{{short description|Maltese Roman Catholic priest and singer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | honorific_prefix = The Reverend | name = Rob Galea | honorific_suffix = | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|11|14|df=yes}} | birth_place = Malta | genre = {{hlist |Contemporary Catholic liturgical |contemporary Christian music |contemporary worship music}}<ref>{{cite web| url = https://christiantoday.com.au/news/robert-galea-uses-music-to-reach-out-to-the-masses.html| title = Robert Galea uses music to 'Reach Out' to the masses|website=Christian Today| access-date = 10 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2005-10-15/news/christian-music-from-robert-galea-82524/| title = Christian Music from Robert Galea| date = 15 October 2005|website=The Malta Independent| access-date = 10 January 2019}}</ref> | occupation = Priest, singer, songwriter | associated_acts = Ira Losco | website = | module = {{Infobox clergy |child=yes | religion = Christianity | church = Roman Catholic Church | ordained = 5 November 2010 | writings = | congregations = St Brendan's Catholic Church, Shepparton <br /> St Kilian's Catholic Church, Bendigo | offices_held = }} }}
'''Robert Galea''' (born 14 November 1981) is a Maltese and Australian Catholic priest and contemporary Christian singer-songwriter.
Galea has released eight music projects, ''More of You'' (April 2004), ''Closer'' (UK release, February 2006), ''What A Day'' (January 2008), "Divine Mercy Chaplet" [Featuring Gary Pinto and Natasha Pinto] (August 2010), "Reach Out" (January 2011) and a live concert DVD and live CD entitled ''Fr Robert Galea, Reach Out Live'' (July 2011), "Glorify" Mass setting (August 2013) and "Something About You" (January 2015). Galea has been featured in national newspapers and magazines as well as on TV Channel 10's ''The Project''. He was a contestant on Australia's ''The X Factor'' in 2015 but left voluntarily after boot camp due to parish and youthwork commitments. He is the author of ''Breakthrough'' (2018), a book published in the United States by Ave Maria Press. A movie deal has been signed for it.
== Early life == Robert Galea was born in Malta in 1981. He was raised by strict Catholic parents with two siblings.<ref name="May"/><ref name="Chaplin">{{cite web | url = http://www.catholicdigest.com/news/everyday-miracles/frrobgalea/ | title = The Fr. Rob Galea Story: Never Underestimate the Power of a Mother's Prayer | last = Hadachek Chaplin | first = Lori |work=Catholic Digest| publisher = | date = 5 April 2018 | access-date = 20 July 2018 }}</ref> From the age of 14, he "started frequenting nightclubs in Paceville, a hotspot near his home in eastern Malta, drinking, taking drugs and stealing."<ref name="May">{{cite web | url = https://www.smh.com.au/national/rob-galea-the-pop-star-priest-20141126-11u1qh.html | title = Rob Galea, the pop star priest | last = May | first = Julia | work = The Sydney Morning Herald | publisher = Fairfax Media | date = 26 November 2014 | access-date = 20 July 2018 }}</ref> At 17 he began learning music. Two years later he was signed to a record label and toured Europe.<ref name="May"/>
== Priesthood ==
Galea entered a seminary at age 21 and, after visiting Australia, in 2006 he migrated there in the following year to continue his studies in Melbourne.<ref name="May"/> In 2008, together with Bishop Joseph Grech, he co-founded the Stronger Youth Program – a series of youth retreats, rallies and small groups – in the Diocese of Sandhurst, Victoria, which was later expanded to Perth and South Australia. He was ordained to the priesthood on 5 November 2010 by Archbishop Paul Cremona.<ref name="Zimmerer">{{cite web | url = https://www.wordonfire.org/resources/blog/dominoes-an-interview-with-fr-rob-galea/5630/ | title = Dominoes: An Interview with Fr. Rob Galea | last = Zimmerer | first = Jared | work = Word on Fire | publisher = | date = 3 November 2017 | access-date = 20 July 2018 }}</ref> His first parish was at St Brendan's Catholic Church, Shepparton.<ref name="Jess">{{cite web | url = http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2015/01/09/4160012.htm | title = Pop star priest prepares for Shepparton farewell concert | last = Jess | first = Allison | publisher = ABC Goulburn Murray. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) | date = 9 January 2015 | access-date = 20 July 2018 }}</ref>
Galea is currently an assistant priest at St Kilian's Catholic Church, Bendigo, in the Diocese of Sandhurst.<ref name="Zimmerer"/> He also served in Bendigo as a chaplain to Catholic College and the local La Trobe University campus. He has a significant evangelistic and outreach ministry, speaking and singing at schools, conferences and churches around Australia and the world. He and his team minister to about 200,000 young people each year.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}
== Music career == Galea's performance career combines music with Christian messages.<ref name="AndTeachers">{{cite news |title=X Factor priest Fr Rob Galea reaches out to 800 students and teachers |publisher=Central Western Daily |date=10 May 2017|id={{ProQuest|1896593903}} }}</ref> Galea has written a number of songs for various campaigns and international conferences. He was selected to sing in the international version of the official World Youth Day song, "Receive the Power", along with pop idol Guy Sebastian and soprano, Amelia Farrugia. He performed at events before Pope Benedict XVI in 2011 and an estimated 500,000 pilgrims in Sydney.<ref name="Zimmerer"/>
Galea was a contestant on the Australian version of the reality TV talent show ''The X Factor'' in 2015, but withdrew "after struggling to balance the demands of the show with pastoral commitments".<ref name="McCowen">{{cite web | url = https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/fr-rob-galea-quits-the-x-factor/ | title = Fr Rob Galea quits ''The X Factor'' | last = McCowen | first = Sharyn | work = The Catholic Weekly | publisher = | date = 21 September 2015 | access-date = 20 July 2018 }}</ref> In September 2017, he issued a single, "Dominoes", with Ira Losco.<ref name="Iversen">{{cite web | url = http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2017-09-09/local-news/We-are-all-broken-but-if-we-bring-love-into-equation-it-creates-a-work-of-art-Fr-Rob-Galea-6736178633 | title = 'We are all broken but if we bring love into equation, it creates a work of art' – Fr Rob Galea | last = Iversen | first = Rebecca | work = The Malta Independent | publisher = | date = 9 September 2017 | access-date = 20 July 2018 }}</ref> He described it to Rebecca Iversen of ''The Malta Independent'' as "a pop song which talks about brokenness of us and all of us. It talks about how we are broken into a million pieces but when these billion of pieces come together, your million my million, they create a work of art.".<ref name="Iversen"/>
In 2020, Galea contributed "Silent Night" to CDB's album ''Christmas Is Here: The CDB Mixtape''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.noise11.com/news/cdb-recruits-diesel-and-guy-sebastian-for-christmas-album-20201030|title=CDB Recruits Diesel and Guy Sebastian for Christmas Album|website=noise11|date=30 October 2020|access-date=1 November 2020}}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}
==External links== * {{Official website}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Galea, Robert}} Category:1981 births Category:21st-century Australian male singers Category:21st-century Australian Roman Catholic priests Category:Australian performers of Christian music Category:Christian music songwriters Category:Living people Category:Maltese emigrants to Australia Category:People from Bendigo Category:Performers of Christian rock music Category:Performers of contemporary worship music