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| Dana Scallon |
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Nomination:
For entertaining the People of God through singing, composing, recording and writing
The 80th person selected out of the TOP 100 CATHOLICS OF THE CENTURY is Rosemary “DANA” Brown Scallon, devoted wife and mother of four, who in mid-life put a successful singing career on hold while running for president of Ireland in an attempt to restore true Catholic values to her beloved emerald isle. She is internationally known for her chart-busting music as well as her dynamic programs on EWTN and for the special, very popular songs specifically composed for the Pope which she has performed during four different papal visits.
Rosemary Brown was born in Derry, Ireland on August 30, 1951. At six years old, she gave notice to the world that she was a serious singer when she won her first competition in Derry, singing an Irish lullaby that her grandmother taught her. With help and coaxing by her music teacher Sister Imelda the next step was the European competitions where she continued to dazzle the audiences and judges. Looking for a name that would stick in everyone's mind, she decided on Dana which in Gaelic means "bold" or "mischievous." Not that she was mischievous in her youth, but she was bold for at the age of 18 she ventured farther into the limelight by representing all of the emerald isle in the Eurovision Song Contest, garnering the silver medal for second place. A year later she was back to compete in the prestigious and well-publicized 1970 Eurovision Song Contest. That year the competition was stiff for she was up against Julio Iglesias who would go on to fame and fortune in the coming years. With that kind of pressure, Dana had to sing her best. She won the competition, landing the gold both in the award and with the recording of her hit song "All Kinds of Everything." The media was flabbergasted and huddled around this relative un-known the night she won. Little did she realize the scope of her fame until she landed at the airport in Ireland. Around 5,000 had turned out to cheer her on and welcome home their newest hero. Her recording of "All Kinds of Everything" catapulted her to fame throughout Europe and, because of her deep faith, motivated her to begin singing religious songs when appearing on Christian radio stations. The response was tremendous as she recorded song after song, each soaring to the top of the charts, so much so that she was one of the top music attractions in Britain and this, at a time when British music ruled the world. Towards the latter part of the seventies she met a young man named Damien Scallon. It was love at first sight and the two were married on October 5, 1978. They began speaking at conferences and the more they wrote songs and gave testimony, the stronger their faith and love grew through the births of their children from the oldest Grace to Ruth, John James, and the youngest Robert.
During the Pope's visit to Ireland in 1979 she was invited to sing for the Holy Father. She had composed a special song just for him entitled "Totus Tuus" after his personal papal motto. Needless to say, it was a tremendous hit both with Pope John Paul II and the charts. She was invited to the United States in 1987 to give an encore of her hit "Totus Tuus" for the Holy Father during his visit to the New Orleans Superdome where 80,000 youth packed the arena, stomping, clapping and singing along with her. It was truly electrifying. It was also in New Orleans that, through a chance meeting with another Irish woman in New Orleans, Dana began a new page in her life: Charismatic leader and singer. She met Sister Briege McKenna who told her about a new Catholic network and introduced her to Father Harold Cohen, at that time producer of many series on EWTN. Shortly after that Dana and Damien packed up their family and moved lock, stock and barrel to the States, settling in Birmingham, Alabama where Damien was hired by Mother Angelica as an executive at EWTN.
In 1992 she recorded a television series on EWTN entitled "Say YES." It is still broadcast today on the television side as well as on the network's radio station WEWN. In 1993 she was invited to once again perform for the Pope, this time in Denver for World Youth Day where, with a quarter of a million in attendance and millions worldwide watching by satellite she brought down the roof - even though they were outside - with the song "We are One Body." In October 1995 she sang for the Holy Father again, at Central Park in New York accompanied by Placido Domingo. Her New York connection included the honor of being asked to co-host the city's famous St. Patrick's Day Parade two years in a row with Cardinal John J. O'Connor personally asking her to sing her composition "Lady of Knock" at the Mass which officially kicked off the Parade each year.
Dana’s heart will always belong to her beloved Ireland and because of this, she turned her attention eastward. She wanted to do something for Ireland, anything to preserve the faith and family values she had been brought up with. Therefore, after a straw poll that showed her popularity had not waned, she made political history by being the first person ever to be nominated by County Councils as a candidate. She ran on her Catholic platform, espousing family values and the Sanctity of Life as a non political independent candidate for the presidency of Ireland. Though she narrowly lost out to Mary McAleese it sent an important message throughout Ireland that Catholics there should never abandon their faith or beliefs and not be influenced by modern ideas that are not in accord with Christ's teaching. Her candidacy also boosted her spirits and she was persuaded by the Fianna Fail party to seek nomination as Ireland's representative for the European elections. After much deliberation with her family and sincere prayer, and a commitment from the sponsoring party that they would promote the values she stood for, she accepted the challenge and was elected.
From the CATHOLIC DAILY
August 13-22, 1999
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