Florida Catholic | Former Saint Abramowicz To Speak At Men’s Rally

Former Saint Abramowicz to speak at men’s rally

After years as a star wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints, Danny Abramowicz takes to a new field helping others get closer to the saints in heaven.

PAT LANGFORD | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 03.07.08

The Facts

What: Men’s Rally, sponsored by Catholic Men for Jesus, nonprofit men’s ministry

When: Saturday, March 15
8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Where: Cardinal Newman High School, 512 Spencer Drive
West Palm Beach

Cost: $20, includes breakfast and lunch; $5, age 12 and up. Tickets are available at www.catholicmenforjesus.com.

WEST PALM BEACH | Danny Abramowicz spent eight years in the National Football League, seven of them as a star wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints.

These days, though, much of Abramowicz’s work focuses on helping others get closer to the saints in heaven as part of his ministry for men.

The former all-pro receiver is now an all-pro speaker around the country, and area men will have a chance to hear him speak at the sixth annual Men’s Rally Saturday, March 15, at Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach.

“The whole idea is to help to energize men to draw them closer to Christ, to live the Gospel right here in the diocese,” said Jim Manhardt, founder of Catholic Men for Jesus, the nonprofit organization sponsoring the event.

Manhardt first brought the men’s rally to the Diocese of Palm Beach in 2003 during the Lenten season. The gathering is patterned after an annual New Jersey rally, which he started in 1998.

To aid in this year’s local mission, Manhardt called upon Abramowicz to be featured speaker for the one-day conference, which begins at 8:30 a.m. and is open to all men and boys age 12 and up.

It is one of many Catholic rallies for men around the country each year in which Abramowicz shares his play-by-play about Catholic beliefs and his testimonies about life — even those which would not be a part of a sports highlights program.

Abramowicz caught 369 passes and scored 39 touchdowns in an NFL career that included stretches with the Saints and the San Francisco 49ers. He established a record for catching at least one pass in 105 consecutive games, and was named All-Pro by The Sporting News after leading the NFL in receptions in 1969. At his retirement in 1975, he was the leading receiver in the history of the Saints.

When he speaks locally this month, rally participants will hear stories that go beyond the football field and locker room.

“The Lord has changed my life through some trials in my life, predominately with alcohol,” said Abramowicz. “He transformed my life. As a result of this conversion experience, I go to daily Mass, pray daily, go to confessions and pray the rosary daily.”

Abramowicz freely discusses his bout with alcoholism and is not afraid to bring up the details of some of his darkest moments.

Abramowicz said that in talking about the past, he is not seeking sympathy, but hopes to help others by relating what God has done for him.

“I’ll let the guys know that if the Lord can turn me around, anyone has a chance. I don’t do it to say ‘Oh, there’s Danny, poor Danny.’ I do it to show what can happen.”

Other Speakers

Ed Reinhardt Sr. and Ed Reinhardt Jr.

Other featured speakers at the March 15 men’s rally include Colorado residents Ed Reinhardt Sr. and Ed Reinhardt Jr., a former football player at the University of Colorado.

The father-son team travels around the country telling their family story of hope, forgiveness and faith.

Ed Reinhardt Sr.’s father left home when his son was 9. Ed Reinhardt Sr. never gave up hope, though, that he would reunite with his dad someday.

“What I talk about is the importance of the influence of parents and fathers in the family. I share the story of how my relationship with my own father mysteriously connects with Ed Jr. I challenge listeners that if they have a relationship with someone, either a father or mother or parents or whoever, to reach out and to make that relationship what they’d like it to be. We see … there’s such a need for a relationship for fathers to have with their children,” he said.

Ed Reinhardt Jr.’s story is quite different. The 6-foot-5-inch, 245-pound tight end suffered a life-threatening head injury in a game in Oregon in 1984 and spent two months in a coma. His blow on the field left him with brain injuries.

Today, he is a testament to life, according to his father.

“What evolved after years of therapy is a talent to sing,” Ed Reinhardt Sr. said about his son. “He sings country music. That’s part of the program. He will sing a couple songs.”

Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito

Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito will be the main celebrant and homilist at the closing Mass at 2 p.m., and Father John Gordon, of the Archdiocese of Newark, N.J., will be the master of ceremonies at the event for the sixth time.

Diocesan priests will be available to hear confessions during the day.

“Every time I go to these things … I get as much out of it as the other guys,” said former NFL star Danny Abramowicz, a national speaker who will headline the rally. “But, I think by them (participants) hearing my story, maybe it will make them sort of look into their life and say ‘Hey, what can I do?’ God asks us to be holy men of God. That’s what he asks of us.”

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Former Saint Abramowicz to speak at men’s rally

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