Archbishop’s Column 3 • Immigration reform 10 • Colleges & Careers 19-20 November 7, 2013 Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
thecatholicspirit.com
SHE SHOOTS, SHE SCORES Catholic author’s new book, ‘The Catechism of Hockey,’ draws parallels between faith, sport By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit Alyssa Bormes has never played hockey. But, she said that going to the penalty box changed her life. She wasn’t wearing skates when she went to what is known in the sport as the “sin bin,” but the result was the same — a clean slate. She talks about the penalty box and other nuances of the game that is passionately loved by thousands of Minnesotans in her recently released book, “The Catechism of Hockey.” She believes there are important parallels between the popular winter pastime and the Catholic faith, and she’s hoping to use it to draw hockey enthusiasts closer to God and the Church. Bormes’ faith journey began on the grassy plains of Aberdeen, S.D. She grew up in a Catholic home as the youngest of eight children, with her father lacing up a pair of skates on her feet like he had done for all of her older siblings. She enjoyed the time with her dad and embraced the faith he and her mom passed down. It culminated with being confirmed in eighth grade by Bishop Paul Dudley, a long-time friend and seminary classmate of her father (Bishop Dudley died in 2006). Unfortunately, her spiritual life got derailed — for 17 years, in fact. Hence, the need for time in the “box.” She actually has adapted that hockey term to mean the sacrament of reconciliation. In fact, that is one of the major points in her book. She writes about how hockey’s penalty box resembles confession, in that the person who goes in the box guilty comes out clean. That’s exactly what happened to her after staying away from the Church, Bishop Dudley and the sacrament of reconciliation for almost two decades, stretching all the way into her 30s. “He’s my spiritual father,” said Bormes, 48 and a member of Holy Family in St. Louis Park, of Bishop Dudley. “But, I fell away from the Church when I got
Alyssa Bormes draws connections between the Catholic faith and hockey in her recently-released book, “The Catechism of Hockey.” Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit to college. I sort of avoided him. I would just never go out to seek Bishop Dudley because I knew that he would tell me to change my life, and I wasn’t willing to. But then, there was a day when I was so lost. I actually talk about it in the book because we talk about confession in the book. “I was so lost that I knew that I had to . . . go to a priest and go to confession, even though I hadn’t been in 17 years. I didn’t know how to do it anymore. I wasn’t exactly sure why I was going, except
that I was so lost I just couldn’t survive anymore. So, I went to confession with Bishop Dudley, and in one sentence, he brought me home.” Bormes is hoping that readers of her book will similarly be drawn to the sacrament. She also hopes it will be an encouragement to parents, especially dads. A positive sign was a recent talk she gave at St. Paul’s OutPlease turn to AUTHOR on page 6
ALSO inside
Foundation aims higher for tuition aid to students
Pipe organs’ inaugural concert draws crowd
‘O God, be merciful to me, a sinner’
“Night of Light” celebration of Catholic education highlights growing need for aid. — page 7
The Cathedral of St. Paul was filled to capacity for the hour-long free concert Oct. 24. — page 21
Father Tim Norris used his homily Oct. 27 to address the issue of clergy sexual abuse. — page 24