Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. President | St. John's University website

For more than 30 years, Rev. Richard Rock, C.M., has worked with some of the most vulnerable people in society, including homeless teens in New York City and families in underserved neighborhoods in Philadelphia. He currently serves as Campus Minister for Athletics at St. John’s University, where he supports over 300 student-athletes.

Fr. Rock is a regular presence at Men’s and Women’s Basketball games at St. John’s University, often seen on the bench with players. He emphasizes to students that success should be measured not only by athletic achievement but also by gratitude and service.

“I grew up in Astoria, Queens, and I went to St. John’s Prep,” Fr. Rock said. “The Vincentians ran St. John’s Prep, and I was always impressed by their attitude, friendliness, and outgoing nature.”

Inspired by the Vincentian example during his education, he later attended Mary Immaculate Seminary in Northampton, Pennsylvania, and was ordained in Philadelphia in 1973. His first assignment was at Immaculate Conception Parish in Philadelphia until 1982 before spending a year as Campus Minister at Auburn University in Alabama. He then returned to Philadelphia to join St. Vincent Parish.

In 1989, Fr. Rock moved back to New York to work at Covenant House for three years.

“In Covenant House, you deal with homeless youth between the ages of 17 and 21,” he explained. “These kids live on the streets; most of them are runaways.”

He returned again to Philadelphia in 1993 to continue working among marginalized communities.

“As a Vincentian, our mission is really to connect with the poor,” he explained. “That connection must come through action. At the end of the day, people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

After parish closures led him back to New York City, Fr. Rock joined St. John’s University as Campus Minister for Athletics in 2012. In this position he provides spiritual guidance for student-athletes across all Division I teams and draws on his background helping at-risk youth.

“Most of the kids at Covenant House were ordinary people who had nowhere else to go and were allowed to rebuild their lives,” he said. “Our students are ordinary people too... They have their challenges but they have a great support system... I remind them how they should be truly thankful for the gifts that they have... In the scriptures it says that when much is given much is asked... My hope is that our students take what is given to them and pass it on.”

Each year Fr. Rock joins student-athletes as they volunteer with organizations such as St. John’s Bread and Life and Midnight Run.

“Our hope is that the Catholic and Vincentian values they learn at St. John’s will resonate with them, and at some point something’s going to click,” he said.“It might take a year, five years or ten years but at some point something happens.”

On athletics fields Fr.Rock views sports as reflecting life’s challenges: “Sports is a very concentrated example of life’s highs and lows.One day you’re the hero;the next day,you’re the goat.Whether it happens in 60 minutes or 48 minutes or nine innings,it happens daily.”

He added,“Kids make very human mistakes,and sometimes we forget that we’re watching 18-and-19-year-olds.That’s why I’m never going to be the bad cop.Last year one of the kids dunked the ball at the end of game when we were up by eighteen points.People were screaming at him about it.I walked up to him and said,'Look,you made a mistake,and it's okay.We all make mistakes.'Later he pulled me aside and thanked me for saying that."

Despite diverse religious backgrounds among athletes,Father Rock leads prayers before games with a consistent message:“Let’s never forget the poor and homeless on the streets of New York City.They are God’s people.Never forget they have a name,a face,and a history.Amen.Amen.Amen.”