Arizona priest uses his love of mystery to entertain, evangelize

Published: 2004-06-10

TUCSON, Ariz. (CNS) -- A few years ago when Dominican Father Daniel Rolland introduced himself as a priest at a magic conference in New York, the other magicians asked him one question -- Wiccan or druid? The 39-year-old priest, associate pastor of St. Thomas More Catholic Newman Center in Tucson, chuckles when recalling the incident. Wicca and druidism are pagan belief systems whose followers sometimes do magic. Father Rolland admitted some people might think it odd -- even sacrilegious -- that a Catholic cleric is also an accomplished magician. But for Father Rolland, who learned his first magic trick at age 8, magic is an integral part of his ministry on the University of Arizona campus. Known to parishioners as warm, welcoming and lighthearted, Father Rolland uses his flair for the dramatic in sermons and magic during retreats for students. But the primary outlet for his magician alter ego is a 90-minute show he has developed over the past two years that he performs at various Catholic venues. Billed as "The Spiritual Magic of Father Daniel," the show is designed both to entertain and evangelize.

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