Heavy Metal Monk

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Nice to see that the BBC has finally managed to publish an article that is not a thinly veiled attack on Catholicism.
 
AnotherFriend33 said:
That link expired, here’s another one:

ca.reuters.com/articlePrint?articleId=CAL1466485620080718

I can say I am a head-banger, and I find this very confusing.
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The good or evil of particular forms of music comes from the intent with which those forms are used and the purpose to which they are put. Br Bonacci, while I suppose his very appearance as a Capuchin monk is in some sense an advertisement of his faith, would seem to be in a very different class of performer to a Fr Stan - much more secular in his musical output.

While being a secular musician is not necessarily inappropriate (a nun at my high school performed secular music with the local Philharmonia Choir), one does hope that Brother Cesare’s ‘gritty lyrics’ don’t constitute a perceived or actual condoning of sinful lifestyles.
 
I will try to elaborate my point, for the sake of clarity.

Imagine two men with different professions; one is an IT Specialist who is able to fix or design the most complex Computer related Technologies, and the second one is a Baker who makes the best tasting Cakes and Cookies you have ever imagined.

Would you rely on the IT guy to get your wedding’s cake done?

Would you ask the Baker to repair a Server running a Financial Based ORACLE Application that is running the funds from a Bank?

On this example you can see that although each man could have a bit of a clue about the profession from the other one, they have obvious limitations, and it is really hard to convince anyone that they may provide reliable services outside their real professions.

When I see the Monk singing Heavy Metal, I wonder:

Is he a Heavy Metal singer talking to me about Religion, or is it a Monk trying to be a Rock Star?

How good can he be as a Rock Star? It is really not important.

These are two different professions, in my opinion he has to choose because he will not be good at doing both things. I think his place is on the Church, not on a World Tour. That is the reason why I find it confusing.
 
AnotherFriend33 said:
I will try to elaborate my point, for the sake of clarity.

Imagine two men with different professions; one is an IT Specialist who is able to fix or design the most complex Computer related Technologies, and the second one is a Baker who makes the best tasting Cakes and Cookies you have ever imagined.

Would you rely on the IT guy to get your wedding’s cake done?

Would you ask the Baker to repair a Server running a Financial Based ORACLE Application that is running the funds from a Bank?

On this example you can see that although each man could have a bit of a clue about the profession from the other one, they have obvious limitations, and it is really hard to convince anyone that they may provide reliable services outside their real professions.

When I see the Monk singing Heavy Metal, I wonder:

Is he a Heavy Metal singer talking to me about Religion, or is it a Monk trying to be a Rock Star?

How good can he be as a Rock Star? It is really not important.

These are two different professions, in my opinion he has to choose because he will not be good at doing both things. I think his place is on the Church, not on a World Tour. That is the reason why I find it confusing.
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People CAN have multiple professions at which they can be knowledgeable enough, not to say expert. My grandfather, as a young man, trained to a high level as a pastry chef before gaining the opportunity to go to medical school and become a doctor. He continued to do an impressive amount of baking and cooking his whole life long, so never lost the touch. Sadly he passed on some years back, but I certainly would’ve trusted him either to bake my wedding cake or treat my ailments. 🤷

My father, similarly, has practiced medicine all his life, but about 20 years ago also took qualifications in horticulture, preparing for semi-retirement to a rural area. Whilst practicing part-time as a doctor, he now ALSO runs a substantial-sized farm (by and large mangoes, but also citrus and other fruits). Again, he’s skilful enough in both areas that I’d be happy for him either to treat my illnesses or advise me on successful rearing of fruit trees 😃
 
Not finding them on iTunes. Has anyone done a search on there and managed to find him?
 
AnotherFriend33 said:
Here Misteri (2008) from Fratello Metallo

I still find it very weird, but ok, just my opinion.
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I just finished listening to this album, and like I said before, he can not be good at both things. No offense, but Stryper does much better music than him. If he would stop now, we would not be missing the talent from another band as successful as “Iron Maiden”.

I do not find it worthy.
 
AnotherFriend33 said:
I just finished listening to this album, and like I said before, he can not be good at both things. No offense, but Stryper does much better music than him. If he would stop now, we would not be missing the talent from another band as successful as “Iron Maiden”.

I do not find it worthy.
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So which music magazine do you write for as a critic then? Do you know the first person Fred Astaire auditioned for for a movie wrote ‘no looks, can’t sing, can dance but very little’. Bet they were kicking themselves later on.

Every good musician starts out life as a poor one, and everyone is entitled to pursue their interests, even if those interests are in things they’re (in some people’s opinion) not spectacularly gifted at. The music industry would be nowhere without the amateur garage bands plugging away.

In what way unworthy? Being a monk isn’t a profession as such, it’s a state of life, like being a spouse or parent or child. Surely one can successfully be these things AND have other interests and occupations!
 
LilyM said:
So which music magazine do you write for as a critic then? Do you know the first person Fred Astaire auditioned for for a movie wrote ‘no looks, can’t sing, can dance but very little’. Bet they were kicking themselves later on.

Every good musician starts out life as a poor one, and everyone is entitled to pursue their interests, even if those interests are in things they’re (in some people’s opinion) not spectacularly gifted at. The music industry would be nowhere without the amateur garage bands plugging away.

In what way unworthy? Being a monk isn’t a profession as such, it’s a state of life, like being a spouse or parent or child. Surely one can successfully be these things AND have other interests and occupations!
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I do not need to be the chief editor from Kerrang or MetalHammer Magazine, I just need ears. He is not starting his Music Career, this is his 10th album.

It is unworthy to bring mockery into the Roman Catholic Church, I honestly doubt he will achieve the effect he wishes to produce on young people. They just mock on him, and the Church. If you are/were a Metal Fan you understand I am right, otherwise I understand you do not agree.

Wikipedia said:
Discography
* Come Fiamma
* Droghe
* Primi Passi
* Straordinariamente Ovvio
* Maria e Noi
* Francesco Come Noi
* Credo
* Il LA Cristiano
* Vie Crucis
* Misteri
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Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fratello_Metallo
 
AnotherFriend33 said:
It is unworthy to bring mockery into the Roman Catholic Church, I honestly doubt he will achieve the effect he wishes to produce on young people. They just mock on him, and the Church.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fratello_Metallo
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If he is mocked, if the Church is mocked, they are in good company, the same was done to Jesus after He was crowned with thorns. Brother Bonacci’s spiritual father St Francis of Assisi was often called names and reviled for his choice of unconventional lifestyle and behaviour.

‘Blessed are you when people revile you, and speak all kinds of evil against you for My name’s sake. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven …’

‘If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first …’
 
LilyM said:
If he is mocked, if the Church is mocked, they are in good company, the same was done to Jesus after He was crowned with thorns. Brother Bonacci’s spiritual father St Francis of Assisi was often called names and reviled for his choice of unconventional lifestyle and behaviour.

‘Blessed are you when people revile you, and speak all kinds of evil against you for My name’s sake. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven …’

‘If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first …’
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Look, haven’t you thought for a while that if Father Cesare Bonizzi would pray the rosary and would ask our Lady for help bringing young people back into the Roman Catholic Faith he would certainly have much better results than making a world tour with his band?

Here you can see that the power of prayer can not be taken for granted, and a Priest he is surely better at praying than he is as a Heavy Metal Singer. His intentions are good, there is no doubt about it, but the adequacy from his method can be argued. Protestants may not have a problem with reverends playing in Bands like Stryper, but I am not protestant, I am Roman Catholic.
 
AnotherFriend33 said:
Look, haven’t you thought for a while that if Father Cesare Bonizzi would pray the rosary and would ask our Lady for help bringing young people back into the Roman Catholic Faith he would certainly have much better results than making a world tour with his band?
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I’ve thought no such thing. Because I’ve not taken an irrational dislike to his music and because I’ve not assumed, with absolutely no justification whatsoever, that a) his music isn’t bringing young people to the faith and b) his praying would do more.
Here you can see that the power of prayer can not be taken for granted, and a Priest he is surely better at praying than he is as a Heavy Metal Singer. His intentions are good, there is no doubt about it, but the adequacy from his method can be argued. Protestants may not have a problem with reverends playing in Bands like Stryper, but I am not protestant, I am Roman Catholic.
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But you’ve put no argument forward other than your own totally subjective opinion as to the quality of his music. Which you can’t be assured the majority of youth, or the majority of heavy metal fans, would agree with.

No, the power of prayer cannot be taken for granted - but who says he isn’t praying? A gig only takes a few hours at most, plenty of time still left for prayer! I bet he manages to pray a heck of a lot more than you do, and as much as any of his fellow monks. I don’t see his superiors agreeing to his musical pursuits if they interfered with his prayer life in any way.

So if you want someone to pray full time and give up all other pursuits then why not quit your own job and hobbies and spend all YOUR time in prayer. Maybe you’re being called to such a life, clearly Brother (not Father, get your facts straight if you’re going to criticise the man) isn’t.

And just as obviously his superiors don’t expect him to give up his musical pursuits in order to pray anyway - they are the only fit judges of how he can best live out his vocation as a monk. You’ve no reason, knowing so very little about the man, to doubt their assessment of the matter.
 
LilyM said:
I’ve thought no such thing. Because I’ve not taken an irrational dislike to his music and because I’ve not assumed, with absolutely no justification whatsoever, that a) his music isn’t bringing young people to the faith and b) his praying would do more.
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Come on, take a breath, please. I am not irrational, I know my comments sound hard, but I only aim to protect the Roman Catholic Church from something that on my view does not seem right. Before you lose your patience, try to understand what he said on this interview:

Article about Friar Cesare Bonizzi said:
WORLD TOUR?

Bonizzi, who names bands such as rockers Megadeth and Dream Theater as favorites, also sings about God and faith but says he has no intention of converting listeners to Christianity.

“I never did it to preach, I did it because music is beautiful … If I want to convert people, I simply want to convert them to life, to welcome life, to enjoy life,” he said.

“I am religious and I am a priest but I am not doing this to convert people to Christ, to faith or the Church, but for them to try to understand life, to be able to enjoy it. Nothing more.”
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Source: ca.reuters.com/article/idCAL1466485620080718

I am not a Priest, but I understand that nobody is forced to take vows.
 
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