Hockey w/Bishop Paprocki Wednesday

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Published on February 18 2019 10:58 am
Last Updated on February 18 2019 10:59 am

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, also known as the “Holy Goalie,” will host his ninth annual “Hockey with Bishop Paprocki,” an exhibition hockey game to benefit Catholic Charities Legal Services, which provides free legal assistance in civil matters to those with little to no income in 28 counties in Central Illinois.

Joining Paprocki for the Feb. 20 game at 7:00 p.m. at the Nelson Center in Springfield is Chicago Blackhawk great, Grant “Granny” Mulvey, who holds the Blackhawk’s record for most goals in a game (5) and is tied for most goals scored in a single period (4). Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children ages 5-13 and can be purchased online at cc.dio.org or at the door. Skates can be rented after the game so anyone can skate with the Bishop.

“While the legal systems in our state and country offer equal protection for all people, there is hidden inequality for those without means or access to professional legal services,” Bishop Paprocki said. “This creates a hardship for many people in our diocese, and the Catholic Charities Legal Fund helps to close that gap. Our generous lawyers provide their expertise and services for free, while also restoring the dignity of each person that needs help through their compassion and selflessness.”

Last year, Catholic Charities Legal Services closed 142 cases. Catholic Charities Legal Services works with Central Illinois attorneys to provide pro bono services for clients in areas such as adoption, bankruptcy, child custody and support, debt elimination, employment, environmental issues, family law, guardianship, immigration, landlord-tenant issues, real estate transactions, social security benefits, traffic accidents, wills and probate.

“As the cost of legal services continues to increase, low-income individuals face the dilemma of hiring legal counsel or meeting daily living needs,” said William Henry, Program Director for Catholic Charities Legal Services. “Complicating these costs is that, in many cases, the need for legal counsel is to protect or preserve a vital individual or family need: keeping one’s children, keeping a home, preserving part of the ‘safety net.’ Without the assistance of this program, these individuals would have faced the daunting, and often times frightening, task of navigating the legal system alone or against an adversary who hired counsel.”

The program was started by Paprocki, who is also a lawyer, in 2014. No one is denied services based on age, creed, disability, familial status, gender, national origin, race, religion or sexual orientation.