Ex-Chicago Rapper Helping Organize Conference of Converts

MADRID, Spain, SEPT. 24, 2003 (Zenit.org).- A former Chicago rap musician is helping to organize a Congress of Converts in Avila next month.

The Oct. 11-12 event, organized by the international Catholic association Miles Iesu, will serve as a forerunner to the annual international congress, which will take place this year in Vienna, Austria, in November. Among those who will attend in Vienna is John Gummer, a member of the British Parliament and president of Miles Iesu.

Among the organizers is David Rey, a consecrated member of Miles Iesu. The 27-year-old former rap musician explained his own conversion to the Veritas news agency.

Son of a Muslim father and a Christian mother, his first step toward conversion took place when his mother divorced his father because he would not allow her to celebrate Christmas, Rey said.

"At first I defended the Protestant church, but I found the truth in the Catholic Church, after reading the Bible, listening to priests, thinking and praying," Rey said.

When reading Jesus' words in Chapter 6 of the Gospel according to John -- "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" -- Rey thought: "'Eternal life' are very strong words -- you can't fool around with eternal life."

Another participant in Avila will be Father Paul Vota, also of Miles Iesu, who is a former follower of New Age.

Rey said that when Vota heard one of the New Age gurus say, "I am God the Father incarnate," and saw young followers of the sect kiss the guru's feet, Vota thought that the man was either God or the devil.

Vota was convinced that the guru was not God and he began to study the Bible. His spiritual journey was crowned by his priestly ordination, which he received from John Paul II.