Walks away from football to be a disciple

Eric Mahl, a football standout in college who was signed by the Cleveland Browns but walked away from the NFL, will speak at the 19th Annual Worcester Diocesan Catholic Men’s Conference, scheduled for April 6 at Assumption College. The title of his talk is “Transformation into Love.”  
Mahl grew up in the small town of Monroeville, Ohio, where he was an exceptional athlete. He earned a full scholarship to play Division One football at Kent State University. In 2005 he was signed by the Cleveland Browns. But he decided to turn down a contract with the NFL “to begin an intensive focus on becoming a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth.”
He gave away all his belongings and spent three years living as a hermit in the desert meditating on the Word of God. After this period, he entered the streets of inner-city America to fully give himself to the love of God and people.
Mahl currently serves as a part of the formation team of the Marian Missionaries of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge. He and his wife and children intentionally live a simple life of relationship, love and light alongside those within their neighborhood.
“Eric Mahl is a speaker all the participants can really look forward to hearing, especially since there is such a profound need to learn about how we can all live out the Gospel message while caring for those who are forgotten by society,” said Angelo Guadagno, co-chair of the Men’s Conference since its inception in 2000.
Guadagno added that, “He will show us how an authentic encounter with God will reveal our deepest identity. It will also transform us to manifest in our being the truth and reality of who God is. Who we are? And how do we reveal this God we know as love and mercy itself? Eric will help men attending the conference to learn better how to serve, as Jesus served and loved, their fellow brothers.”
Other speakers for the day include author Kevin Dunn (“Living, Dying and the Power of Presence”); Catholic Answers apologist, Trent Horn (“The Beginner’s Guide to Defending Your Faith”); a Springfield diocesan priest, Father Warren Savage (“Do ‘Good People’ Need the Sacrament of Reconciliation?”); author and EWTN personality, Mike Aquilina (“With the Strength of Angels”); and Francesco Cesareo, chairman of the National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Young People, and president of Assumption College (“A Wounded Church”).
Singers and composers, Ryan and Elizabeth Tremblay, will lead the music throughout the day.
Many diocesan and religious priests will participate again this year by hearing confessions at mid-day. The Sacrament of Reconciliation has become a conference staple in its first eighteen years.  Since so many participants go to confession the committee hopes that more priests than ever will come.  
“We can use as many priests as will come,” said Guadagno, “since so many of the men, nearly a thousand, go to confession.”
Bishop McManus will be the principal concelebrant and homilist for the Conference Mass at 4 p.m.
The speaking program and exhibitions will take place in the Plourde Center at Assumption College. Lunch will be served in the Laska Gym and the site for confessions will be in the Hagan Campus Center. These buildings abut one another.
Through March 25 ticket prices for adult men are $45. On March 26 they increase to $60. Ticket prices for students are $30 prior to the conference and at the door.  Tickets can be purchased online on the conference website at www.firstmensconf.org; by sending a check to Catholic Men’s Conference, 49 Elm St., Worcester, MA 01609; by contacting parish contact persons; or by calling Sara Smillie at 508-929-4345.
“We are absolutely delighted to offer another outstanding conference this year. And we anticipate that the participants will love the campus of Assumption College, especially in April,” Guadagno added.      “Thousands of men have been so loyal to the conference that we want to have an excellent array of speakers for it.  The men won’t be disappointed.”