Friends in the Field - Zoe Rowmanowsky

Evangelization You Can Dance To
These sons and daughters are busy about their fathers work.

Ever wonder why there isn't a full blown Catholic music industry? A rising band called Sons & Daughters is taking the lead to build one even though most of their live gigs are currently for Protestant audiences. And "Threshold," their new CD, reflects an eclectic array of influences: '60s surfer harmonies, trumpet, harmonica, spoons, and a tasty blend of Tex Mex and flamenco.

Sons & Daughters was founded in 1993 by lead singer David Howie, a writer and performer with the commercial band Rain People, whose 1989 hit "Little Bit of Time" aired regularly on MTV and VH1. The Rain People's main influences were New Age philosophies and practices, which eventually left David in a spiritual quandary. So he left the band and returned home to Champaign, Illinois, where he married his high school friend, Cindy Gifford. Her everyday example and loving encouragement helped lead David to Christ and back to the Catholic Faith. On the other hand, Cindy's earthy voice and Latin percussion skills led her to Sons & Daughters.

Howie's music apostolate grew from a duo to a quintet when drummer Chad Dunn, bass guitarist Jeremy Jones, and (later) Tim Barnes, their "utility" player, joined the band. All the members have full time jobs but hope to make a living with their music, a reality that may not be too far off.

In 1996 they performed 100 shows; 32 more than in 1995. They travel the country playing everything from coffee houses to conferences to large festivals. Currently they are concentrating on their live performances geared to college age and young professional audiences.

The band members are all married (one is engaged) and the Howies recently became parents. So how do they juggle it all? "It has tested us to the depths," admits Howie. "At one point it was a real problem, but we stopped resisting and realized this music ministry is what God wants us to do."

The band's mission is to evangelize through music. "People are seeking something real and we're trying to address that need," explains Howie, "Its one thing to talk about God, our faith, our journey; it's another to take the brave small step to love Him. We want to show that Jesus' love is real."

Their song "Before I Knew You" does just that. The song has become a signature piece at their concerts. It tells of Howie's experience 12 years ago while he was involved with another woman, in which he lost a child to abortion. "We do it as a testimony and a witness to God's forgiveness and the depth of His mercy," he says. "At the end of the song I am able to say, On December 14, 1996, Cindy and I had a son, Daniel William. Forgiveness feels like my son Daniel."

Sons & Daughters does more than evangelize through music. Since they perform at so many Protestant events, Howie's Catholic Faith is often challenged. "In the old days I would back off," he admits. "Id do whatever it took to make sure that person felt comfortable, unchallenged, and safe. Then I'd go home and think, I just sold my Catholic convictions short."

But he's not shying away from the questions today. He's digging in, reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church and various books on apologetics. "I'm much more forward with my Catholic Faith now. We have to know our Faith so we can firmly, with love, explain exactly what our faith teaches."

The fact that the band has two Protestant members is one more reason why they're difficult to peg. Friendly behind the scenes discussions only seem to add to the creative juice that has made them popular. The Catholic Faith is central to Howie's approach to the band's apostolate. The members are open to the ideas of the Holy Spirit, as evidenced by guitarist Tim Barnes recent conversion to the Catholic Faith. Sons & Daughters pray together before every rehearsal, and meet monthly with their spiritual advisor.

Their unique sound has been shaped in part by staying away from the pitfalls they see in some contemporary Christian music: overproduced synthesizers, and superficial, syrupy lyrics. "Our sound has found us more than we've found it," explains Howie. Sons & Daughters are poised for national prominence. Looking always to heaven for inspiration, they look forward to a harmonious future. Even if, for now, it means no home cooking for 100 nights of the year.

For booking information or to purchase their CDs and gear, contact Sons & Daughters at 1408 West Anthony Drive, Urbana, IL 61802, (217) 351-8000, sdmm@prairienet.org, or visit their Website at www.prairienet.org/sdmm.

Bad News for Bigots
The Catholic League

When an 18 year old Hispanic woman walked into work at Silvergate retirement residence in San Diego on Ash Wednesday, 1997, she was told to wipe the ashes from her forehead. When she refused, her supervisor took a dish rag and did it for her.

Enter the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.

Swiftly mounting a media war against Silvergate, the League made four demands: a public apology from Silvergate to the woman, disciplinary action against the offender, sensitivity training for Silvergate employees regarding religious liberty in the workplace, and a formal record in the file about the incident. They won all four demands, another victory for the organization that has fought back against defamation of the Catholic Church for over 23 years.

League President, Dr. William Donohue, is largely responsible for the current reputation of the organization. When he took over in 1993 from its founder Father Virgil Blum, S.J., of Marquette University, he knew he was made for the job, and vice versa. Holding a doctorate in sociology from New York University, he has written on constitutional law issues and on the principles that make the American Civil Liberties Union tick. When the ACLU became a major issue in the 1988 presidential campaign, Donohue (then working at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC) was the point man to George Bush's advisors.

Donohue also has a background in media. Upon his arrival at the League, he put his communication skills into action. "I issued news releases that cut to the quick, not mincing any words," he explains. "I've positioned the Catholic League to be responsibly aggressive."

During the native New Yorker's tenure, membership in the League has skyrocketed from 11,000 in 1993, to over 350,000 today. When he first arrived, the Catholic League was also close to financial ruin. It's now in the black. With a staff of 11 in New York City, and 12 volunteer chapters in various U.S. cities, the group's work is gaining momentum.

But, really, are things that bad for Catholics in America? What would keep an organization like the League busy? In 1995, the National Conference of Christians and Jews did a major survey on prejudice against virtually every segment of the American population, and found that the number one prejudice in the United States is anti-Catholicism. Whether its a sitcom plot, cartoon, art display, movie, or educational program, the influence of this prejudice sometimes spills over into obvious line crossing.

And so the League's modus operandi doesn't exclude doing things no one else wants to do. Like publicly embarrassing people. Whether politically correct or not, the approach has its merits. "Were going to hold those people accountable," Donohue says. "And we feel you get faster, cheaper results by going to the court of public opinion than into the courts themselves."

If the Catholic League goes after unfair attacks against the Church, who decides what's unfair? The bulk of those decisions are made by Bernadette Brady, the League's vice president. The degree of insult or disparagement is examined, as well as its context before action is taken. The top three mainstream media offenses? Attacks on Jesus or Mary, belittling the Sacraments, and any promotion of stereotypical images of loyal Catholics, in Donohue's words, as "nerds, Neanderthals, and village idiot type people," while dissenting Catholics are consistently portrayed as "bright, reasonable, and enlightened." But the League aims to neither overreact nor under react.

"What's important to us is whether we are offended," Donohue explains. "Otherwise every time we Catholics get bashed, all one has to say is 'I never really meant it.' We might as well close up shop because very few people go around saying, I'm a bigot and I hate Catholics." The League has also taken op-ed advertisements out in the New York Times; produced a 28 minute video; and conducted an anti-condom campaign in the New York and Boston subway systems.

Recently Donohue attended a conference along with hundreds of Hollywood executives, many of whom opined that they only allow their kids to watch the family television channel Nickelodeon. "Isn't it nice to know," he announced, "that while other kids are getting their minds polluted with the rot that's on TV, the sons and daughters of those making this garbage are watching I Love Lucy." He applauded former Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg (now top executive with the DreamWorks studio), who has hired a consultant to reach out to religious leaders. The League has been praised by lay Catholics, priests, bishops, and cardinals. "I think one of the reasons for this," he says, "is while the press may want to label us as a conservative organization, we are not conservative or liberal. We are Catholic."

William Donohue and the Catholic League can be reached at 1011 First Avenue, New York, NY 10022-1444, (212) 371-3191 voice, (212) 371-3394 fax, donahue@catholicleague.org. Visit their web site at www.catholicleague.org.

Sisters Sowing Seeds
Magnificat

It began as a simple breakfast in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Knights of Columbus hall could seat 200 maximum. Before the flyers even hit the mail, all 200 tickets had already sold, and organizer Marilyn Quirk was embarrassed. "When people received their flyers," she recalls, "our phones started ringing off the wall with women who wanted to come and there were no tickets to be had." With the success of this first gathering, Magnificat, a ministry to Catholic women, began to blossom. It was October 7, 1981.

The seeds for Magnificat were planted in the early '70s when a group of women involved with the Catholic charismatic renewal in New Orleans began to experience the fruits of praying and sharing Christ with other women. "We realized that the world was evangelizing women more than the Word of God was," explains Quirk, coordinator of the ministry's central service team. "So we began to sponsor days of renewal for women, Life in the Spirit seminars, and other events, to reach out and give the gift we had all received."

The women also noticed the success that Women AGLOW, an interdenominational outreach to women, was having with Catholics in the area. A concerned Quirk was given encouragement from both Archbishop Philip Hannan and his auxiliary at the time, Bishop Stanley Ott, now deceased, to start something similar for Catholic women.

With the assistance of a service team, she did. And it's seen steady growth ever since. Magnificat promotes growth in holiness by encouraging daily personal prayer, frequent celebration of the sacraments, openness to the Holy Spirit, the study and daily reading of Scripture, and a deep commitment to the Church expressed through her teaching authority. And, of course, they promote a genuine love and devotion to Mary along with reverence for the sanctity of life.

The basic Magnificat function is a shared meal held at least four times a year. The meal small and humble, or big and elaborate provides an opportunity for fellowship, time for praise and intercessory prayer, and a personal testimony. Magnificat leaders know it's more powerful to show than to tell, and they've noticed that most women come for the testimonies.

"Every one of us in leadership has countless stories," says Quirk. Once at a conference, a woman introduced herself by confiding, "Five years ago I attended my first Magnificat meal. My marriage was on the rocks and we were talking about separation and divorce. My life totally turned around as a result of Magnificat. My husband's faith has been renewed. We want to thank you and thank God for this ministry."

Immediately after Magnificat began, many women wanted to bring it to their own backyards. There are now 41 local chapters around the world. Besides the United States, Magnificat is now in Nova Scotia, Canada, the Virgin Islands, St. Lucia, St. Croix, Tobago, and Malta, to name a few places. Requests for chapters continue to pour in. Surprisingly, Magnificat has never promoted itself. "We havent had the time," says Quirk. "Most of us involved are ordinary women with families and its enough for us just to keep up."

What makes Magnificat different from other women's' groups? "Were more evangelical," explains Quirk. "Were an oasis for women who are already evangelized to come together and be nourished and strengthened to live our particular vocations and ministries." Magnificat does not compete with local prayer groups or parish events. In fact, most of its participants are involved in their local parishes, prayer groups, and communities.

Magnificat reaches out to all Catholic women whether they're charismatic, traditional, Marian, or even fallen away from the Church. Women of all ages, backgrounds, and vocations come and are inspired by the extraordinary things God is doing in ordinary women's lives.

Many bishops have written the service team of Magnificat to express their appreciation for what has happened in their diocese as a result of the ministry. "It is a unifying thing, not divisive, and it is building the faith life of many women," says Quirk. The local bishop must approve a Magnificat chapter before it comes to a diocese and there is a formation process for anyone interested in starting a local chapter. The Latin word magnificat refers to the magnification of God in the soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Luke 1:46-55). The name was given to the group by Patti Gallagher Mansfield, Catholic renewal leader and close friend of Marilyn Quirk. The scene of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth provided the guiding image for the ministry. From the very beginning, Quirk experienced Magnificat as being "carried along" by God.

"We felt like children baking a cake; we gave it a few stirs and God did the rest." According to Quirk, the mother of six would never have thought shed be capable of speaking to large crowds and helping to lead such a powerful ministry. Nurtured and tended by such zealous gardeners, Magnificat continues to bloom magnificently.

If you think God might be sowing the seeds of Magnificat in your local garden, contact: Magnificat, 1201 Beverly Gardens Drive, Metairie, LA 70002, (504) 454-1621.