Brother John Klein LC and friends

When Brother John Klein LC left college life in Nashville, Tennessee, to study for the priesthood, he thought he was leaving his love for music behind. But God had other plans, and May 19, 2012, he released a six-song EP (a shorter recording than a full album) titled Love is Brave.

As Brother John puts it, “God has used all of my gifts and talents, especially the gift He has given to me of music, to touch the hearts of many people. This has been so exciting and so fulfilling!”

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Brother John played in various bands while in high school and college, and during his third year of priestly formation while working with young people, he started singing and playing guitar again. This resurgence of music in his life eventually led to a performance for the Vocation Coffee House at World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain, this past August, 2011, an experience he

	The CD cover for Love Is Brave

says showed him God’s plan to use this gift for a special mission.

After experiencing the positive impact his music had on others, especially young people, Brother John was inspired to record his first album.

“It’s been a beautiful experience of how providence has led me in this direction to use my music to connect with kids,” he says. “A lot of times there’s a block there: you have a collar and guys think you were born that way. Music helps bridge that gap; it lets you live an experience through the eyes of the artist. I share my experience with kids who are asking the same questions: who am I, what’s God’s plan in suffering, does God have a plan for my life…”

Brother John said, once the idea was in place, people began coming out of the woodwork to lend a hand.  His friends in Nashville helped with the recording, and others offered their talents for the design and promotion of the album. 

“It was the obvious next step. The road was in front of me; I just had to walk it,” explained Brother John. “And the people to help me do it were right there.”

The presence of one “person” was indispensible on the journey.

“I made the Blessed Mother my agent early on,” he said. “I’ve received a lot of beautiful Marian graces. For example, when I played at World Youth Day, I left on the feast of the Assumption and returned on the feast of the Queenship of Mary, so I played right between two Marian feast days. Also, three people who came forward to help with the promotion of the EP had ‘Mary’ in their name!”

Brother John has three goals for his new album. First, he wants to be able to share the songs that he’s written these past years, about the joys and struggles of trying to be faithful to God’s plan in his life.  He also hopes that the EP can be used as a tool to find opportunities to play more live shows and share his story with young people. Finally, Brother John wants to shed stereotypes of seminary life.

“I wanted to break the stereotype out there that seminarians live boring lives. This myth has to be busted.  I have never been happier or had more adventures than when I gave my life to God and entered the seminary. God will use all your gifts and talents to the max, putting them all at the service of others and his Kingdom!”

The overall message that Brother John wants to transmit through his music echoed a message from Pope Benedict XVI to young people: “Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything!”

“My story is a confirmation that when we surrender to God, he doesn’t stifle us, but uses our gifts for others,” says Brother John. “For me, the struggle when I entered the seminary was thinking that I would lose something, but the reverse happened. Through my music I try to help other people to share a little bit in the beautiful and life-changing experience of God that I have had; one that has led me on the greatest adventure of my life: that of being a Catholic seminarian.”

Digital downloads of the "Love is Brave" EP are available now from CDBaby.com. The album is also available for download from Amazon.com and soon will be available on iTunes. The album will be available in hard copy beginning May 25 for those in Atlanta. For more information, email Br. John at johnkleinlc@gmail.com or check out www.facebook.com/johnkleinlcmusic.