Hello - my name is Fr Chris Skinner!
I am a priest of the Society of Mary in New Zealand. I am presently(2007) an assistant at St Mary of the Angels Parish in Wellington. I regularly update the news section of this website with my latest happenings.
For your information, an article appeared about me in November's issue of Wel-com, 1999 by Marilyn Pryor. In 1999 I arrived in Wellington and have been here ever since.
Marist singer, songwriter honours his awesome God
In a world that is searching for spirituality, the music of Fr Chris Skinner has a growing and well deserved audience.
A Marist priest, he is both a singer and song-writer. Some of his songs blend into our liturgical celebrations while others are more suited to times of quiet reflection. A thread running through most of his music however is its ability to touch our souls.
Earlier this year Fr Chris was appointed part-time chaplain at St Patrick's College, Kilbirnie. Wellingtonians first became aware of his presence in the meeting in March addressed by Bishop Belo. That night Fr Chris sung about justice, sufferinng and pain in a way that reinforced Bishop Belo's plea for peace and reconciliation.
Chris Skinner was born in Hamilton the ninth of ten children. His mother grace loved singing and encouraged this in her family. Today mother and son still sing together. On 1ZB on Mother's Day, Paul Homes features them singing together on I want to sing with you mum.
During Chris' college years the family moved to Tokoroa. It was here he learned to play the guitar and discovered he could write music.
After working in Auckland for a short time he joined an older brother on rosary crusade and they headed for Northland. In Whangarei he met the Marists for the first time and the following year entered the seminary at Greenmedows.
In this setting his music developed as he was offered many opportunities to both sing and explore his song-writing talents.
Following his ordination, Fr Chris taught in Timaru and later in Hastings but this was a time when a number of Marists were wondering if they should move out of teaching. Soon he found himself in a community in West Auckland working with youth at risk - a time when he learned of the pain and brokenness in so many lives. He was to find that often his music could touch their pain.
There was one young boy he could never forget. A lot had gone wrong in this teenagers life. One day he asked Fr Chris for the lyrics of his song called Treasure in a Field so he could write them down. "He really tried to deal with the problems that had disrupted his life," said Fr Chris. "Sadly he was unable to find the strength to cope and some months later took his own life but I always remember him now when I sing that song."
In Auckland, Fr Chris began recording his music and with the help of the Society of Mary made his first album called Under Southern Stars. Today he has six albums.
In 1994 he was winner of the Aotearoa-New Zealand Spiritual Songwriting Competition and increasingly his music is being played in the radio.
His most recent album Awesome God is selling well and when you listen to its message about life and spirituality you can understand why.
His overseas experience began in 1995 when he travelled to Italy with a Tongan group and performed in a number of small Italian villages. He later travelled around Europe and went on to Ireland. Since then, Fr Chris has been invited back several times to work with young poeple and to run workshops on music. Here to his music is heard on the radio.
The question inevitably comes up as to why someone who has such a wonderful voice and a gift for writing music would choose the priesthood rather than a career in music.
Fr Chris says he is often asked this question. "Even in those early days, the songs I was writing had a message and I had no problem about being a priest. Priests communicate. That's part of what they do. Music is another way of communication.
"To me it's a real ministry. It's the gift I bring to priesthood."
Talking with him is to recall the Gospel story of the man who has been given ten talents. When God gives you these talents, he expects you to use them.
In the case of Chris Skinner sm, God must be well pleased. The gifts he gave him in such full measure are being used abundantly with joy and gratitude to honour Awesome God.
I am a priest of the Society of Mary in New Zealand. I am presently(2007) an assistant at St Mary of the Angels Parish in Wellington. I regularly update the news section of this website with my latest happenings.
For your information, an article appeared about me in November's issue of Wel-com, 1999 by Marilyn Pryor. In 1999 I arrived in Wellington and have been here ever since.
Marist singer, songwriter honours his awesome God
In a world that is searching for spirituality, the music of Fr Chris Skinner has a growing and well deserved audience.
A Marist priest, he is both a singer and song-writer. Some of his songs blend into our liturgical celebrations while others are more suited to times of quiet reflection. A thread running through most of his music however is its ability to touch our souls.
Earlier this year Fr Chris was appointed part-time chaplain at St Patrick's College, Kilbirnie. Wellingtonians first became aware of his presence in the meeting in March addressed by Bishop Belo. That night Fr Chris sung about justice, sufferinng and pain in a way that reinforced Bishop Belo's plea for peace and reconciliation.
Chris Skinner was born in Hamilton the ninth of ten children. His mother grace loved singing and encouraged this in her family. Today mother and son still sing together. On 1ZB on Mother's Day, Paul Homes features them singing together on I want to sing with you mum.
During Chris' college years the family moved to Tokoroa. It was here he learned to play the guitar and discovered he could write music.
After working in Auckland for a short time he joined an older brother on rosary crusade and they headed for Northland. In Whangarei he met the Marists for the first time and the following year entered the seminary at Greenmedows.
In this setting his music developed as he was offered many opportunities to both sing and explore his song-writing talents.
Following his ordination, Fr Chris taught in Timaru and later in Hastings but this was a time when a number of Marists were wondering if they should move out of teaching. Soon he found himself in a community in West Auckland working with youth at risk - a time when he learned of the pain and brokenness in so many lives. He was to find that often his music could touch their pain.
There was one young boy he could never forget. A lot had gone wrong in this teenagers life. One day he asked Fr Chris for the lyrics of his song called Treasure in a Field so he could write them down. "He really tried to deal with the problems that had disrupted his life," said Fr Chris. "Sadly he was unable to find the strength to cope and some months later took his own life but I always remember him now when I sing that song."
In Auckland, Fr Chris began recording his music and with the help of the Society of Mary made his first album called Under Southern Stars. Today he has six albums.
In 1994 he was winner of the Aotearoa-New Zealand Spiritual Songwriting Competition and increasingly his music is being played in the radio.
His most recent album Awesome God is selling well and when you listen to its message about life and spirituality you can understand why.
His overseas experience began in 1995 when he travelled to Italy with a Tongan group and performed in a number of small Italian villages. He later travelled around Europe and went on to Ireland. Since then, Fr Chris has been invited back several times to work with young poeple and to run workshops on music. Here to his music is heard on the radio.
The question inevitably comes up as to why someone who has such a wonderful voice and a gift for writing music would choose the priesthood rather than a career in music.
Fr Chris says he is often asked this question. "Even in those early days, the songs I was writing had a message and I had no problem about being a priest. Priests communicate. That's part of what they do. Music is another way of communication.
"To me it's a real ministry. It's the gift I bring to priesthood."
Talking with him is to recall the Gospel story of the man who has been given ten talents. When God gives you these talents, he expects you to use them.
In the case of Chris Skinner sm, God must be well pleased. The gifts he gave him in such full measure are being used abundantly with joy and gratitude to honour Awesome God.