to the principle of appropriation. Strictly speaking, however, the persons of the Trinity always act together in complete unity.

Yes, the Father created the world — but so did the Son and the Holy Spirit, equally and inseparably. The Incarnation can make this difficult to understand since only the Son assumed a human nature. Even then, however, the three persons remained perfectly united in will.

Myth 4: The Catholic Church invented the Trinity, and it does not come from the Bible.

Truth: Scripture clearly teaches the doctrine of the Trinity. While the word “Trinity” does not appear in the Bible, the reality it describes certainly does.

Many passages point to this truth. In Genesis, God speaks using the plural in the creation account. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus commands His Apostles to baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” St. Paul also frequently invokes the Trinity in his letters, including in 2 Corinthians 13:13.

Myth 5: Belief in the Trinity is optional.

Truth: Some people dismiss the doctrine of the Trinity because they find it confusing or difficult to understand. But Christians cannot treat this teaching as optional.

The Trinity is a dogma of the faith, meaning the Church has taught it infallibly, and Christians must believe it. Obstinately rejecting this doctrine can place a person’s soul in serious danger.

More importantly, the doctrine of the Trinity concerns the very nature of God Himself. If we love God and dedicate our lives to Him, we should desire to know Him more deeply — even when His mysteries surpass our understanding.

After all, should we really expect the infinite God to be anything less than mysterious?

Praise be to God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!

Her unwavering commitment to her Catholic beliefs, determination to fulfill her divine mission, and ultimate sacrifice embody the essence of a true Catholic hero.

Today, she is venerated as a saint within the Catholic Church, a source of inspiration for believers worldwide, and a reminder that God can work through the most unlikely of vessels to accomplish great things!

Saint Joan of Arc continues to shine as a guiding light for Catholics, encouraging us to trust in God's plan and live our faith fearlessly.

Here are 10 things to know and share about the heroic life of Saint Joan of Arc:

1) She was a young French peasant born in 1412.

2) Joan of Arc was not a knight or a trained soldier, and she could not read or write. She didn’t even know how to wield a sword before she began her mission!

3) At one point, she took the name “Jehanne la Pucelle,” meaning "Joan the Maid," claiming she did not know her last name.

4) She reportedly heard the voices of Saint Michael the Archangel, Saint Margaret of Antioch, and Saint Catherine of Alexandria. They informed her of a special mission from God to crown the rightful king of France and end the Hundred Years’ War.

5) Joan encouraged soldiers to go to confession before battle and committed her life to contemplation and prayer.

6) She is considered a heroine of the Hundred Years’ War between France and England. Her life and journey are well-documented.

7) She was burned at the stake in 1431 after a corrupt Church trial found her guilty of heresy. The Church later nullified the trial!

8) Pope Benedict XV canonized Saint Joan of Arc in 1920.

9) She is the patroness of soldiers and of France. She is also considered a patron of those persecuted for their faith.

10) Mark Twain wrote the book, "Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc." He spent 12 years researching this book, which he wrote about her heroic life.

Prayer to Saint Joan of Arc in Times of Trouble:

Saint Joan of Arc, give me strength.

In this, my time of need, I beg thee to come to my aid.
I humbly ask thee to help me bear my trials with honor,
As I remember you in your earthly agonies.

Blessed Joan, duty-bound to God, give me courage:
You who left family and friends to enter into God’s service,
Devout and valiant to uphold righteousness to the end,
While being insulted and harmed by your enemies.

Holy Joan, daughter of God, give me fortitude:
Help me to prevail in life and death over evil,
While bearing my injuries with the dignity you showed
When wounded in the breast, head, thigh, and heel.

Pious Joan, help me to be fearless:
Abandoned by the king you yourself had crowned,
Captured and sold to the highest bidder,
You put your trust in the King of Heaven to deliver you.

Venerable Joan, help me to be unwavering in my faith:
Beaten, bruised, questioned, and accused,
You were denied that which you loved most:
Communion, confession, Mass, and public prayer.

Heroic Joan, help me to uphold justice:
Imprisoned, neglected, threatened, and condemned,
Sentenced to die as a heretic, the cruelest death,
To die by the fire and be raised in heaven!

Glorious Virgin, please intercede for me:
(Share your request…)
Hear this petition and my heartfelt plea.
Pray for me in this, my time of need,
For I believe God will deny you nothing.

Amen.

Prayer Source: Andrea Oefinger, Diocese of New Orleans

Today, she shares this childhood memory — one that deeply marked her life — and encourages others to rediscover the beauty of Marian prayer.

During May, traditionally the month dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the pastoral team of the Congregation of the Handmaids of Christ the King shared Sister Josefina’s testimony, in which she recalled a childhood story that continues to inspire her devotion to Mary.

In the video, the nun explains that she weaves rosaries “with much love” because she learned to pray the Rosary with deep affection for the Virgin Mary from an early age.

“I remember that when I was little, my mother told me that when someone prayed, the Virgin Mary held a little bag in her hand. Whenever a person prayed the Rosary with devotion, the Hail Marys turned into roses, and the Virgin Mary would place them in the bag. When the Rosary was finished, the bag was full. Then the Virgin Mary would make a crown from the roses and place it at her feet.”

The nun said it brought her great joy to create something in honor of the Virgin Mary, and she began sharing this story with her friends.

“We got into the habit of praying the Rosary every day as a group of friends, so that the Virgin would give us the crown of roses.”

Today, Sister Josefina hopes more young people and families will return to the Rosary and discover in this prayer a simple yet profound way to accompany the Virgin Mary every day.

She also explained that her congregation makes small bracelets featuring a decade of the Rosary, designed to help people pray throughout their daily routines.

“You can wear that little bracelet, and if you’re on the bus or walking alone, you can pray with it without anyone noticing you’re praying the Rosary. And you’re offering a little bouquet of roses to the Virgin Mary, which she will return to you as a blessing,” she concluded.

The post touched many users, who filled the comments with personal experiences and expressions of love for the Virgin Mary.

“Blessings, Sister Josefina… I pray the Rosary every day — a bouquet of roses for Mother Mary.”

“🌹🙏 Once, while attending Mass in a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, I was sitting in the fourth or fifth row when I suddenly smelled a beautiful and powerful scent of roses. I asked the woman next to me where the roses were because I could smell them but couldn’t see them. They told me there were no roses in the chapel and that they couldn’t smell anything. Later, they told me that if only I had experienced it, perhaps the Virgin Mary had passed near me. That happened many years ago, and I still have never forgotten it. 🌹🙏”

“Sister Josefina, every night before going to sleep, I pray the Rosary! How beautiful the image of the bag full of roses and then the crown of roses! 🙏🙌”

Don’t miss the opportunity to experience the remainder of this month alongside Mary!

This encyclical reaffirmed the Church’s traditional teaching against the use of contraception.

For Bishop Robert Barron of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona–Rochester, Pope Saint Paul VI was much more than just a great moral teacher –he was a prophet.

In the throwback video "Contraception and Social Change," Bishop Barron highlights section 17 of Humanae Vitae as the part of the encyclical where Paul VI prophetically warns of the societal impact of contraception.

“I will confess to you, [section 17] jumped out at me as I reread it, because I thought ‘Wow, 1968, but this man was looking very clearly into our time,'” Bishop Barron says.

While Bishop Barron's explanation is from a 2018 video for the 50th anniversary of Humanae Vitae, these teachings are more relevant than ever.

Bishop Barron explains Pope Saint Paul IV’s three big predictions about what a world that widely accepts contraception would look like:

1) More marital infidelity and lower moral standards for young people.

"Responsible men can become more deeply convinced of the truth of the doctrine laid down by the Church on this issue if they reflect on the consequences of methods and plans for artificial birth control. Let them first consider how easily this course of action could open wide the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral standards." - Pope Saint Paul VI, Humanae Vitae, Section 17

2) Men feel freer to objectify women.

"...A man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection." - Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae, Section 17

3) Governments imposing contraception on their citizens.

"Careful consideration should be given to the danger of this power passing into the hands of public authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral law… Should they regard this as necessary, they may even impose their use on everyone." - Pope Saint Paul VI, Humanael Vitae, Section 17

More than 60 years after the sexual revolution, it’s clear all of these have come true: sexual morality and marriage have collapsed, women are widely viewed as mere sex objects by men, the attack on men in women's sports, and the HHS contraception mandate attempting to force religious institutions to pay for abortion-inducing drugs. Additionally, there are more severe population control policies in places like China.

Looking at the current culture, it’s amazing how accurate Pope Saint Paul VI was, which makes it all the more tragic that so many people, both within and without the Church, have not more closely heeded his warnings.

Here is Bishop Robert Barron’s full commentary on contraception and social change:

Pray for an increased respect for human life at all stages!

Rich, young and ambitious, desires to be a part of England’s political world like Chancellor More, and he hopes that his friend will get him in the door. Instead, the saint challenges him to be a teacher.  

“If I was, who would know it?” asks Rich.

“You. Your pupils. Your friends. God. Not a bad public, that…”

This poignant interchange very simply and profoundly speaks to those of us living in a world obsessed with being seen. Even when we make a conscious effort to set limits around our phones and our social media engagement, it is hard not to breathe in the air of “influencers.” 

It seems easy to create content, garner a following, and then excitedly wait as the likes and subscribes roll in… I often wonder what’s at the root of this trend, and - while there are many reasons to which we can point - I imagine that being acknowledged… loved, even… is one of them.

Here’s where “The Practice of the Presence of God” enters the scene. 

Authored by Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, a 17th-century Discalced Carmelite, this short work compiles a series of conversations, letters, and spiritual maxims which encourage people to “practice the presence of God.” 

Over 300 years later, this little gem continues to encourage us in this practice, and - perhaps more than ever - it is just what we need in an influencer-obsessed world.

Here are three reasons why:

1) It’s simple. 

Brother Lawrence says, 

“The presence of God is the application of our mind to God, or a recollection of God as present. It can be performed either by the imagination or by the understanding.” 

He goes on to describe this practice using a handful of names: 

It’s “a simple act”, “a clear and distinct knowledge of God”, “a vague or general and loving gaze upon God”, “a remembrance of God”, “attention to God”, “silent conversation with God”, “trust in God”, or “the life and peace of the soul.” 

To practice the presence of God is not to add one more devotion to the spiritual to-do list; it’s to be present to the God who is already present to us - everywhere and always.

2) It’s for everyone. 

The Carmelite brother, sought out because of his holy reputation, writes to men and women, priests, religious, and laypeople. His instruction and advice were applicable then and continue to be applicable now to - quite literally - all walks of life. Whether you are washing the dishes and folding the laundry, preparing homilies and leading retreats, or creating slide decks and submitting expense reports, Brother Lawrence is writing to you.

3) It’s satisfying. 

While some Christian practices aim to achieve certain goals in one’s spiritual life (ie, become more disciplined, enter more easily into the contemplative state, grow in one’s knowledge of the writings of the saints), this practice is simply an end in itself: be with God because He loves you. 

Brother Lawrence reminds us that we don’t have to work our way to His love; He loves us already, and we can rest in that love more and more, from now until eternity. Some are called to be heads of state, and some are called to achieve great things through social media influence. 

All of us, however, are loved and seen by God; He is our audience, our affirming like-er, and enthusiastic subscriber. 

He invites us, in turn, to consume His content… to be filled with His presence, His peace, and His joy and to allow Him to influence us such that our lives may be truly fulfilling. Given all the audiences we might gather before us, God is not a bad one to have.

Starting June 8, my brother, Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P., and I will read “The Practice of the Presence of God” and offer commentary on Ascension's Catholics Classics Podcast, available on the Ascension app and the Catholic Classics YouTube Channel. 

Download a free reading plan on the Ascension Press website.

1) Don't Give Your Child a Phone Too Early

“Having a personal mobile device at too early an age and using it without adult supervision can exacerbate young people's vulnerabilities, foster addiction and expose them to isolation, bullying and cyberbullying, as well as to pressures to share intimate images or sensitive information.” (Magnifica Humanitas, 141)

The Pope goes further — naming pornographic content, AI‑manipulated images, fake profiles, and pressure to share intimate images as specific dangers that early, unsupervised device access makes worse.

2) Supervise Actively — and Know You Can't Do It Alone

“It is difficult for parents by themselves to resist the influence of business models that monetize attention and time.” (Magnifica Humanitas, 142)

He is not saying parents are failing. He says they are outgunned — up against engineers, behavioral psychologists, and billions of dollars of addictive design. The encyclical still calls parents to active supervision, not passive permission.

3) Teach Children to Recognize Manipulation — By Name

“It is also necessary to teach children, adolescents and young people how to recognize manipulation, defend their dignity and respect that of others in digital environments.” (Magnifica Humanitas, 142)

A child who understands what an algorithm does, why their feed shows what it shows, and why an AI chatbot's warmth is simulated rather than real is harder to exploit. Naming the mechanism is itself a form of protection.

Pope Leo adds:

“...thus can children and adolescents, who are entrusted to our care, be genuinely protected as a precious treasure.” (Magnifica Humanitas, 142)

In a world where every platform competes for your child's attention, the Pope offers a counter‑vision: your child is not a user. Your child is a treasure.

“Some sisters were in the sea, in a shallow area with no apparent risk. Then the waves suddenly began dragging them under, and they started to drown. There were three sisters,” Sister Ana Paula, CMES, recounted in a video shared on social media.

Hearing their cries for help, Sister Nadir ran and jumped into the sea to save them. She managed to reach one of the drowning nuns and lifted her head above the water. “Thank God, she managed to save that sister,” Sister Ana Paula said.

Another nun then entered the sea, helped pull the others to safety, and recovered Sister Nadir’s body. “They tried to administer first aid, but she was already unconscious. The firefighters arrived and, minutes later, confirmed the nun’s death,” Sister Ana Paula added.

“What impacted me most was seeing that she went all the way—living exactly what Jesus taught in John 15: ‘Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,’” Sister Ana Paula reflected. “She gave her life to save her sister in the community.”

Nadir Santos da Silva was born on August 10, 1980, in the interior of Bahia and moved to São Paulo at the age of six. Monsignor Bruno Lins, who served as her spiritual director, described her life as “an icon of divine mercy.”

In her youth, far from the faith, Sister Nadir identified as a punk and anarchist. Yet the power of the Holy Spirit led her through a profound conversion, transforming her rebellion into total surrender to God in Carmel, the priest told Vatican News.

Sister Ana Paula, who lived with Sister Nadir for many years, remembered her as “very intelligent.”

“She lived intensely, with a sincere and profound search for God. Above all, what remains in my heart is her testimony: she gave herself completely,” she said.

Sister Nadir entered the Institute of the Carmelite Sisters Messengers of the Holy Spirit, founded by Mother Maria Jose of the Holy Spirit in Nova Almeida, Brazil, on July 30, 1984.

The congregation’s charism is “to contemplate to evangelize,” and it maintains communities in Italy, Spain, and France.

In a statement, the institute said that “Sister Nadir’s death, though painful, leaves a trail of light.”

It added:

“It is proof that even in the midst of tragedy, we have the certainty that those who die with Christ are alive in Him. Her passage from this world to eternity was the hallmark of a life that chose not to be superficial, but to immerse itself deeply in the mystery of Love.”

“Even in pain, we continue to trust that death does not have the last word for those who are in Christ Jesus,” Sister Ana Paula affirmed.

On May 12, Auxiliary Bishop Marcelo Antônio of Santo Amaro, Brazil, celebrated a Mass for the repose of her soul at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Convent in Santo Amaro, São Paulo.

The Diocese of Santo Amaro lamented her death, noting that Sister Nadir “marked the lives of many with her dedication, simplicity, and witness of faith,” and that she also left a significant contribution at the San Buenaventura Institute.