THE GOAN | MELBOURNE
Having performed live Gospel Music performances all over the world for over a decade, renowned Australian singer, songwriter and author Fr Rob Galea will perform live at Pilar on September 9 at a concert organised by the Pilar Music Academy.
In an exclusive interview, Fr Rob shared his delight over his forthcoming concert in Goa, his excitement to visit the tomb of Saint Francis Xavier and his message for numerous fans in Goa.
ON TRIP TO GOA
I love going to India. Every time I go, I just dream of returning. My heart is always burning on fire meeting people. I just find it's just such a wonderful experience. I am looking forward to Goa, I hear so many wonderful things about Goa, the wonderful people, and the beautiful place. I just cannot wait, honestly the highlight of this year is to come to Goa.
FROM FATIMA TO GOA
I will be visiting Goa immediately after my trip to Fatima, Portugal where I am scheduled to perform at the World Youth Day. My desire is to share Jesus with people. Whether it's a big event or a small event, I will give 100 percent, because I want to proclaim Jesus. The immensity of the crowd does not matter. Jesus gave as much energy to his 12 apostles that he did to the large crowds, so wherever you give me the opportunity to talk about Jesus I will.
ON BAND AT CONCERT
I am travelling with part of my core band, not my entire band. On the keyboards is Alyssa, who has an incredible singing voice and ministry of her own. Her husband, Daniel Louise, is playing the electric guitar and bass. We're going to have a drummer, Zebede Fernandez, as well with us. I'm going to have performers as well and singers from Goa themselves. So, it's going to be an awesome night and we're going to bring the best and it's going to be a time where we are going to give excellence to God through our hearts and to our music.
ON FAN FOLLOWING IN GOA
Well look, as I said, I am so excited to come to Goa. I am excited to have the crowd and just hope and pray that people will not be focused on me but more on the message. The thirst and the desire for God. I performed before large crowds in India as well and it's always the desire and the thirst that people just want to love God and to love one another.
As I said, this (trip to Goa) is the highlight of my year, simply because I have seen the great thirst that I have seen every time I come to India so I am excited about this trip to Goa.
I am not an intellectual speaker. I'm not a theologian. I am someone who simply loves Jesus and I want people to experience the love that I have experienced. I want people to see that I am in love with Jesus. That's all that's all that matters to me.
ON PROPOSED VISIT TO BASILICA
In fact, I visited the St Xavier College in Melbourne and that is one of the things I spoke to them about how excited I am to go to visit Saint Francis Xavier’s tomb and to be in a place where I can experience the holiness of this man who loved Jesus so much, so it's an honour and sometimes feels surreal as well to me.
ON MUSIC AND PEACE
For me, music has always been a process of healing. So, having suffered from depression, anxiety for much of my life, music was very instrumental in drawing me closer to peace but most importantly, I drew closer to Jesus. I've had opportunities to sing on the main stage for the Pope three times, been on television shows like the X-Factor. I've done all of these amazing things, but at the end of the day all that matters is that I get to use this music to point to the one I love and that is Jesus.
ON MESSAGE TO AUDIENCE
Well, I would say this: Come with an open and expectant heart. Not what Father Rob has to give you, but simply about what God is going to do in your life through this event. I believe in miracles, I believe God will heal people. God is going to give us the gift of worship, God is going to allow us to encounter him in his presence so come with an open and expectant heart. God is going to do great things and it's going to be a lot of fun. So, bring your dancing shoes on.
OTHER ASPECTS AT EVENT
There will be music and there will be a story. I am going to share my heart, I am going to share story of my conversion when I was an addict as a teenager. I was in a really dark place but I got to experience the light, the love of God. So, bring teenagers, bring the young who need to hear this message of redemption, bring children and grandchildren who are struggling with life. Bring friends and those who need to hear a message of hope.
OUTREACH IN INDIA
So as a part of our ministry, we have a not-for-profit charity that reaches out to teenagers, particularly who are self-harming, suicidal, part of what we are doing is justice. So, we are working with Talitha Ministries in Andhra Pradesh, working with nuns and with a community that helps young girls come out of sexual slavery and so, this is going to be our focus after the mission. Even the funds we raise from this Goa concert will go to this mission and others like this.
