Bishop Thomas John Paprocki took to the ice at the Nelson Center in Springfield Dec. 6 to help adult hockey players in the area raise $3,100 for the Catholic Charities Springfield Area Office. Over 300 turned out to watch, as did members of the Sacred Heart-Griffin High School hockey team, who wore special T-shirts for the occasion promoting “Hockey with Paprocki.” The charity benefit game preceded the SHG-Glenwood game.

Bishop Paprocki, an avid hockey fan and player often referred to as the “Holy Goalie,” is an assistant coach of the SHG team, helping SHG goalie Chris Moore improve his skills.

“The guys particularly were very happy to see that the bishop, even though he holds such a high position, hung out in the locker room with us, talking and joking with everybody,” said Jeff Loftus, who organized the fund-raiser and played in the game. “Several of the players who aren’t Catholic were very, very impressed with the bishop.”

Springfield attorney Ron Stone was one of them. “He was just a regular person. It was almost surreal in that respect. I had met him at a benefit game the Junior Blues played earlier this year and was enamored how normal a person he is.”

“We all chipped in to support a good cause and had a good time,” said Loftus.

At 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18, Bishop Paprocki will return to the ice to play in a Guns and Hoses Hockey of Central Illinois benefit game.