�Holy Goalie� Chicago bishop takes to ice, not ready to give up day job

By Tom Sheridan
1/19/2006
Catholic News Service (www.catholicnews.com)

CHICAGO (CNS) -- The puns are obvious: "Who IS that masked man?" "'Stick' with me, kid." And, of course, "Hey, fella, you're on thin ice." But in this case, the "fella" would be Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki -- all dressed up in a Chicago Blackhawks uniform and ready to take to the ice at the United Center.

�HOLY GOALIE� BISHOP READY FOR PRACTICE � Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki, 53, prepares to get on the ice after suiting up to practice with the Chicago Blackhawks Jan. 12. (CNS photo)

Facebook Delicous MySpace

Twitter Stumble Digg

More Destinations

Neither is it all for show.

Bishop Paprocki, 53, has been involved with hockey for a long time -- as a fan and a player.

He was profiled in the December issue of USA Hockey magazine, where he was pictured in his episcopal robes holding a hockey stick and helmet.

The article's headline, appropriately enough, was "Holy Goalie."

Bishop Paprocki has been playing hockey -- floor hockey -- since he was a boy, but it's only been in the past decade, he told the magazine, that he's taken to the ice. Now, twice a week he plays at McFetridge Ice Center stopping pucks in an over-30, no-check league. The bishop is also a veteran marathon runner, which he does just to stay in shape for hockey, he told the magazine.

The feature in USA Hockey -- the official magazine of the national governing bodies of U.S. ice and inline hockey, with a circulation of 430,000 -- led to an invitation from the Blackhawks to attend a team practice Jan. 12 and get a little ice time with the team.

"When they started practice, I watched from the bench for about half an hour," the bishop told The Catholic New World, newspaper of the Chicago Archdiocese.

Toward the end of the formal practice, goaltender coach Stephane Waite warmed him up on the sidelines. "He did some drills with me,� he said. �He wasn't shooting real hard, but stopping his shots boosted my confidence."

But then the warm-up was over. "I was in the net and facing the Blackhawks. Several players took shots at me," he said. "I stopped several until one of the players said, 'Has anyone scored yet?' On the next shot, Mark Bell ripped one past me. Then Denis Savard came over and took a few shots. My head is still spinning from his moves, but I think I did manage to stop at least one of his shots."

However, Bishop Paprocki conceded that he "lost count of the ones that went through."

It was, he said, a day he'll never forget.

Is a career on the ice in the offing? The bishop laughed and said, "None of the Blackhawk goalies should feel their jobs are threatened -- and the cardinal doesn't have to worry that I'm going to give up my day job."

Rate This Article

Was this helpful to you? Very Helpful Somewhat Helpful Not Helpful at All

Would you be interested in more articles like this? Yes, I am Interested No, I am not Interested

Rate Article

0 Comments

Comments submitted must be civil, remain on-topic and not violate any laws including copyright. We reserve the right to delete any comments which are abusive, inappropriate or not constructive to the discussion.

Though we invite robust discussion, we reserve the right to not publish any comment which denigrates the human person, undermines marriage and the family, or advocates for positions which openly oppose the teaching of the Catholic Church.

This is a supervised forum and the Editors of Catholic Online retain the right to direct it.

We also reserve the right to block any commenter for repeated violations. Your email address is required to post, but it will not be published on the site.

We ask that you NOT post your comment more than once. Catholic Online is growing and our ability to review all comments sometimes results in a delay in their publication.

Name *

Email *

Comment *

Send me important information from Catholic Online and it's partners. See Sample

Post Comment