Local band set to play ‘Godstock' during papal visit - ‘Full Armor' one of four groups to perform at April 19 youth rally

goshen — What greater honor could a Christian rock band, which includes two Warwick residents as members, have than performing at an event where Pope Benedict XVI will appear? Members of the Full Armor band agree there is no greater privilege. The group is thrilled to be one of four bands selected to play at Saint Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, where the pope will speak at an event with an expected crowd of 28,000 young people on Saturday, April 19. Kyle Hancharick, 17, and Mathew Juliano, 15, of Warwick, who are students at John S. Burke Catholic High School in Goshen, are part of the six-member band formed in 2005 and based out of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Middletown. The band regularly performs there as well as at other area churches. “It’s really a big honor for all of us,” said Hancharick, who plays rhythm guitar and sings vocals. “It feels really good to be able to do this. This is so much bigger than any of our shows combined. We’re really excited and really nervous.” Juliano, who plays the drums, voiced similar feelings. “It’s going to be an awesome day,” he said. “This is out of my wildest dreams. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance and the coolest thing ever. He’s the ‘top dog’ of the Catholic Church.” n ‘The message’ The band gets its name from the Bible passage Ephesians 6:12-17, where Paul dares all people to put on the “full armor” of God, to stand their ground and take up the shield of faith, according to its Web site, www.fullarmorband.com. The band considers its Christian music to be joyful, encouraging, thought provoking and inspiring. The group released its first CD, “Against The Flow,” in January. Its new CD, “This Day,” is being released this month. Full Armor doesn’t expect the pope will actually hear its music since he’s expected to arrive by helicopter after they perform. But the pontiff will be on stage for 90 minutes, be speaking for 30 minutes and the band will be among thousands who will hear him, according to Kathleen Alonzo, chair of the papal visit entertainment committee for the Archdiocese of New York. It was her committee that received the materials submitted by Full Armor back in December. “It was a little harrowing,” said Alonzo. “We were looking for bands that are affiliated with our parishes. We were looking for creativity, presentation and ‘the message.’ There were some very good ones (bands) that we weren’t able to accept. After all this laboring, I’m looking forward to this incredible opportunity for these youths (the selected bands) to present the gifts that God gave them to this large crowd.” Not your regular gig As part of the promotional activities leading up to the April 19 event, Full Armor traveled to New York City last week and performed live on Sirius Radio’s Catholic Channel 159, which they described as a great experience. At the youth rally, the band will perform three songs: “I Stand Secure,” “Free From All Pain” and “You are Holy.” Despite nerves, the band is rehearsing as it normally would. “The nerves are a cross of playing for a pope and playing for 28,000 people,” said Hancharick. “I’m trying to picture it like a regular gig. But this is once-in-a-lifetime. This is big.” Band manager Douglas Hutchings, who plays keyboard and sings vocals, said he’s heard people describing the five to six-hour event as “Godstock,” and hoped the band’s appearance would give it some new exposure opportunities. “We play a lot of gigs,” added Hutchings, adding that if he could find a way to give copies of the band’s CDs directly to the pope via an intermediary, he would. “Two years ago, we would have played for anyone who would have listened to us. Not many people get to say they played at an event of a pope’s. He probably won’t actually hear us play, but then again, you never know.” n ‘Inspire us’ These three band members agree if they had the opportunity to actually meet the pope and shake hands, they don’t know what they would say. “I’d be speechless,” said Hancharick. “Yeah, that would be me.” Hutchings would be also be grasping for the right words. “The Pope is such a significant world leader,” he said. “He leads over a billion people. I feel like anything I would say wouldn’t be good enough.” This is Benedict’s first U.S. trip as pope, although he has made five previous visits when he was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. News reports speculate it may be the 81-year-old pontiff’s only visit as pope due to his age and because he has less interest in traveling than his predecessor. If Juliano could shake the pope’s hand “that would be more than I could ask for, more than any of us could ask for,” he said. “I’m looking forward to him saying something great to inspire us all.” But Juliano also wanted the pope to know something about Full Armor. “I want him to know we’re trying our best to spread God’s word through a way we know best, through our music.” Editor’s note: Kyle Hancharick is the son of Linda Smith Hancharick, the longtime writer for The Chronicle and Straus News. Are you going? For most people, the chance to attend a papal mass or a papal youth rally can be considered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And many area residents are doing that on April 19 when the Pope Benedict XVI hosts a youth rally for 28,000 young people at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers and an April 20 a Mass for more than 57,500 people at Yankee Stadium, as part of his visit to the New York and Washington, D.C. areas. Are you among the tens of thousands who will be attending one of these events? If so, we’d would like to hear from you. We’d like to know why attending the pope’s youth rally or Mass is important and meaningful to you. You may be among the people we contact for our planned story on local residents attending the events. Send us your name, contact information and briefly tell why us attending the event you’re attending is significant. Please send your e-mail to: editor.wa@strausnews.com by April 17. To know more about the pope’s April 15-20 trip, visit: www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/travels/2008/index_stati-uniti_en.htm