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Monsignor "Pére" Athol Murray
Notre Dame College rose out of the Prairies to become the institution it is today because of Monsignor "Pére" Athol Murray's determination, intelligence, high ideals, and above all, his unwavering belief in God and the primacy of the spiritual.
Murray (better known as Père or Father) was educated in the classics and the liberal arts at Montreal's Loyola College, Toronto's St. Michael's College, St. Hyacinthe College in Quebec, and Laval University. While studying law at Toronto's Osgood Hall, he read the words of St. Augustine of Hippo: "To him who does what in him lies, God will not deny his grace." These words impacted his entire life.
He entered Toronto's St. Augustine's Seminary, was ordained in 1918, and was sent to Regina in 1922 "on loan" from the Diocese of Toronto. One of Murray's first acts was to start an athletic club for boys. When Murray was appointed to St. Augustine's parish in Wilcox in 1927, 15 boys followed him. They were the original Hounds.
Through Murray's teachings and coaching, youths learned life-altering lessons, spirituality, academically and athletically. He believed in building young minds through teaching the classics; constantly challenging his students' intellect and feeding them a steady spiritual diet.
His goal was for Notre Dame students to be able to apply their keen minds and steadfast characters to whatever they wished to master.
Murray authored the motto for Notre Dame: "Luctor et Emergo" - Struggle and Emerge.
Murray had the Order of Canada awarded to him in 1968 and was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1972. Murray was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1998 and into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 1967.