Photo

By Priscilla Greear, Staff Writer

ATLANTA-As she thought of someone who had drifted away from the faith, Mary Welch Rogers wrote down what she imagined God would say to that person to welcome him home to the church. "Precious ones, don't be afraid. The love I have for you is pure. Take my hand, don't be afraid. Together we can find the Way," reads the opening verse of Roger's song "Come To Me," now available as a CD single. When she wrote it, Rogers, a parishioner at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, heard both the music and lyrics in her head. "It was very inspired. I feel all music God gives you, it just comes to me . . . I had a person in mind I wanted to come back to the church; when writing I was thinking of that person," she said. "The lyric means a lot. It really influences how the song flows." But the song can strike a chord in anyone, from the most wayward and despondent to the devout. "You can take it in lots of different ways," Rogers said. The message is the same. "Jesus loves them very much and is there (for them) no matter what happens in their lives." A professional singer, songwriter and actress, Rogers wrote the song for the 2001 Eucharistic Congress on the feast of Corpus Christi which drew an estimated 12,000 people last June. The event had the theme "Come To Me," reflecting that the archdiocese spent that year reaching out to Catholics who were no longer active in their faith. Rogers was executive producer of the CD single, which Cheryl Rogers arranged and produced. The CD, which went on sale Dec. 20, was produced at Doppler Studios in Atlanta through her publishing company, Kudzu Music. Rogers, who coordinated the music for the opening and closing of the Corpus Christi event last June, said people have told her they experienced healing through the song. "That was just incredible," she said, "especially to know it touched people's hearts, that the Spirit was able to move in the song so people would take some kind of action to improve their lives by knowing God and having him in their lives . . . by receiving the sacraments." "That is the most important thing, to know you can always start over," she said. The song is meant to bring a message of healing. If the song "leads you to the sacraments, which are absolutely healing, that would be ideal." The CD includes two versions of the song with Rogers as lead vocalist, two purely instrumental versions with drums, percussion, bass, keyboards and cello, and two instrumental versions with background vocals. Background vocalists are Cheryl Rogers, Fred Sawyers and Felicia Sorensen. Musicians are Scott Meeder on drums and percussion, Joe Reda on fretless bass, Sonny Lallerstedt on acoustic, classical and electric guitar, Cheryl Rogers on keyboards and Danny Laufer on cello. The sheet music will be available on the web site MaryWelchRogers.com. Through a link under construction to the archdiocesan web site, the CD can be ordered. "The whole idea was so people could sing to it in a choir or (as) individuals . . . It just gives a lot of options for the same song and if anybody wants to use the song in their parish that's absolutely fine." This year's Corpus Christi event will again have the theme of "Come To Me," but will emphasize reaching out to the unchurched. Rogers is coordinating the opening and closing music again this year and is writing another song for the 2002 Eucharistic Congress. While she owns the "Come To Me" song, proceeds from the CD will benefit the 2002 conference. Rogers, who is married to Joe Rogers and the mother of three, was raised in the small town of Trenton, Mo., and received a degree in vocal music education from Central Missouri State University. As a teenager she worked in summer stock theatre and began singing in nightclubs throughout the Midwest and then in Las Vegas. In 1978 she began pursuing a longtime interest in song writing which led her to Los Angeles and a recording contract with 20th Century Fox Records and a writing contract with 20th Century Fox Music Publishing. Her career kept her on the road constantly until 1984. She appeared on television shows including "Johnny Carson," "Dinah," "Merv Griffin" and "Mike Douglas," and in 1983 began singing as a soloist on Dr. Robert Schuller's "Hour of Power" which she still does today. Rogers in 1986 decided to devote herself full time to the pursuit of her longtime interest in Christian music with the release of her first Christian album, "His Love." In 1997 she arranged, wrote, produced and sang her CD "Benediction," which celebrates God's eucharistic presence through both ancient and modern music. Rogers also wrote a song honoring Mother Teresa, "In Jesus Name," which was released in February 1998 as a single with profits benefiting the nun's order, the Missionaries of Charity. The "Come To Me" CD single costs $12, including postage. Make check payable to "Eucharistic Congress" and send with name and address to "Come To Me" CD Single, Attn.: Sally Scardasis, Archdiocese of Atlanta, 680 W. Peachtree St., NW, Atlanta, GA 30308-1984.