New faith-based music CD released

MADISON  The strident opening strumming of an acoustic guitar introduces “Meet Me Where I Am” right away as a driving pop-rocker, while its first verse almost seems a set up to a song about romantic love.

“I was afraid. I was lonely. I was looking for someone to hold me. I was lost and I was hurting,” Dan Ferrari, a local singer-songwriter and guitarist, sings on his latest collection of songs released this summer, called “Strengthen.” A few lyrics later, he makes it clear that he is looking to heaven for the love he seeks — and has found. “You came and sought me out no matter how far and undeserving I was because that’s what a loving God does. You meet me, Lord, you meet me, yeah, you meet me where I am,” he sings.

The seven faith-based songs that fill “Strengthen” at times sound like short musical love letters to God written, sung and sent by Ferrari, minister to young adults, ages 21-29 at St. Paul Inside the Walls: the Diocesan Center for Evangeli­zation at Bayley-Ellard here. His powerful, clear voice overflows with joy, as he sings about his ever-closer relationship with the Lord, the graces that God gives him, the grace to see the beauty in life, the strength that he receives to weather its many trials and God’s promise of eternal life. These tunes range in style from bright rockers to gentle ballads — ready made for Contemporary Christian radio.

“The songs on ‘Strengthen’ are more about my journey with the Lord and as one of the songs says, the experience of having God on our side. They are also about how our relationship with God can strengthen us,” said the 37-year-old Ferrari, also a member of St. Paul’s Music Ministry. He told The Beacon that he also was inspired by a quote from Dorothy Day: “Holiness is not a state of perfection, but a faithful striving that lasts a lifetime.” Like on his first CD of faith-based songs, “Unrepeatable,” released three years ago, this latest collection also contains songs influenced by Dan’s relationship to Caitlin Ferrari, St. Paul’s communications and information coordinator, whom he met at the evangelization center and married in 2017. “I have been thinking more about my own spiritual life in the context of marriage with a greater focus on my journey with God and how, like marriage, that relationship is meant to last a lifetime,” he said.

In “God in My Corner,” Ferrari sings that when he faces troubles in life, he turns to God, so his battles become the Lord’s, while also reveling in His love and endless graces. “You put the most joy I’ve every felt inside of me. You bring the best right out of me. You remind me there’s nothing I can’t be, nothing we both can’t achieve and if there’s a mountain, we’d climb it, a way through a roadblock, we’d find it. In spite of trials, I’m always getting stronger with you, God, in my corner,” Ferrari said.

Ferrari also sings about the love, freedom and hope he experiences in Christ in the piano ballad, “Someone Called Jesus.”

“There’s a mercy that frees us. There’s a love you can savor in the arms of the Savior. He’s the pathway to greater peace and life. Heaven’s come down to meet us. There is someone called Jesus,” Ferrari sings.

The songs on “Strengthen” feature songs that Ferrari wrote across the years — most in the past two years and two others that date back to a compilation of original Contemporary Catholic music that the Music Ministry released in 2010.

Since writing his first song in 2000, Ferrari has been honing his musical talents — taking voice lessons, attending songwriting workshops and taking classes in music theory. Ferrari has also been working to expand his ministry as a worship leader. He has been hired to provide music for youth rallies, holy hours and other events, including ones for national ministries, such as Dynamic Catholic and Array of Hope.

Ferrari spent three years as a seminarian and in 2015 left his priestly studies in Rome — where he played for Pope Francis — to pursue his calling to family life and evangelizing though music ministry. In recent years Ferrari has written songs with musical collaborators including Scott Krippayne, who worked with the Contemporary Christian group Kutless, Jordin Sparks, and Bryan Todd, who has worked with Christian artist Danny Gokey and country stars Rascal Flatts. One song, “Love Me Outta This World,” was featured on an episode of the YouTube TV series “Cobra Kai” this past April.

“I want to use my musical gifts to evangelize. I feel a call to use my talents in ministry in the Church to help people to recognize God in their lives and draw them back to the Church,” Ferrari told The Beacon after the release of “Strengthen.”

“Strengthen,” along with his previous album “Unre­peatable,” is available on Spotify and iTunes. Copies of the CD are available at his performances and ministry engagements, which are listed on his website, danferrarimusic.com.