Happy Birthday Père - January 9, 1892

Notre Dame Hounds
Father Athol Murray's Legacy Extends Far Beyond Hockey

Priest. Scholar. Coach. Humanitarian.

Originally published on March 14, 2017 by Greg Harder, Regina Leader-Post
 
Those are a few of the titles associated with James Athol Murray.

Born on January 9, 1892, Père (Father) Murray was ordained in 1918 and sent to Regina in 1922, where he established an athletic club for boys called the Argos.

Five years later he was appointed to St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic parish in the nearby community of Wilcox. He began teaching at a school operated by sisters from the Notre Dame of the Prairies convent.

Murray established Notre Dame College in 1933, obtaining an affiliation with the University of Ottawa. That was the initial incarnation of the renowned institution known today as Athol Murray College of Notre Dame.

Murray promoted three key areas of growth with his students: Intellectual, spiritual and physical. In keeping with that philosophy, Notre Dame has earned a reputation for excellence in education and athletics, attracting students from across Canada and the world.
The school is best known for its sports programs, especially hockey. The Notre Dame Hounds have produced over 100 NHL draft picks, including Wendel Clark, Curtis Joseph, Vincent Lecavalier, Brad Richards and Rob Brind’Amour.
 
Murray received the country’s highest honour in 1968 when he was inducted to the Order of Canada, followed by Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1972 — three years before his death. He was inducted posthumously into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1998.

Murray’s legacy at Notre Dame was formalized in 1981 when the school was renamed in his honour. He remains the inspirational force behind Notre Dame and an enduring Saskatchewan icon.

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Athol Murray College of Notre Dame ·

P.O. Box 100 Wilcox · SK, Canada S0G 5E0
Phone: 306-732-2080 · Fax: 306-732-4408 (Confidential) · Email: info@notredame.ca