Hip, young and fun are usually not words that come immediately to mind when describing the Catholic Church. But this is the mood the world's second largest religious institution is looking to create for the Pope's stop at a Youth Rally in New York next Saturday.
Youths attending the event at St. Joseph's Seminary Chapel in Yonkers on April 19 can forget the robe-clad choir, leave their rosaries at home and get ready to get their rock on!
Kelly Clarkson, the former "American Idol" winner, is one of several contemporary singers slated to perform before a crowd of 25,000 Catholics at the Papal Youth Rally, CBS Channel 2 reported.
The pop star will perform a few of her songs before the Pope's arrival and “Ave Maria” after his arrival, the Star-Telegram reported.
Clarkson, who said she grew up singing church music, told the paper that she was excited to sing the song before the Catholic Church head.
Most recently, Christian rock artist TobyMac was added to the musical line-up which includes Christian rock band Third Day and New York pop/classical trio "Three Graces."
It will be TobyMac's third papal performance. While he was a member of the CCM rap group DC Talk, TobyMac had performed at youth events in Denver (1993) and St. Louis (1999), both of which were presided over by the late Pope John Paul II.
“It's an honor to participate in this Papal visit. Not too many artists are given this opportunity. We have great respect for the work he does," the Dove Award-winning artist commented.
Tai Anderson of Third Day said he expects the papal performance to be one of the "cornerstone moments" of the band's career, according to The Associated Press.
Chris Wangro, the rally's producer, said the Christian rock band was selected to perform not only because they're recognized as a leader in Christian music but also "an important influence for today’s youth."
"We wanted to bring the most current sound to the rally and Third Day definitely fits this bill," he said in a news release.
In the spirit of celebrating the hip side of faith, the Archdiocese of New York sponsored a skateboard design contest that was open to 11- to 18-year-olds in the region.
"This is part of the culture of the city," the Rev. Peter Pomposello of St. Elizabeth's Church told the New York Post. "The Holy Father encourages us to realize that we have to take the good in our culture and capitalize on that to get the word out about Jesus Christ."
The winner's design will be made into a skateboard that will be given as a gift to the Pope, according to Catholic News Service, although a public demonstration of the gift is not yet in the plans. Father Pomposello, who organized the contest, told CNS that replicas of the winning papal skateboard would be available for sale, with the proceeds donated to Catholic Charities.
The 2008 youth rally’s purpose is to encourage youth to seek vocations within the Catholic Church, a news release stated.
The Church's younger generation considers religion important but doesn't necessarily attend church. A Barna Group survey last July reported 68 percent of Catholics said religious faith is important in their life.
Recent surveys, however, confirm that only 15 percent of college-aged Catholics said they attended mass, according to University of Connecticut Professor and Emeritus of Sociology William d’Antonio, author of American Catholics Today: New Realities of Their Faith and Church. Younger Catholics also hold more liberal views than their parents and grandparents regarding abortion, homosexuality, and divorce, studies have shown. Continue >>
Comments
canadian,
I did not mean to make it look like I was accusing you of giving me the thumbs down, I only wanted to know the reason for it. I am all for people giving me thumbs down though!
However, it does not seem that Jesus qualified his statement of others being able to forgive sins. He did not say, "Whoever you forgive in My Name" He only said, "Whoever you forgive" Also of interest is that he said, "whoever you do not forgive, their sins will not be forgiven" This has always been interesting to me.
canadianchristian,
"That's quite the pedestal you've put the pope on, I am a christian living in 2008 and I don't need to know who succeeded who in the rcc heirarchy- THE WORD is my guide, not a man who preaches contrary to the word. Care to explain how the rcc has deified Mary ? How the rcc can claim salvation through works- how many for how long ? The rcc left the truth a long time ago and have been in apostasy and deception since then."
No explanation needed - the Catholic Church has never deified Mary. And I have not placed the pope on a pedestal any more than those who rushed to get close enough to Peter that at least his shadow may pass over them, or those who acquired handkerchiefs and aprons that had merely touched Paul to be taken to the sick or possessed. Why in these instances were they not reprimanded for placing Peter and Paul on such a pedestal?
By the way, when did the Catholic Church leave the truth?
iranaeus,
That's quite the pedestal you've put the pope on, I am a christian living in 2008 and I don't need to know who succeeded who in the rcc heirarchy- THE WORD is my guide, not a man who preaches contrary to the word. Care to explain how the rcc has deified Mary ? How the rcc can claim salvation through works- how many for how long ? The rcc left the truth a long time ago and have been in apostasy and deception since then. IN JESUS NAME
canadianchristian,
“The pope is only a sinner like all the rest of us, he is NOT a deity and he DOES NOT speak for CHRIST to forgive sin's, only CHRIST can forgive us when we accept HIM and trust in HIM and invite HIM into our hearts as our savior and master. May GOD bless the pope but don't put him on a pedestal, IN JESUS NAME”
I don’t believe that anyone is calling for the pope to be proclaimed a deity. But I suppose if I was a Christian living, say, around 55 A.D., and I heard that apostle Peter, or John, or Paul was coming to my town to speak, I suppose I would be quite excited. If I was a Christian living around 100 A.D., and I heard that Ignatius was coming to my town to speak, I suppose I would be quite excited, since he was ordained by Peter in Antioch and a disciple of John's. If I was a Christian living around 175 A.D., and I heard that Irenaeus was coming to my town to speak, I suppose I would be quite excited, since he was a disciple of Polycarp who in turn was a disciple of John. Yes, these were only men. They were all sinners. Nonetheless, they were men speaking with apostolic authority. Similarly, If I was a Christian living around 2008 A.D., and I heard that Benedict XVI was coming to my town to speak, I suppose I would be quite excited, since he was apostolic successor of Peter and in episcopal lineage of the apostles in general; i.e., ordained by Josef Stangl, Bishop of Würzburg who in turn was ordained by Josef Schneider, Archbishop of Bamberg, and so on and so forth.
CHRIS333,
BTW, I don't know who gave a thumbs down to your comment- but I would guess it is because your comment was wrong about the forgiveness of sin's. IN JESUS NAME
CHRIS333,
JESUS was talking to HIS disciples -which are with HIM in heaven not here among us, there is no mediator to forgive our sin's now other than JESUS CHRIST, IN JESUS NAME
I'm glad to hear about the youth rally and having well known names coming to sing will only help with the cause. I'm glad also that the media is getting involved and letting people know what is going on.
Why the thumbs down? All I did was quote the Bible? Well, I guess you are giving the Bible a thumbs down unless you explain your reasoning.
canadianchristian,
I am not Catholic, but it appears your assertion of not being able to forgive sins is not necessarily true.
John 20:21-23
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
The pope is only a sinner like all the rest of us, he is NOT a deity and he DOES NOT speak for CHRIST to forgive sin's, only CHRIST can forgive us when we accept HIM and trust in HIM and invite HIM into our hearts as our savior and master. May GOD bless the pope but don't put him on a pedestal, IN JESUS NAME
This great to see Evangelicals, like TobyMac and Third Day, come together with Catholics in order to worship our Lord and bring people to Christ.
God Bless Our Pope, The Great, The Good!