Father Rob Galea performed at World Youth Day wrap-up event
The B.C. Catholic
Surrey
An Australian priest who starred on the televised singing competition The X Factor shared his experiences of mercy with local youth.
“The Lord has given me more hopes and dreams than I ever hoped to imagine,” said Father Rob Galea, a songwriter. He was a contestant in Australia’s 2015 The X Factor. “I’m grateful to be here today, to have this opportunity to share God’s mercy.”
Father Galea spoke and performed before more than 200 youth during the post World Youth Day event called “No Greater Love” Nov. 11 in Surrey. Youth who had attended WYD in Poland gathered to witness Father Galea and several pilgrims share their experiences.
“The event is primarily for those who have gone to WYD and those who didn’t get to attend this year,” explained Gerard Garcia, a consultant in the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. “Father Galea has a heart for youth and young adults, and he was at WYD singing alongside (Canadian singer) Matt Maher.”
The singing priest grew up on the island of Malta, before moving to Australia to complete his seminary studies, then work as an assistant pastor in Victoria, Australia. Father Galea had struggled to come to the Lord when he was younger.
“When I was 14, I was a mess,” he said. “I had run away from home, and ended up with lots of different addictions. (I felt) life wasn’t worth living by the time I was 16.” He met a priest in Sicily who “was so full of love, so full of life” that he was inspired to be “just like him.”
“I’m grateful for God’s mercy, for His love, and for Him speaking to me when I was 16 in a place of depression, anxiety, and wanting to give up on everything,” said Father Galea. “Today I have found hope, and travel the world as the evangelist that God wants us all to be.”
Rebeka Reinoso Kariotakis, an Our Lady of Sorrows parishioner, also recounted her experience with the Lord’s mercy. She never expected to be able to travel to Poland for WYD, but thanks to the Knights of Columbus and support from her husband, she was able to make the trip and have “a beautiful, amazing, and unforgettable time.”
When about to fly home from Vienna to Toronto, she realized she had forgotten her Canadian residency card. “I had to wait 28 days to get it, and Vienna is one of the most expensive cities in Europe. I went to the Canadian embassy, and they told me they could help if I came back in three weeks,” she laughed. “Three weeks? I couldn’t afford to spend more than two days there!”
Her lucky break came when friends she had made in Poland offered to host her until she could return home. “They showed me mercy so I could do the same for someone else,” Kariotakis said. “They even offered to help pay for my plane ticket back, and they were not people with money.”
She encouraged everyone to go to the next WYD, in 2019 in Panama. “These people have something to give, and we can all learn from them. You don’t only have to give mercy, you can also receive it.”
