The title of the EP was an easy one to pick. New Wind. It was the carrier single, and those words summed up very well that journey that God put us on when we started the project.
But what would we call ourselves?
For a while we were content with just using our names. “Brenna and Cathy” or “Cathy Floro & Brenna Ryan” sounded alright, but not long after we started collaborating with Alán, we knew we had to include him in the title somehow. “Cathy, Brenna, and Alán” just didn’t have the right ring to it. We needed a name for us, this group of people that God put together to praise Him through song.
It wasn’t until we had already finished arranging (and re-arranging), recording, and submitting in artwork that a name came to mind.
Facing East.
Reasons why I think it describes us so well:
1) We find ourselves in Manila, not because we chose it, but because God brought us here. As a Consecrated Woman in the Catholic Movement Regnum Christi, my superiors assign me to live anywhere in the world to help build the Church and bring others to the experience of God’s love for them. Brenna had decided to give two missionary years within the same spiritual family of Regnum Christi, and in offering her time, she also received the chance to get sent anywhere in the world. Alán was born into a family of missionary parents. They belong to a Catholic Movement called Verbum Dei, and three years ago his parents were asked to begin a mission in a new country, far from where they were from. And so through God’s brilliantly timed plan, Alán, Brenna and I found ourselves in the Philippines, in the east.
2) Facing eastward is a sign of hope, of expectation, because it can describe a person who is waiting to welcome the sun. This is a timeless description of the Church, who waits eagerly for her Bridegroom, Christ, who is the Light of the world. Basilicas and Cathedrals are built with their altars facing east, precisely to remind the people and to teach hearts how to kindle and preserve this joyful expectation of our Lord who has come to save us, and who will come again.
3) As one of my Consecrated sisters pointed out, if you take the first two letters of the name Facing East, they spell fe, which is Spanish for faith. Looking back, this whole journey has been one of great and delightful faith, seeing God’s hand moving and guiding and providing every step of the way.
Once again, He’s been so good in giving us everything we need. I’m grateful for our name.
Here is a New Wind 