John Michael Talbot scheduled to give concert at St. Cecelia's

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
October 2, 2003

ALGONA - St. Cecelia Parish will host a John Michael Talbot, renowned Catholic troubadour, concert in the church at 7 p.m. on Oct. 13.

Talbot blends music, witness and teaching as he ministers to his audience. He is Catholic music's #1 recording artist with sales around four million records worldwide, between 46 albums and 14 books. His newest release, Signatures, came out Aug. 19. There is also an updated biography by Dan O'Neill also titled Signatures.

He recorded his first Christian album in 1976 for Warner Brothers Records, titled Reborn and later recorded two additional albums for Sparrow Records, John Michael Talbot and The New Earth.

"John Michael Talbot's press secretary sent out an e-mail to all the Catholic churches in the area that he was going to be in the area, and we just responded to that email," said Lorri Larsen, pastoral associate at St. Cecelia's. "We thought St. Cecelia's would be a good location. The sound is good and the acoustics are beautiful in our church."

Talbot is beginning his "Signatures Tour" and St. Cecelia will be his only Iowa stop on the tour. The church seats about 750 to 800 people. Both Father Paul Eisele and Larsen were familiar with Talbot's background and thought it would be a good idea to have him sing in their church.

"It is mostly a basic Christian message - our response to God's love," said Larsen. "I have read several of his books. I would say from the standpoint of knowing his background and where he has come from, that his message is just good for the heart and a wonderful message of Christ and what Christ has done in his life."

There is a suggested "love offering" of $20 per ticket. Tickets are not needed but will be used for priority seating. Anyone is invited to attend the concert at St. Cecelia's, 715 E North St., in Algona.

Talbot formed a record label in 1992 called "Troubadour for the Lord." Under this label he has released several of his own albums and works with other Christian artists.

"The music I write isn't gospel, contemporary Christian or grandiose," commented Talbot. "It's sacred, which touches upon all those categories but isn't really a part of them. It's a unique niche and having an independent label gives me the focus I need."

He began his career in rock styles in a group called Mason Proffit but has gone in a different direction since those days. He combines his tenor vocals with his classical guitar. Talbot is best known for designing albums for worship and quiet meditation.

Talbot was inspired by the life of St. Francis of Assisi and sold everything he owned and joined the secular Franciscan order in 1978. He built a hermitage in the woods near Alverna Center in Indianapolis, and made a monk's habit from used army blankets, living the life of a hermit. Visitors to the Franciscan monastery began to see Talbot as a man of God and gathered with him to pray, meditate and seek the Holy Spirit.

As Talbot continued to have visitors his spiritual advisor, Father Martin Wolter, suggested that he start his own community and begin a music ministry. In 1982, he moved to Eureka Springs, Ark. and founded The Little Portion Hermitage. Currently this community, The Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage, has about 40 members living at the monastery and some 500 more domestic members in their own homes worldwide.

This is the only community in North America of its type with canonical status from the Catholic Church and one of only 10 communities in the world to encompass celibates, single people, married couples and families. All profess evangelical councils of chastity, poverty and obedience appropriate to their state of life.

For more information about John Michael Talbot visit his Web site at www.johnmichaeltalbot.com.