St Anthony’s, one of Mumbai’s oldest Catholic churches (Left), Father Rob Galea (Right) | File/ Facebook
Australian ‘pop star priest’ Father Rob Galea will perform in Mumbai this weekend at St Anthony’s Church in Malw., Malad, as part of a prayer festival to raise funds for the restoration and expansion of the centuries-old church.
Galea, a songwriter, singer, and evangelist, sings in a style called ‘Christian pop/rock’ and is popular among young members of the Roman Catholic Church for his ability to talk to them about shared life experiences. He will be on a three-city tour of India, titled ‘Something About You’, performing in Goa, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.
St Anthony’s, one of Mumbai’s oldest Catholic churches, dating back to the 1630s, is planning a new building to accommodate one of the fastest-growing congregations in the city. The church’s heritage-listed building, constructed in 1835, will be preserved as a venue for weddings and other celebrations. A new church building to accommodate 1500 worshippers, a hall, and living quarters for the priests, are planned around the heritage building. The architectural designs are on the drawing board and the church is raising funds. As part of the fund-raising efforts, the church will begin the ‘Soul Strings Prayer Festival 2024’ on November 27. Galea will perform on November 30 and December 1 at 6.00 pm. In Goa, his concerts on December 7 and 8 will be part of the festival around the exposition of the holy relics of the 16th-century saint, Francis Xavier.
Father Cajetan Menezes, parish priest at St Anthony’s Church, said that Galea had performed in Goa in 2023. “He wanted to tour three cities in India this time. We are building a new church and are in the middle of raising funds. So when the org.sers asked us whether Mumbai could host him, we agreed,” said Menezes.
Galea, who is of Maltese origin, is the executive director of Icon Ministry, a Catholic outreach charity that runs online churches, podcasts, and other programmes aimed at the youth. He has eight music albums to his credit. “His following increased during COVID when he held online services. He is a youth icon and has quite a story about his addiction and his spiritual experience,” added Menezes.
Dawn Cardo Gonsalves, a musician from Bandra said that she discovered Galea when a friend told her about his online masses. She describes Galea’s music as ‘contemporary Christian Music’. “He comes down to the level of young people when he talks to them. He does not talk down to them. He is real about his life experiences, and his journey to Catholicism. This makes him popular among the young,” said Cardo Gonsalves.
The church was burnt twice during the Maratha-Portuguese wars in the 17th and 18th centuries and remained dormant till its reconstruction in 1835. The church has a statue of St Anthony, designated as the ‘Saint of Miracles’, brought from Portugal.
