As New York Knicks fans celebrate an unexpected run to the NBA Finals, one of those cheering the loudest is a familiar figure to the Princeton community: Bishop John Barres ’82, Bishop of Rockville Centre and a Princeton alumnus.
A recent article in the New York Post highlighted Bishop Barres’ lifelong love of basketball and his reflections on the spiritual lessons that can be learned from the game. Long before he became a priest and bishop, Barres played basketball at Princeton University, serving as a point guard on the junior varsity team during his undergraduate years.
For Bishop Barres, basketball has never been merely a game. Throughout his priesthood and episcopal ministry, he has often spoken about how athletics can cultivate virtues such as discipline, perseverance, teamwork, sacrifice, and leadership—qualities that are essential not only on the court, but also in the Christian life.
In the article, Bishop Barres points to the New York Knicks’ remarkable success this season as a reminder of the power of selflessness and unity. He praises the team’s chemistry and highlights the leadership of Jalen Brunson, whose willingness to place the good of the team above personal accolades reflects the kind of servant leadership that lies at the heart of the Gospel.
These themes resonate deeply with the mission of the Aquinas Institute. The Christian life is not lived in isolation. Like any great team, the Church is a communion of persons united in a common mission. Every member has a role to play, every gift is meant to serve others, and true greatness is found not in self-promotion, but in self-gift.
Bishop Barres has long been a friend and supporter of the Aquinas Institute and Catholic life at Princeton. Over the years, he has encouraged students to integrate faith and reason, excellence and holiness, leadership and service. His own journey—from Princeton student-athlete to priest and bishop—offers a powerful witness to the many ways God works through the talents, friendships, and experiences of college life.
Bishop Barres’ reflections serve as a timely reminder especially for those of our students on campus for summer sports training: the virtues that lead to success in athletics are often the same virtues that lead to holiness. Discipline, sacrifice, humility, teamwork, and perseverance ultimately point beyond the game itself to the deeper call of discipleship.
This June, let us also remember the Holy Father’s intentions for this month, for the values of sports: that sports be an instrument of peace, encounter, and dialogue among cultures and nations, and that they promote values such as respect, solidarity, and personal growth.
Read the article: https://nypost.com/2026/06/07/us-news/long-island-bishop-uses-knicks-run-to-convince-long-suffering-fans-there-is-a-god/
