“My mission in music is to help people understand they are loved and, ultimately, faith is an accessible thing,” Galea told The Catholic Register. “Jesus is accessible.”
Ordained in 2010, Galea has released five albums available via iTunes for his international fan base and in stores for those closer to home in Australia.
But Galea wants to make it clear that being a priest is his priority.
“I’m also chaplain to 2,500 students within the parish, two hospitals and two retirement homes.”
In addition, he has also founded the “Stronger” youth program in Australia — a series of youth retreats, rallies and small groups which are run around the Sandhurst diocese.
“When I came to Australia six years ago, I noticed somehow there was nothing for young people… There was nothing that young people could go to and have a space where they could belong to the Church,” he said.
Galea started singing when he was 17 years old.
“I had a conversion experience, a turnaround in my own life,” he said.
“And I started going to this youth meeting.”
By the time he was 18, he was touring around Europe playing guitar for a preacher friend of his. And by 21, he recorded his first album.
“The reason I wrote it was my best friend died and I wrote a song for his funeral and his family wanted me to record it.” And from there, he started recording other music.
“Music is a means to bring the message of hope to people and I just feel honoured and privileged to be in the position that I’m in,” he said, referring to the dual role he’s able to play as both a priest and musician.
Galea wowed the audiences last summer in Madrid during World Youth Day, said Fr. Thomas Rosica, CEO of Salt+Light TV.
“This fine, young priest, now serving as parochial vicar in Australia, is a joyful instrument of the new evangelization who is able to connect with young people today,” said Rosica.
Galea said he enjoyed performing at the inaugural Canadian gathering at the Love and Life Centre in Madrid.
“I enjoyed seeing the bishops joining in eventually because I was quite intimidated when I walked in because everyone was very serious and I’m not used to that coming from a very laid back Australia.”
As a songwriter, his greatest inspiration comes from his life’s journey with God and also the people he walks with as a priest and friend.
“And as an intercessor… I write songs out of my experience but also out of what I experience through other people, through their suffering and through their joys.”
His music falls somewhere between soft rock and adult contemporary, he said.
“It’s contemporary enough for the younger generation but not too threatening for the older generation,” he said.
“I’m really, really looking forward to coming to tour Canada and this is my second time travelling to Canada… Last time I came, it was very low key. This time, I hope it will be a bit bigger.”
For more information on Galea, see www.thatsworship.com or follow him on Twitter @FrRobGalea.