Los Angeles Times, 5/6/95: The men-only spiritual movement called Promise Keepers took over the Los Angeles Coliseum on Friday night, preaching father-husband duties not only to legions of "born-again" Christians but also to about 150 men from Skid Row and a smattering of Catholic and Mormon leaders.

Before the 15 hours of singing, praying and instruction end tonight, officials of the fast-spreading, Colorado-based movement expect more than 70,000 to have attended. Conceived by ex-University of Colorado football coach Bill McCartney in 1990, Promise Keepers is in its second full season of rallies across the country. Last year, 278,600 men - including 52,800 at Anaheim Stadium -- attended rallies in seven cities.

The 13-city schedule for 1995 began last weekend with 72,280 at the Silverdome outside Detroit. Promise Keepers leaders expect to draw more than half a million men during this year's nationwide tour.

Although rapped by critics for telling men to assume leadership in marriage, rather than behave as equal partners with their wives, the movement is praised by conservative Christians for promoting the virtues of sexual integrity, parental responsibility and church devotion.

Those points have attracted interest from Catholics and Mormons as well, at least in the Los Angeles area.

"Promise Keepers places a very strong emphasis on returning to your own church congregation or parish and becoming a active layman," said Father Christian Van Liefde, pastor of St. Hilary Catholic Church in Pico Rivera.

Liefde told the Los Angeles archdiocese's weekly newspaper, the Tidings, that Cardinal Roger M. Mahony urged him to determine whether Promise Keepers programs would be appropriate for Catholic parishes. A parish in Chatsworth, St John Eudes, has already held a Promise Keepers seminar for 100 men with talks by local priests.

Although identified as a Catholic by the Tidings, McCartney left the church to join a Vineyard congregation in Boulder, Colo. The coach's pastor (and PK Board member), the Rev. James Ryle, and the president of Promise Keepers, former pastor Randy Phillips, are both associated with Vineyard church, i.e., a charismatic denomination started in Anaheim.

Yet, because of Promise Keepers' interdenominational approach, attorney Chip Rawlings and fellow Mormon leaders of the Palos Verdes Stake, or group of congregations, are urging members of the Latter-Day Saints to participate in the movement.

"The movement's 'Seven Promises' are like something straight out of the men's priesthood manual for the church," Rawlings said, Because of other commitments, Rawlings said he would not be at the Coliseum this weekend but added,"I know of five or six leaders who will be".

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