Hockey coach Catholic priest, 93, to be honored

What a great story this is! Let me add my congratulations and birthday wishes.

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=27603084-7249-473d-bd03-7463ddadfeec

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Tribute to Father Cullen
By Dave Waddell, Windsor Star
Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

With a teaching and coaching career that lasted nearly a half century at Assumption Secondary School, Father Ronald Cullen watched a whirlwind of change take place over that time.

For the many he counseled, from the future pro athletes to state Supreme Court judges to the plain old solid citizens he valued as much as any, the lessons learned from a blunt-talking Catholic priest have helped form the blueprint of their lives.

Monday at the Fogolar Furlan Club many of them will gather to say thank-you to 93-year-old Father Cullen with a night in his honour.

"I'm going to enjoy meeting a lot of people I haven't talked to in many years," said Father Cullen, who now resides in Toronto.

"Once you know it's for charity, you jump right in."

In addition to honouring Father Cullen, the dinner is aimed at raising funds to help the University of Windsor Lancers men's hockey team spend a week working on a Habitat for Humanity project in New Orleans.

The idea for the project and the evening in Father Cullen's honour came from Lancer coach and Assumption graduate Kevin Hamlin.

"This is an opportunity to share and hear the story of Father Cullen," Hamlin said. "At 93, sometimes we just don't know how many more opportunities we'll have to say thank-you.

"He played an important role in so many lives. I can't think of a more appropriate honour than to say thank-you and at the same time raise money to help the less fortunate.

"Father Cullen was about giving people life lessons and that's what we're trying to do with this trip to New Orleans."