Kerry Fraser and John Scott were often on opposite sides of NHL hockey fighting incidents, but they have found common ground in their love of Jesus and the Catholic faith.
At 5’7”, Fraser was one of the shortest but most respected officials in NHL history. Standing at 6’8”, Scott was one of the tallest players ever to play in the league, and one of the roughest. (Let’s just say he was no stranger to fisticuffs.)
Both are Canadians who had no faith in God until they both experienced conversions later in their careers. Another similarity is they both feel strongly about the need for us all to evangelize our beautiful faith, emphasizing that each of us can make a difference in the world even if we don’t have the platform they did.
Scott played the role of tough guy for a decade, racking up penalty minutes the way Wayne Gretzky accumulated points. Born in Edmonton, he grew up without religious faith, and the NHL, not being a sport that encourages such discussions, did not help him come to know God.
Hockey players are considered some of the most fearless athletes in the world, but not when it comes to expressing their faith. “It is sad but NHL players I think are intimidated by the culture at large,” Scott told Trent Beattie of the National Catholic Register.
Fortunately, he met his future wife Danielle in college, and she, being a strong Catholic, ended up being the angel he needed. This is often the case for men, for whom conversion begins through their future wife.
Scott said he was “skating on thin ice” in life and that learning the faith through his wife was the turning point. He eventually married Danielle, took the RCIA course, and was baptized. The Scotts now have six children.
Danielle’s approach to encouraging Scott in his faith is reflected in his approach to others now. “All Catholics are required to share their faith, but at the same time allow each person to make his own decision. Let people use their free will for accepting or rejecting the faith.”
The Scotts attend a solemn high Mass at Holy Rosary parish in Cedar, Michigan, where he is learning Latin in order to serve at the altar himself.
He finds peace in the parish adoration chapel, praying the Rosary with his family, and in his devotion to St. Joseph who he sees as the model for all Christian husbands and fathers.
Scott is especially inspired by Joseph’s humility: “His silence was his strength.”
While Scott did a great deal of fighting on the ice, he now has a podcast called The Fight That Matters, based on the premise that the only fight in life that is significant is the fight for salvation.
In his long refereeing career, Kerry Fraser had to penalize John Scott many times but is now similarly spreading the good news despite a battle with a rare form of cancer.
Fraser gives talks to young people, challenging them to live their Catholic faith daily and through actions, even simple ones, making a difference.
He tells of an incident in an NHL game he officiated. One very tough player was trash talking an opponent about something painful from the player’s past.
It brought the player to tears and Fraser noticed. At the end of the period he spoke to the player and found out what had happened. He arranged through the coach to meet with both players at the start of the next period, when he asked the offender to sincerely apologize to his victim.
Surprisingly, the offender did so and later described the incident as a life-altering experience.
“We need to put on our armour of Christ everyday,” said Fraser, who, like Scott, married someone, his wife Kathy, who prayed for her husband’s conversion. Finally at the age of 43, Fraser said the Holy Spirit led him to Christ.
He has found great peace in his life, including his current battle with cancer, and would make a point of attending Mass every day despite being on the road so much of the year, learning the churches and Mass times for each city.
“We must use sports to glorify God. Do not be ashamed and hide it. Stay in the light,” says Kerry.
Like Scott, he emphasizes that we should focus on salvation. “Christ set the bar high, but the reward is incredible.”