Students from Saint Dominic Academy’s Lewiston campus, which includes Pre-K through Grade 5, enjoyed a morning of skating recently at Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn.

They were joined by several high school students from the school’s Auburn campus, who helped out with the younger ones, some of whom were skating for the first time. They were also joined by one much older skater.

The students didn’t know what to expect when Bishop Robert P. Deeley took to the ice, and apparently he didn’t either.“I hope it’s like riding a bike,” he joked. “It’s been at least 30 years!”

Their worries ended up being unfounded as the veteran skater stayed on his feet. “Bishop Deeley is really good out there!” said Ryan, a fourth grader. “He must have played when he was younger.”

Off the ice, the students enjoyed hot chocolate, cookies, and a variety of games, including coloring stations and shooting pucks into a guarded net. Prior to the skating party, the academy presented the bishop with a referee’s shirt that had “Bishop Deeley” sewn on the back, and the third graders led the group in singing the National Anthem. 

It was a morning that all involved won’t soon forget. “That was great,” said the bishop. “And I didn’t fall!”