New York Giants Tackle Catholic Youth Ever wonder what professional athletes do on the off season? Roman Oben, starting left tackle for the New York Giants, is spending his time off working at the Youth Ministries Office of the Archdiocese of Newark. Oben has been coordinating a Lenten Day of Service for Good Friday, April 2, 1999. He also recruited seven teammates to participate in the day of service. It will begin with a prayer service at 9 a.m. at St. Patrick's Pro-Cathedral, Newark, and will be attended by 45 teenagers from throughout the Archdiocese. Oben will be joined by fellow NY Giants Kent Graham, Tiki Barber, Nate Miller, Joe Jurevicius, George Williams, Charles Way, and Scott Galyon. Teenagers from St. Adalbert, Elizabeth, St. Antoninus, Newark, St. Thomas More, Fairfield, St. Pius X, Old Tappan, and Queen of Peace, North Arlington will join them to do service work at area soup kitchens, food pantries and nursing homes. "This day will allow young people to see the hardships that are faced daily by so many people right in our backyards," Oben said, "I hope it will open their eyes to it and to what they can do to help to remedy it." Executive Director for Youth and Young Adult Ministries for the Archdiocese, Fr. Ron Marczewski, explains that doing service work is one of three ways Catholic theologians say people can reach God, the other two are self denial and prayer. Holy Week is a particularly appropriate time to help youth experience faith through service, Fr. Marczewski explains, "it was on Holy Thursday that Christ himself taught us about service with the washing of the disciples' feet." He hopes the athletes will attract youth who do not normally attend these types of events. "Hearing athletes talk about faith and professing their own faith provides good role models for teens," he added. Fr. Marczewski said, "Roman has always done a lot of community work, but he was interested in doing it in a Catholic framework and this was a great place for him to do that. Roman, like many athletes, is very religious and he takes great pride in being Catholic." Oben came to the Archdiocese as a volunteer to gain some practical experience while he works toward his Master's degree in public administration. He also came with a sense of mission. Oben is a 1994 recipient of the Louisville Community Service Award and he has continued to participate in community service since joining the NFL in April of 1996. He said he feels that "having a hand in the planning of this event has been more fulfilling because I have seen it from its conception to its culmination." The services sites are the White House Nursing Home in Orange, the American Rescue Workers food pantry and soup kitchen in Newark, and the Hillside Food Bank, Hillside.
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