from Megan Hoegler of the Columbia,
They were called the Harlem Globetrotters of hockey. From getting pies in the face to playing with tiny sticks as “penance” for penalties, the Flying Fathers combined crowd-pleasing antics with real skills on the ice.
Unlike the Globetrotters, however, the Flying Fathers wore a second uniform as well — the black clerics and Roman collars of Catholic priests. During their heyday in the 1960s and 70s, they played across North America and Europe, bringing communities together and raising millions of dollars for good causes.
Now, nearly a decade after the Flying Fathers left the ice, the team has been brought back to life. Led by Father John Perdue, 33, the vocation director for the Diocese of Peterborough, Ontario, a new troupe of priests have laced up their skates to fill arenas with laughter and raise funds for charity.
The roster is filled with members of the Knights of Columbus, and their games typically feature the “episcopal ordination” of the first scorer, rule-breaking shenanigans by Sister Mary Shooter, the hockey-playing nun, and other slapstick surprises.
Thanks to a KK member for the pointer.
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