There’s a reason Father Athol Murray, the catholic priest who started Notre Dame College during the depression, is a role model young men (and women) still look up to today, thirty-nine years after his death.
“Now they said, ‘Do you think you’re going to change the world with a little college?’ I do,” Pere tells us himself in this weekend’s episode thanks to archival footage supplied by the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox.
His legacy extends well beyond his contributions to hockey (although he is credited with building one of the finest hockey colleges in Canada out of nothing and has received international recognition). Father Murray’s determination and dedication serves as a model for any industry or individual. In fact, Regina entrepreneur, Verna Alford, took inspiration from the priest in her heartfelt and difficult venture to restore Moose Jaw’s historic Grant Hall. Her endeavor was, like Pere’s, was a true labour of love above any financial return or external recognition and in our Focus feature, she quotes the priest: “Dream the dream and you’ll live the dream.”
Why does Saskatchewan produce so many great hockey players (people like Gordie Howe, Fred Sasakamoose, Bryan Trottier, Jordan Eberle – to name only a few!)? The legacies of men like Pere Athol Murray have a lot to do with it.
And then there’s something I like to call the Saskatchewan spirit. Pere had his own role model in St. Augustine (he was appointed to Wilcox’s St. Augustine parish in 1927). Augustine once said, “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.”
And doesn’t that sum up Saskatchewan (if we’re speaking generally?) Both Darrell Davis, author of Fire on Ice: Why Saskatchewan rules the NHL and former Olympic alternate captain and Notre Dame coach, Terry O’Malley credit Saskatchewan hockey players with being some of the hardest working players on any NHL team. Like I said, Pere Murray’s legacy isn’t about hockey; it’s about instilling in young people a drive and two important values: hard work and humility. I hope that’s a legacy that never ends.
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