Judging by his initial appearance, one might expect Father Stan Fortuna - sitting stoically and dressed in long, flowing grey robes - to be a man of few words. But this hip-hop padre is one friar who definitely didn't take a vow of silence.

There are undoubtedly few priests who can as easily recite lyrics by Puff Daddy and Eminem as they can verses of the Bible. But Father Stan is no ordinary priest - he's an evangelizing rapper on a mission to change the world, rhyme by rhyme.

"I love Toronto - it's a great city with so much culture. It reminds me of old school New York - where we used to have our own Little Italy and Chinatown and other neighbourhoods that were once much more culturally-oriented," says the 48-year-old Franciscan priest, as he sits down at an espresso bar on Queen Street. The half-Italian, half-Greek native of Yonkers, N.Y. made his third visit here last week, belting out a few songs at a charity event for Covenant House and dropping in on a couple of local high schools.

These days his travel schedule is as hectic as any rock star, spending about two-thirds of his time on the road, using his musical talents to preach to young Catholics. After his Toronto performances, he stopped in Ancaster, Ont., before jettisoning off to New Hampshire for a show and then on to Houston by the weekend.

An accomplished jazz musician, who also plays the bass in a Christian folk band, Father Stan decided to experiment with rap as a way of connecting to the youth in the South Bronx. He says he's been a fan of rap music since the early 80s when as a young friar working with the poor in New York City's Spanish Harlem, he first heard the distinctive sounds of hip-hop.

"My own music just kind of evolved organically. It wasn't a conscious decision," he says, with a Bronx accent reminiscent of Robert DeNiro. "In the inner-city neighborhoods I'd see kids standing on street corners, spitting rhymes and beat-boxing - the style during the genesis of rap wasn't nearly as vulgar - and it was something that I just started playing around with. Of course the biggest difference is my lyrical content is shaped by the Gospel."
He says his own beats are an eclectic mix of jazz and R&B, and while there isn't any profanity in his lyrics, Father Stan doesn't shy away from discussing serious issues like suicide and abortion.

"We've got to lead the youth away from the culture of lust. Teens are spending exorbitant amounts of money on sneakers or a new car when they often don't have enough money to do the laundry. The materialism in our society generates confusion, which eventually turns to anger and violence," he says, adding that one of his new songs, The Bling Bling Industry criticizes big-name rappers for promoting unattainable, flashy lifestyles. "There's no new message in my songs. But the way the Gospel is transmitted must be presented in a language the youth can understand and embrace."

Youth who are tuned into his positive lyrics (which endorses abstinence and drug-free living) can hear more at www.francescoproductions.com - a website and music company used to produce and promote more than a dozen of his albums. All the funds go towards helping the poor in the South Bronx, including a cultural centre Father Stan hopes to soon build in the area.
He hesitantly mentions Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. - two murdered rappers known for their violent lyrics - as two of his personal favourites.

"I didn't approve of the vulgarity but their skill with words was amazing," he says. "Tupac in particular revealed a lot about himself and his pain through his music. It's too bad I didn't get a chance to meet him before he died, I would've liked the chance to convince him to turn his back on the culture of violence."

However mainstream culture has yet to accept this proselytizing priest with open arms. Executives at MTV rejected airing his new video for Everybody's Got 2 Suffer and even a few within the church have questioned the wisdom of venturing far beyond the traditional forms of Christian music.

"Not many people think there's a market for a song about the importance of suffering. It certainly doesn't fit (the MTV) mold. It would break their mold, in fact. I'd love to have a larger number of people watching it but it's beyond my control."

Father Stan, who carries a notepad in his breast pocket in case of a lyrical inspiration, says that Pope John Paul II was the great influence in his life - he joined the Franciscans a year after he was elected to the papacy. Both share a special connection with the youth and it was Pope John Paul II who encouraged Father Stan to continue his musical endeavors after they met at the Vatican two years ago. Saddened by his death, Father Stan did what comes naturally to him: he wrote a new song and called it The Great One.

While others fret over the expected conservative right-turn the Catholic Church will take under the direction of Pope Benedict XVI, Father Stan stands by the conclave's decision.
"If people are concerned about the new pope, my message would be they should focus on their own lives and doing what they can to improve things around them. Some people seem to be so focused on trying to change the Gospel and change the church - but they've got it backwards. The Gospel has to change our vulgar culture."

Father Stan has done his best to change the culture himself, criss-crossing the continent singing the praises of Jesus Christ in an updated twist on biblical parables. "I'm sure Jesus would have a lot to say - mostly disapproval about what he sees in the streets. But it definitely wouldn't surprise me to hear him break into a little rhyme."