Monks Who Play Punk

New York Times ^ | April 22, 2007 | John Mitchell

[siunevada]

IT was 9 o’clock on a wintry Saturday night, and in the dimly lighted basement of Our Lady of Good Counsel, a Roman Catholic church on 90th Street and Second Avenue, the chatter of more than 400 young people competed with the din of a rock band.

*****

“Who has ever heard of a monk playing funk music?” shouted Brother Agostino Torres, a 30-year-old friar wearing sandals and a hooded gray robe. Hands shot into the air.

“O.K., all right, but I’ll bet you never heard of this one,” Brother Agostino went on. “Because tonight, we’re going to have some monks play some punk!”

*****

Upstairs, 100 more young people lingered in the quiet, candle-lighted sanctuary after an hour of prayer and song in front of the Eucharist.

*****

The monthly holy hour of prayer and song and ensuing music festival are part of an event called Catholic Underground, the creation of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, a religious order founded two decades ago this year in the Melrose section of the Bronx. Members own no personal possessions and beg even for their food. Nonetheless, the order’s 10 friaries are bursting with recruits at a moment when many Roman Catholic religious orders are struggling simply to maintain their current numbers.

*****

After more than two hours of song, laughter and fellowship, Brother Agostino quieted the crowd. “We’re going to finish the night the way we began it — with prayer,” he said. The audience settled down as Brother Columba led them in a collection of psalms and Latin chants.

“Thank you, God bless you, safe home,” Brother Agostino said after a final hymn. “Remember, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds. Peace. God bless you.”

[siunevada]

Father Luke praying in his room at St. Joseph's Friary in Harlem. The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal was founded 20 years ago this year in the Melrose section of the Bronx. Members own no personal possessions and beg even for their food.

Brother Francis, center, listens to Dwight Jonas during a weekly lunch that the friary holds for its neighbors. The friars devote themselves to evangelizing and fostering a strong prayer and community life while renewing their dedication to poverty, chastity and obedience. Or as the friars like to joke, "No bling-bling, no sweet thing. Christ is King."

[Mr. Brightside]

Play that munk-y music, white boy.

[Tax-chick]

Father Stan Fortuna - the rapper :-) - is another member of this order, isn’t he?

[NYer]

Thank you for posting this article! I recently met one of these monks as part of a group lobbying their NYS Assemblymen on behalf of the Catholic Church. The young man was a deacon, preparing for ordination in June. He was from England and planned to return home in August.

[NYer]

"No bling-bling, no sweet thing. Christ is King."

Bears repeating :-)

[Tijeras_Slim]

Nice legs shame about the face... ping

[NYer]

Father Stan Fortuna - the rapper :-) - is another member of this order, isn’t he?

Yes.

[Tax-chick]

LOL!

[Bigg Red]

Play that munk-y music, white boy.

&&

:-)

This is a nice way to reach the young, as long as they are not using the music in the Mass, IMO.

[Salvation]

The secret:

After more than two hours of song, laughter and fellowship, Brother Agostino quieted the crowd. “We’re going to finish the night the way we began it — with prayer,” he said. The audience settled down as Brother Columba led them in a collection of psalms and Latin chants.

[narses]

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[hiho hiho]

1Jo 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jo 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jo 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

[franky1]

Did I just read the Times’ article and not see Fr. Benedict Grochel’s name of input once? Probably the best known personage from the Order, internationally, than any other person?

[NYer]

Did I just read the Times’ article and not see Fr. Benedict Grochel’s name of input once?

Yes, you did. The times is NO fan of Fr. Groschel. He has called them to task on multiple occasions over their negligence in posting an article on major Catholic (christian) Holy Days. He mentioned this a few weeks ago. For the past two years, the NYT has totally ignored Easter. They provided NO articles about this holiest of days, on Easter Sunday, despite the fact that more than 50% of their readers are Catholic and/or Christian. This was just one more slap in his face.

[AliVeritas]

School of the Eucharist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdiolzhztIs&mode=related&search=

You ever see this one? It has Tony Melendez singing
(That’s the Hispanic guy that has no arms and plays the guitar with his feet, true witness)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ4tEFPuhYI

Here’s Tony (sorry I don’t have it in English, still amazing... from when he was born, it shows, in English when he played for the pope in CA... powerful... snif)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78WikcTWe4M&mode=related&search=

[AliVeritas]

You should see the new book out on the order... beautiful.

[AliVeritas]

Do me a favor. I saw Fr. Benedict at the Spirituality Convocation last weekend... doesn’t look good. Please pray for him and the order.

Of course Fr. Apostoli is his wonderful self.

[Tax-chick]

Thanks, I’ll have a look at these later.

[Constitution Day]

Shame about the boat race!

Wow, I haven’t thought of that song in forever.

[Dajjal]

"Monks who play punk"