Erin Berghouse, singer and songwriter, has performed with secular artists such as Sarah McLachlan and Natalie Merchant, but she would much rather sing about her relationship with God.

Her first album, Self Surrender, was released in December 2001. Her new album, In the Silence, is due out this month.

She spoke to Register features correspondent Tim Drake from her home in North Lake, Wis.

Where did you grow up? Tell me about your family.

I grew up in Grand Rapids, Mich. I was raised by my father and grew up with one older sister and a younger brother. My father owned a computer company. Although my mother was a part of my life early on, from the time I was 4 or 5 I never saw her again, until later in life.

Did you grow up Catholic?

No, I was raised Methodist. When my husband, Brad, and I were first married we attended a Presbyterian church.

What led you to the Catholic faith?

In high school I used to enjoy attending the Catholic church with my best friend, Mary Beth. But I came to the Church through my children. It was about the time we first investigated sending our three children to Catholic schools that my aunt first told me my mother had baptized me Catholic. My birth mother and her family were Catholic.

After learning this, I went on a search to find out if this was true and to find out where I was baptized.

This was the beginning of Catholicism for my family. My husband, who was also raised Protestant, said if we were sending our children to Catholic schools we should learn about the faith and consider becoming Catholic.

Looking back on it all I can see God was calling me back to the Church. I giggle thinking about how creative God was in getting me there. Am I convert or am I revert? It's hard to describe. All my life I was Catholic without really knowing it but sensing it in my soul.

What was it like seeing your mother again after so many years?

Last year my sister and I went to Arizona to spend some time with her. It was awesome. The void of her presence plays a tremendous part of who I have become. There is a part of you that comes from each parent. That plays a part in our search for ourselves.

The most beautiful part of our time together was going with her to Mass at this tiny Catholic church. There is no sin that can take away from the fact that my mother gave me life and chose life. One of my songs, “Peace My Child,” is about the importance of choosing life. I love her for all of the beautiful things she is.

Has music always been a part of your life?

I recognize that one of the things God created me to do was to write music that will bring glory to him. I denied that for quite some time.

In high school my Dad gave me a guitar for Christmas and I started to write a little music. I remember it made my friends cry ... and so I stopped. A few years later, a close friend of mine was struggling through a very difficult time in her life, [so] I wrote her a song. It was the first song I wrote for a specific purpose.

After writing that song, I realized I had a passion for writing music. It was like a treasure chest hidden deep in my heart ... a gift that God had given to me. When I had finally cracked it open, I could have never guessed the journey that was about to begin. God has used the gift of music to draw me closer to him.

After attending Central Michigan University for marketing and accounting, I married Brad Berghouse. I became a homemaker and a mother of three. Then one Sunday afternoon, a man from our Protestant church asked if I would make a recording. I was extremely flattered, though forced to decline. We had no money to cover the expense; we were very young and just out of college.

He insisted on proceeding with the recording endeavor. He and my father wanted to forward the funds to cover all the expenses. I only agreed to do it if they were guaranteed to sell enough tapes to get all of their money back after the project was completed. They got enough orders and I completed my first recording of non-original music.

Things progressed from there. I wanted to become the best song-writer I could. I read every book and article I could find on the art itself. I joined composer groups across the country and I started to enter song-writing competitions. For six years I studied the art of song-writing. Then I progressed to writing and recording music for NBC and Fox Sports productions.

Just as my song-writing career was starting to develop, my oldest son, Zachary, asked if I would join him in reading a book by St. Louis de Montfort. His class at Trinity Academy was making a consecration to Jesus. That consecration to Jesus through the most beautiful heart of Mary played an immense role in the life-changing direction that followed. I began to realize the gift of my music and I started to understand the real purpose and responsibility that goes along with it. My first Christian CD took several years to complete, but it came out in December 2001.

Has there been a career highlight so far?

The biggest highlight would have been participating in the World Youth Day pilgrimage of the Holy Father in Toronto last year. We did between five and seven performances and so many of the things that occurred during the pilgrimage were symbolic of life.

During the pilgrimage it was incredibly hot, we experienced a bit of famine and there was Sunday morning's storm. Yet, when the Holy Father spoke and Mass began, the sun came out.

How does your faith inform your music?

My faith is the foundation of my life. My greatest responsibility is raising my three children and channeling them toward Christ.

As far as music goes, I have heard from people how a simple song can change the life of an individual, and that's a little bit scary. I'll never forget a letter I received from a 14-year-old girl. She wrote to tell me she had never given the religious thing a try. Yet, after hearing a certain song I had sung, she wanted to learn more about God.

There is no amount of money or anything that can form my heart like those words from that young girl. God is in control of the gift of music. If music can impact a soul, then my faith must be the foundation of my life. I love the holy Catholic Church.

Is there a song that is closest to your heart?

My songs are all about my relationship with God. Therefore, they are very personal and are all a part of my heart.

Not really having my mother in my life, there is a certain beauty in trying to emulate Mary. I am thankful for the example of Mary and the spiritual parenting she offers each one of us. My song “Beautiful Mary” is about that relationship.

On my next album there is a song called “Confession” that is about as personal as you can get. I have also come to see the beauty in suffering, and there is a song called “Sacrifice.”

Tim Drake writes from St. Cloud, Minnesota.