Sydney
6 April 2003

Home
Archive
Subscribe
Links
Contact

Peace ... harmony

Rugby league scores a try in a GPS college

Passing the baton

Peaceful action for peace

Catholic Weekly takes a holiday over Easter

Tissue project wins archbishop’s grant

A voice for the disabled

Faith centre moves

Younger set is 50

Fr Chris is guest

Ecumenical Stations of the Cross in wetlands

US move welcomed on partial birth abortion

Project Compassion 2003 - Leyte farmers can face better future

Editorial - Victims of war

Letters - Ash Wednesday

Conversation - Fr Patrick Byrne, Rome-based head of Children’s Mission: Big project or small, ‘it must be for kids’

Voice of Youth - Renaissance of thinking about the Middle Ages

Celebrate Love? Live it to the ‘max’

Heading off conflict before it hits crisis point

Crucifixion story wouldn’t go away

New home for new breed of priest

Christian Brothers spread social justice net

Luke’s Story wins award

300 at social justice forum

Music lets Andrew ‘share my faith’ ...

Music lets Andrew ‘share my faith’

“The intention of my music is to bring people together,” says singer-songwriter Andrew Chinn, who has a been teacher in the Sydney archdiocese for 19 years

“Music is my strength, passion and vocation,” says religious singer and songwriter Andrew Chinn.

“I love working with children and my music allows me to celebrate and share my faith. The intention of my music is to bring people together.”

Andrew was the special guest of St Joseph’s Primary School, Belmore, which was celebrating the feast of its patron saint.

He held workshops with students from Years 2, 4 and 6, and then performed a concert for the staff, students, parents and other parishioners.

Andrew, 40, who has worked as a teacher in the Sydney archdiocese for 19 years, began writing music for children 10 years ago.

His songs, such as These Hands and Together As One are used in classrooms and liturgies throughout Australia and New Zealand.

He has already released two CDs, with a third scheduled for next year.

Andrew has travelled throughout NSW, Victoria, the ACT, Queensland and New Zealand to lead concerts and workshops in schools.

His passion for music is infectious, which seems to rub off on the children who watch him perform.

He encourages the children to clap or wave their hands to the rhythm of the music.

He also has the happy knack of putting a smile on the children’s faces.

“It’s a touching thing when a child comes up to you after a performance to say ‘thank you very much’, he says.

“It comes from the heart. You get paid for the day and you might sell a few CDs, but that is what I remember most.

“I like to get the children involved when I’m performing and they seem to enjoy it.

“I am honoured that a lot of schools are taking up my services to allow me to make a living from my music.”

Andrew has three daughters - Kylie, 24, Nicole, 20, and two-year-old Eleanor.

A fourth daughter, Belinda, died of cancer, aged 15, three years ago.

Andrew says Belinda’s death helped strengthen his faith and provided him with the courage to face adversity.

“Belinda taught me a lot about my faith and she faced her illness with great dignity,” says Andrew.

“She also faced the prospect of death with incredible dignity … she could see what was coming.”

St Joseph’s principal, Steve Borthwick, says he hopes Andrew’s visit may inspire his students to pick up a musical instrument.

“Andrew’s music is important because it encourages the children to learn more about their faith,” says Mr Borthwick.

“The children don’t often get someone of Andrew’s calibre to perform, so it’s a special treat for them.”

Mr Borthwick only became principal at the start of the year, but has already been overwhelmed by the sense of community in the school.

St Joseph’s has a wide diversity of cultures with children from Arabic, African and Asian backgrounds.

The school has also been a home to several refugee children from Sudan and Sierra Leone.

“The school is a special place and the children from the refugee families add a special quality to the school community,” says Mr Borthwick.

“Some of the children have a lot of sad stories, but we try to provide them with a stable community.

“We see St Joseph’s as a family and we encourage the sense of community within the parish.”

Over the next few years, Mr Borthwick intends to introduce more arts, music and sport to the school.

“I want to create an opportunity for the children to be artistic and creative, which will help complement their literacy and numeracy skills,” he says.

“That will create a more holistic education for the children.

“I’m also looking to get people involved in sports such as gymnastics, rugby league, rugby union, netball and cricket to come to the school and hold clinics to expose our children to these different sports.”