THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME
On 3rd and 4th December 2024, Bangalore was blessed by the gospel music concerts of Fr. Rob Galea, a talented, unassuming, and anointed Catholic priest from the diocese of Sandhurst, Victoria, Australia whose life and vocation is a testimony to the saving love of Jesus the Redeemer! Having experienced a rebellious streak in his teenage years, his parents’ undying faith and persevering prayers for their wayward son, coupled by his own desperate search for meaning, led Rob to a profound and transformative encounter with Jesus, whom we Redemptorist love as the Redeemer. This encounter freed him from his addictions and a life of crime transforming him, first of all, into a hope-filled Christian, and subsequently to an inspiring Catholic priest, evangelist and media influencer. He writes about his transformation in his autobiography entitled “BREAKTHROUGH,” published by ATC Publications in India.
This Maltese-origin singing-musician priest, with a big heart for the poor, had become a Catholic social media sensation after appearing in X-Factor Australia in 2015 (a TV singing competition), and playing his music for World Youth Day on 3 occasions before the Pope. Now, after his SOMETHING ABOUT YOU India Tour touched base in Bangalore, many people were left with that FOMO (“fear of missing out”) feeling that they should have known about him and booked donor passes for his concerts a little earlier! Fr Rob and team’s presentations at the Good Shepherd Auditorium included uplifting music, spiritual moments of symbolic foot-washing led by Jessica Bond (of Salt and Gold Art Collections) and a moving Eucharistic adoration. The impact of his testimony on people of all ages and cultures has become quite undeniable and a testament to the living and active presence of the Redeemer in our times. Here is what some concert attendees had to say about the experience:
| “It was wonderful to listen to this young priest speak about his life before and after he came to the Lord Jesus. The music, the words of his songs, drew me closer to the Lord.” “The adoration service was a beautiful way to know why we were all there to worship and adore our Lord. I’m sure our youth benefitted and came to know the Lord. I loved our choirs they were all amazing.” “What a fabulous concert – my first such. It was a beautiful blend of spirituality, inspiration and entertainment. Heartfelt thanks to you and your team for all the hard work and efforts to get Fr Rob Galea to us” “A full house, with youngsters sitting in the aisles …. an army of helpful volunteers, rock music with a difference, and moving prayerful finale with Adoration……” “We were very happy and [I] was touched by the blessed concert of Fr Rob yesterday…It was truly a lifetime experience and was very touched to see the entire audience singing along, praying together and getting blessed.” “Just wanted to take a moment to thank you and the entire organizing committee for bringing to life such a beautiful and blessed Worship concert by Fr. Rob…We’re blessed beyond imagination and cannot wait to have more of these for our Banglocalalore youth.” |
HOW DID THE REDEMPTORISTS GET INVOLVED?
In May 2024, during a Redemptorist Media Center admin team Zoom meeting, Fr. Charles Vijay, C.Ss.R. shared that he had received an invitation from Fr. Rob Galea’s team to collaborate on bringing his India Tour to Bangalore. Fr. Vijay asked if I knew about this musician-priest and if I would explore hosting him for a gospel concert at the Redemptorist Grounds near Holy Ghost Church, Bangalore. I eagerly agreed, having attended Fr. Rob’s live concert in Goa in September 2023, where he captivated thousands, including 40 youth from Holy Ghost Church whom I had accompanied. Inspired by the Redemptorist charism to evangelize those on the peripheries, I saw this as a great opportunity to reach the youth who are on the peripheries of an adult-centred Church. We also hoped to support charities serving the poor and abandoned out of the proceeds of the concerts. After fulfilling prior commitments, including a trip to Indonesia for the Alphonsian Youth Gathering in July 2024, I began work on the project in August. Together with Fr. Charles Vijay, Fr. Robin Kumar, Fr. Sanjay Kujur, Fr. John Mathew, Fr. Siluvai Muthu, and Fr. Peter B, we formed a small team of Redemptorists who were willing to support Fr. Rob coming to Bangalore. I was also guided by the Archbishop of Bangalore, Most Rev. Dr. Peter Machado and his Public Relations Office. Under his guidance we partnered with a team of lay Catholics headed by Nisha Ninan who formed a CORE COMMITTEE to organise the tour. A true experience of Synodality!
OVER 2200 PEOPLE PACKED INTO AN AUDITORIUM WITH A CAPACITY OF 1100 OVER 2 DAYS
Fr Galea’s concerts in Bangalore faced several challenges, weekday busyness (our concert days were on Tuesday and Wednesday), legal and budgeting issues, weather conditions and a Bangalore population who didn’t seem to know who Fr. Rob Galea was! However, a little over four months of preparation by a select Core Committee, support from the Archdiocese of Bangalore and the Redemptorist Province of Bangalore, a social media blitzkrieg to get the message out to the public, and 2 months of dedicated work by the Organising Committee and a dedicated team of volunteers who came from various parishes, educational institutions, youth movements and prayer groups made all the difference.
The two concerts on December 3rd and 4th 2024 attracted a crowd of over 2200 people in Good Shepherd Auditorium whose maximum capacity was 1100 people. Besides Fr Rob Galea own scintillating presentation, there were excellent local worship artists and choirs also featured on stage opening for Fr Rob on both days. Our own Fr Peter B, C.Ss.R.’s Liguori Band and the Archdiocesan Band “Famcho” were notable stage performances. To top all this this, the proceeds of these concerts will contribute substantial support to 5 local charities – Manipuri Refugees Sheltered by the Bangalore Archdiocese, St. Patrick’s Orphanage, Holy Ghost Church Education Fund, Summanahalli Leprosy Patient Care, and Jyothi Seva School for the Blind. God has been kind to us, navigating through various challenges.
“DO IT SCARED” – FR. ROB GALEA’S FAMOUS TAGLINE
“DO IT SCARED!” – Fr. Rob’s inspiring tagline has been on my mind ever since the concerts concluded. This powerful exhortation by Fr Rob Galea challenges us to step forward in faith, even when fear tries to hold us back – fear of failure, criticism, or obstacles. Fr. Rob reminds us that God equips and strengthens us for every calling, just as Scripture promises: “Whenever I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:10), and “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). I think this conviction helps us, as Redemptorists, to become Missionaries of Hope in the Footsteps of the Redeemer, even when faced with our own and others limitations and weaknesses.
For months, our incredible team of about 300 organizers has lived by this saying, navigating trials, exhaustion, ill health, and even last-minute venue changes (The two concerts were initially planned outdoors at Holy Ghost Church Grounds and St. Patrick’s Campus but had to be moved indoors into the Good Shepherd Auditorium because Cyclone Fengal struck Bangalore in the days before the concerts). Through prayer, dialogue, and discernment – all Gospel values – the organizing team stayed united, drawing strength from a shared vision: to renew the young, foster unity among believers, and support local charities. This truly synodal effort brought together diverse people, including clergy, religious, and laity, other Christian denominations, all working as one body in Christ.
Fr Rob has a beautiful hymn entitled “Only by Grace” which captures for me how at significant moments of crisis during the organizational process, we truly experienced that we were being carried into breakthrough by the grace of the Lord. It’s only by grace that we’ve reached a successful, socially and spiritually fruitful conclusion to the Fr. Rob Galea’s SOMETHING ABOUT YOU India Tour. We are grateful to God and to our generous benefactors, sponsors and donors.
And now with this encounter of JOY behind us, we are excited to announce that Fr. Rob Galea’s Concert will be available for the first time to online viewers on the Redemptorist Media Center YouTube Channel! Don’t miss out on this feast of praise and worship which inspires us to become missionaries of hope in the footsteps of Jesus the Redeemer!
Fr. Sandeep Menezes C.Ss.R.
