Les Costello
Encyclopedia
Fr. Lester John Thomas Costello (February 16, 1928 – December 10, 2002) was a Canadian ice hockey
player and Catholic priest.
He was born in South Porcupine, Ontario, a neighbourhood of Timmins
, and played hockey as a teenager, eventually joining Toronto's St. Michael's Majors
in the 1940s, winning two Memorial Cup
s with the team in 1945 and 1947. He subsequently played two years in the NHL
for the Toronto Maple Leafs
, including the 1948 Stanley Cup
championship team. His brother Murray
was also a professional hockey player.
Costello retired from professional hockey in 1950 to pursue seminary
studies, and was ordained
in 1957. He took a parish in his hometown of Timmins, where he was widely respected for both his flamboyant, fun-loving demeanor and his tireless commitment to social justice and charity work.
, a group of Catholic priests who played exhibition
hockey. Originally intended as a one-time charity event, the Fathers became a phenomenon, regularly touring North America to raise money for charity, and are still active as of 2005.
In 1979, Costello got lost for over 24 hours on a camping trip, and subsequently had several toes amputated due to frostbite
. Although his skating ability was significantly impaired by his disability, he continued his involvement with the team, stuffing rolled-up socks into the toes of his skates. The incident also attracted international media attention, including coverage in People magazine and on the television show Real People
.
As a result of the media coverage, Francis Ford Coppola
offered the Fathers a movie option. He brought Wayne Gretzky
to Hollywood to audition for the role of Costello, but the film fell apart when Gretzky's acting ability proved unable to carry a film. (However, it was on that trip that Gretzky first met his future wife, Janet Jones
.)
For the 25th anniversary of Costello's ordination in 1982, friends and parishioners took up a collection to buy Costello a truck for use in his charity work. Instead, Costello sold the vehicle and used the money to buy furniture and food for needy families.
in 2002, Costello was hit in the head by a puck, falling back and hitting his head on the ice. Still feeling unwell the following day, he was admitted to hospital, where he slipped into a coma and died a week later on December 10.
As his parish was unable to accommodate the crowds expected for his funeral, the service was held in Timmins' McIntyre Arena
. Thousands from all over the country are reputed to have been at the funeral. Even Timmins native Shania Twain
issued a statement of tribute to Costello:
Writer and politician Charlie Angus
published a biography of Costello, Les Costello: Canada's Flying Father, in 2005. A foundation to raise funds for food banks, homeless shelters and other anti-poverty charities in Northern Ontario
was also launched in Costello's memory the same year. As well, a major street in the city's Schumacher neighbourhood was renamed Father Costello Drive.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player and Catholic priest.
He was born in South Porcupine, Ontario, a neighbourhood of Timmins
Timmins
Timmins is a city in northeastern Ontario, Canada on the Mattagami River. At the time of the Canada 2006 Census, Timmins' population was 42,997...
, and played hockey as a teenager, eventually joining Toronto's St. Michael's Majors
Toronto St. Michael's Majors
The Toronto St. Michael's Majors, was a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The hockey program was founded and operated by St. Michael's College School in 1906, and adopted the name "Majors" in 1934, and was commonly referred to as St. Mike's...
in the 1940s, winning two Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
s with the team in 1945 and 1947. He subsequently played two years in the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
for the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, including the 1948 Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
championship team. His brother Murray
Murray Costello
Murray Costello was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2005 as a builder. He was president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association then Hockey Canada...
was also a professional hockey player.
Costello retired from professional hockey in 1950 to pursue seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
studies, and was ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
in 1957. He took a parish in his hometown of Timmins, where he was widely respected for both his flamboyant, fun-loving demeanor and his tireless commitment to social justice and charity work.
Flying Fathers
In 1963, Costello and colleague Brian McKee founded the Flying FathersFlying Fathers
The Flying Fathers are a group of Canadian Roman Catholic priests who regularly tour North America as a hockey team, playing exhibition games against local teams to raise money for charities....
, a group of Catholic priests who played exhibition
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
hockey. Originally intended as a one-time charity event, the Fathers became a phenomenon, regularly touring North America to raise money for charity, and are still active as of 2005.
In 1979, Costello got lost for over 24 hours on a camping trip, and subsequently had several toes amputated due to frostbite
Frostbite
Frostbite is the medical condition where localized damage is caused to skin and other tissues due to extreme cold. Frostbite is most likely to happen in body parts farthest from the heart and those with large exposed areas...
. Although his skating ability was significantly impaired by his disability, he continued his involvement with the team, stuffing rolled-up socks into the toes of his skates. The incident also attracted international media attention, including coverage in People magazine and on the television show Real People
Real People
Real People is an NBC reality television series that aired from 1979 to 1984, on Wednesday and then Sunday nights. Its initial episodes aired live in the Eastern and Central Time Zones.-Synopsis:...
.
As a result of the media coverage, Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
offered the Fathers a movie option. He brought Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
to Hollywood to audition for the role of Costello, but the film fell apart when Gretzky's acting ability proved unable to carry a film. (However, it was on that trip that Gretzky first met his future wife, Janet Jones
Janet Jones
Janet-Marie Gretzky is an American actress. She is married to ice hockey icon Wayne Gretzky.-Entertainment career:Jones performed in Annie , Staying Alive and Snow White Live , and had a bit part in The Beastmaster...
.)
For the 25th anniversary of Costello's ordination in 1982, friends and parishioners took up a collection to buy Costello a truck for use in his charity work. Instead, Costello sold the vehicle and used the money to buy furniture and food for needy families.
Death
At a Flying Fathers game in KincardineKincardine, Ontario
The Municipality of Kincardine is located on the shores of Lake Huron in the County of Bruce in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has a population of 12,000, and covers an area of 580 square kilometres...
in 2002, Costello was hit in the head by a puck, falling back and hitting his head on the ice. Still feeling unwell the following day, he was admitted to hospital, where he slipped into a coma and died a week later on December 10.
As his parish was unable to accommodate the crowds expected for his funeral, the service was held in Timmins' McIntyre Arena
McIntyre Community Building
The McIntyre Community Building was constructed in Timmins, Ontario, Canada in 1938 by McIntyre Mines owner J. P. Bickell. At the time, it was one of the finest recreational centres in Canada outside of a major centre...
. Thousands from all over the country are reputed to have been at the funeral. Even Timmins native Shania Twain
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
issued a statement of tribute to Costello:
Writer and politician Charlie Angus
Charlie Angus
Charles Joseph Angus MP is a Canadian writer, broadcaster, musician, and politician. Angus entered electoral politics in 2004 as the successful New Democratic Party candidate in the Ontario riding of Timmins—James Bay. He was the NDP parliamentary critic for Canadian Heritage from 2004 to 2007,...
published a biography of Costello, Les Costello: Canada's Flying Father, in 2005. A foundation to raise funds for food banks, homeless shelters and other anti-poverty charities in Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
was also launched in Costello's memory the same year. As well, a major street in the city's Schumacher neighbourhood was renamed Father Costello Drive.
External links
- Flying Fathers
- Les Costello stats at hockeydb.com
- "Schumacher's saint: Fr. Les Costello" by Charlie Angus in Catholic New TimesCatholic New TimesCatholic New Times was a Canadian Catholic magazine founded in 1976 by social activists Mary Jo Leddy, Fr. Jim Webb SJ, Fr. Tom McKillip, Fr. Bud Smith SFM, Sr. Margaret Ordway IBVM and a collective of twelve people....
- Les Costello profile at the Catholic Educator's Resource Center
- Picture of Les Costello's Name on the 1948 Stanley Cup Plaque