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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Composer and Musician Tony Melendez will perform and bring a message of hope to Valley City during the Lenten Mission at St. Catherine’s Parish. Everyone is welcome to attend these free events.

St. Catherine’s Church spokeswoman Barb Stangeland said, “We would like to extend an invitation for all to join us March 19-23 at 6:30 pm for our mission as we host Tony Melendez for the week.  Tony is a humble Catholic musician/speaker who first came to the world stage in 1987 when he played for St. John Paul II in Los Angeles. Tony amazed St. John Paul II with his talent of playing guitar with his feet and singing the song “Never Be the Same”. St. John Paul II encouraged Tony that day to become a witness to hope.”

Tony and his brother Jose have since traveled the world sharing this hope with youth and adults of all ages.

Melendez shared his story with Steve Urness during a recent Voice of the Valley program on March 15th on KOVC Radio.

Originally from Rivas, Nicaragua, Tony was born without arms and a clubbed foot due to the drug Thalidomide. Tony’s mother was prescribed this drug for morning sickness by her doctor and had no idea how it would affect her unborn son.  When he was one, Tony’s family immigrated to the United States so Tony could have corrective surgery on his left foot in order for him to walk. Tony grew up in a home where mom protected and cared greatly for him and at the same time had a father who encouraged and pushed him to do things on his own. As he had no arms Tony had to learn to do almost everything with his feet, and at the age of sixteen taught himself how to play the guitar with his toes.

The event in Los Angeles was an internationally broadcast event that set Tony’s career into high gear. Now thirty years later Tony has traveled to all fifty states and more than 44 foreign countries. Tony has had the pleasure of playing not only for St. John Paul II but he has also played for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.

Tony and his brother Jose reside in Branson, Missouri with their wives and children. Despite all the travel over the last thirty years, Tony continues to resist the siren song of stardom, hoping only to develop his musical career and share his God given gifts.  “I don’t feel like a celebrity,” he says with a smile, “I just feel like me!”

Tony travels with Jose and together they share with young and old their message of hope, encouragement, and faith. Tony’s message and story are presented with music and his personal life stories. As they continue to travel they focus on young people by going into elementary schools, junior highs, high schools, colleges and universities.

Tony and Jose’s title for their mission is “Be The New Evangelist For Our Church.” They will be sharing with us ways that we can become new evangelists in our world. St. John Paul II started talking about the new evangelization as far back as 1983. “I sense that the moment has come to commit all of the Church’s energies to a new evangelization. No believer in Christ, no institution of the Church can avoid this supreme duty: to proclaim Christ to all peoples” (St. John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio, no. 3).

Tony has been honored with numerous awards, including commendations from the late President Ronald Reagan and the inaugural inspirational Hero Award from the NFL Alumni Association. He is the author of several publications and has recorded several albums.

For more information about this event please contact Barb Stangeland at stkates100@gmail.com or (605) 692-2946.

 

Tony Melendez.