Gangsta advises young people in Morristown: You are who you hang with

Michael Franzese left the mob and lived in the safety of Christ. Photo by Beth Kujan
Michael Franzese left the mob and lived in the safety of Christ. Photo by Beth Kujan
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By Beth Kujan

A praise band to shake the floor joists. Four hundred enthusiastic participants. One 19th century hymn. And a Bible on every seat.

It seemed an unlikely venue for a mobster from Brooklyn.  Yet Michael Franzese , formerly of the Colombo crime family, kept the crowd at Morristown’s Liquid Church riveted for an hour of preaching and motivational speaking on Sunday.

Michael Franzese left the mob and lived in the safety of Christ. Photo by Beth Kujan
Michael Franzese left the mob after hearing the call of Christianity. Photo by Beth Kujan

Franzese dropped out of Hofstra University to follow his father “Sonny” Franzese into a life of organized crime.  Eventually he made more money than any mobster since Chicago crime boss Al Capone.  He beat five criminal investigations, even arguing once directly with Rudy Giuliani in a courthouse hallway.

One of Michael’s legitimate businesses was a movie production company.  There he met a beautiful dancer who would become his wife of 28 years (and counting).

Camille was evangelical and very hard to get; five times she stood him up — and he was the producer of the movie that employed her.

Eventually he persuaded her to marry him.  You are who you hang with.  Michael decided to leave the mob for love and the start of a genuine faith life.  They would eventually have seven kids together.  However, Michael also began to do some serious jail time; his past had caught up with him.

At his lowest point, he was indicted on new charges that would have meant life in prison, and he was pressured to turn state’s witness.

“You’re as good as dead anyway,” he was told.  In solitary confinement and the depths of despair, one of his jailers tossed a Bible into his cell.  After flinging the Book against the wall, he opened it in the middle:  Proverbs.

Proverbs 16:7 took his breath away: “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord even his enemies are at peace with him.”  If ever a man needed saving from his enemies, it was Michael Franzese.  In Michael’s view Jesus was the ultimate Man’s Man hence a savior who would have his back.

Michael has gone on to write three books, the latest of which, Blood Covenant, is being made into a movie.  He speaks nationally.

His advice to teens:  You are who you hang with — stay clean.  His message to young women:  Play hard to get.  His message to Seekers: God is a God of Encouragement with an infinite capacity to forgive and make paths straight.  His message to Christians: Never give up on prayer.  Michael said he was saved by Christ, catalyzed by the love of a good woman.  His father found his faith at 95 years old, still living in Leavenworth, catalyzed by the love of a good son.

Michael’s sermon will be available online and broadcast at Liquid Church’s New Brunswick and Nutley campuses on October 28.

 

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