Reflection from a local priest on the power of prayer following critical injury in NFL game
Football fans pray outside the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in Cincinnati for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who was hospitalized after he collapsed on the field during the Monday Night Football game with the Cincinnati Bengals Jan. 2, 2023. Hamlin, an alum of Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, was in critical condition after suffering cardiac arrest following a hit by a Bengals player. (OSV News photo/Cara Owsley, USA Today Network via via Reuters)An entire nation has rallied behind Buffalo Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin, 24, who collapsed after tackling a Cincinnati Bengals player during a routine play in the first quarter of the NFL game on Monday night. Hamlin’s vitals are improving, but he remains in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, the Buffalo Bills reported.
Following his collapse from cardiac arrest, medical teams worked for nearly 10 minutes to restore Hamlin’s heartbeat on the field. Players, coaches, announcers, friends, family, and fans in the stadium - and across the country - quickly turned to prayer after witnessing the traumatic event in what must be amounting to millions of petitions to heal this young Christian man, a graduate of Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh.
Given the incredible witness to the presence of God on the field that day and in the days that followed, the Catholic News Herald turned to Father Richard Sutter – the pastor of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte and former chaplain of the Atlanta Braves (2011-2015) – to reflect on the power of prayer in sports and in life:
"The power of prayer is present at the beginning of every NFL game, in the hearts of players, coaches and staff who take a knee, most often outside of the spotlight during team Masses, prayer services, locker rooms and pregame warmups. I’ve witnessed great faith in all athletes, from middle school to professionals, who step into harm’s way with a physically demanding sport just like I experienced as a U.S. Army Airborne Ranger Infantry Officer in moments of dangerous training for battle. There were two Ironman Triathlons I participated in where an athlete lost their life in the competition (1.2-mile open water swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run). Sports can be very dangerous – that’s why it is not uncommon to witness athletes who pray.
Often one will see, not always on TV, an athlete take a knee by themselves or in groups to render thanks to God for the ability to play along with an expressed desire that all competitors be kept safe. At times, these pregame prayers can fall into routine, yet they are still prayers, and God always answers our prayers in one of three ways.
First, what is prayer? The Catechism of the Catholic Church 2725 states: “…prayer is both a gift of God’s grace and a predetermined response on our part; it always presupposes effort.”
St. Therese of Lisieux describes prayer as the following:
“For me, prayer is a burst from my heart, it is a simple glance thrown toward heaven, a cry of thanksgiving and love in times of trial as well as in times of joy.”
Does God really hear us and answer our prayers? Yes, in one of three ways: “Yes,” “No,” or “I have something better in mind.”
Monday night we witnessed God answering the prayers of millions from the field of play in Cincinnati to the most remote living room or fan watching the game on livestream.
The first answer to prayers came swiftly with the professional response of medical staff and trainers who rushed to the side of Damar Hamlin and performed CPR prior to the ambulance’s arrival.
The second answer to prayer was the overwhelming response to prayer from athletes, coaches, staff and fans. When was the last time we’ve ever witnessed so many people in a stadium turn to prayer for the good of someone whose life was in danger? This response to prayer is a miracle in and of itself.
We all are still waiting in prayer, with hope (Romans 5:5), for a full recovery of Damar Hamlin. We also pray for his family members, teammates and close friends.
It’s so important that we all keep in mind that God truly hears our prayers and always answers them - “Yes,” “No,” or “I have something better in mind.” For sure, something truly better is coming out of this tragedy, yet we wait in hope and prayer for Damar Hamlin’s full recovery as we would for anyone found in the same situation.
Let us continue to believe in the power of prayer."
— Father Richard Sutter
Catholic high school prays for critically injured Bills safety
'A great athlete and a great Christian gentleman'
The Central Catholic High School community in Pittsburgh is joining in prayer for NFL player Damar Hamlin, a 2016 school graduate, who was critically injured during a Jan. 2 game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Hamlin, a safety for the Bills, collapsed after tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins during a routine play. According to a statement by the Buffalo Bills, the 24-year-old safety suffered a cardiac arrest following the hit.
Medics worked for nearly 10 minutes to restore his heartbeat as Bills team and staff members knelt in a tight prayer circle around Hamlin. Hamlin was then transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he remains in critical condition. Players, staff and commentators were visibly shaken by the incident, and the game – the last Monday Night Football match of the regular season – was suspended.
The NFL has posted an image of Hamlin's team number with the words "Pray for Damar" across its social media accounts.
The Hamlin family released a statement online Jan. 3 asking supporters to "please keep Damar in your prayers," noting they were "deeply moved by the prayers, kind words and donations from fans around the country."
In a Jan. 3 statement sent to OSV News, Central Catholic called Hamlin a "highly respected young man" who "has been an integral part of our Catholic Lasallian Community and regularly returns to Central to speak with participants of our football campus."
A photograph provided by the school to OSV News showed Hamlin in his high school football uniform holding a poster that read, "Recruited by Jesus."
Central Catholic president Christian Brother Mike Andrejko asked in the statement that "the Lord be with (Hamlin) and hold him in the palm of his hand.”
The school's recently retired head football coach Terry Totten described Hamlin in the statement as "a great athlete and a great Christian gentleman who is a man for others," one who is "an essential part of the community at Central Catholic.”
Totten also pointed to Hamlin's "unparalleled" work in the Pittsburgh community through the athlete's charitable foundation, The Chasing M's Foundation Community Toy Drive, which he started just before his selection in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft.
On its Facebook page, Central Catholic posted a message stating its community "is praying for the well-being and swift recovery" of Hamlin, adding: "May the Lord be with him and his family during this most difficult time."
As of Jan. 3, the post had garnered some 2,500 shares and almost 400 responses, which included a number of heartfelt prayers.
"We humbly pray to Thee, Dear God, in Jesus' Name, to heal Damar Hamlin," wrote Miran Liza Mientus. "And please, Dear God, provide comfort for his dear Parents and Family, the Bills, the Bengals, and All who love him. How beautiful to see countless people come together in prayer for him."
Amy Smyth Miller posted the text of the Memorare prayer to Mary, while others invoked the intercession of St. John the Baptist, St. Jude, St. Sebastian, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos and the late Pope Benedict XVI.
One poster added a link to an undated video of Hamlin recorded during his high school years for the Pittsburgh Steelers Youth Football Show. As part of the interview, Hamlin shared that he had chosen the player number three because it was a "family number," one his own father had worn.
He also said that Central Catholic was "big on tradition," and that "the name and the school … means a lot not just to the coaches, but the alumni. … You know you're not playing for just yourself and your family; you're also playing for the name and the tradition."
Hamlin's Twitter timeline over the past two years includes multiple expressions of faith and gratitude, along with support for friends and fellow athletes.
"I see myself through God's eyes, not anyone else's," he wrote Dec. 8, 2020.
A post from the previous month read "from losses to lessons to blessings. Thank you, God!"
— Gina Christian, OSV News