Michael Bublé called meeting Pope Leo XIV on Friday “one of the greatest moments of my life,” adding that as he prepares to headline the Vatican’s annual Christmas concert for the poor, he hopes his example will encourage more people to speak openly about their faith.
The Grammy-winning singer, known for his velvety voice and popular Christmas albums, said faith “changes everything in my life, every single interaction.”
“When you say that you have strong faith, this is shocking to people, which is sometimes hard for me to understand,” Bublé said in response to a question from CNA at a Vatican press conference on Dec. 5.
“And with the platform I have, my hope is that … there’s a young person who might listen to me today who might be afraid to share their faith or to be open about it, and they look at me and they say, ‘Wow, look at Bublé. He’s not afraid to share it,’ and maybe it will give them the strength to do the same.”
Bublé met Pope Leo XIV on Friday along with other artists participating in the Vatican’s sixth annual “Concert with the Poor” on Saturday, Dec. 6.
“I am overwhelmed,” Bublé said. “This morning, I had the opportunity to meet the Holy Father. For me, this was something that I knew was going to be one of the greatest moments of my life.”
This year marks the first time a pope will attend the Vatican concert, which is free and offered to 3,000 people in need served by volunteer organizations around Rome. They will receive a hot takeaway dinner and other necessities after the event.
“We know that times are difficult for many people, and there’s a lot of darkness,” Bublé said. I feel like when you have faith, you have your own pilot light. And the lights can go out everywhere, everywhere, but if you have that faith and you have that light inside you, you can find your way.”
The Canadian singer told EWTN News after the press conference that it was especially meaningful to introduce the pontiff to his mother, who was his childhood catechism teacher.
“A lot of people won’t know, but I was raised in the Catholic Church, and my mother was my catechism teacher,” said Bublé, who has noted in previous interviews that he does not identify with a particular organized religion.
“Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ and the sacrifice that allows all of us to have an eternal life,” Bublé said, describing how music is central to his spiritual life.
“Music is a gift from God,” he said. “I talk to so many people today about what a gift from God music is.”
Bublé noted that “Silent Night” and “Adeste Fideles” are among his favorite Christmas hymns.
He said that he asked the pope for specific song requests for the concert, which will feature selections Pope Leo enjoys. One of them is “Ave Maria,” a piece not normally in Bublé’s repertoire. He acknowledged feeling “a bit nervous” to perform it before the pope and was coaxed into offering reporters a brief a cappella preview during the press conference.
The concert will also feature the choir of the Diocese of Rome, the Nuova Opera Orchestra, and Catholic composer Monsignor Marco Frisina. Past editions of the concert have been conducted by composers Hans Zimmer and Ennio Morricone.
“Before every show … I say, ‘Thank you, God, for giving me the ability to connect with these beautiful souls,’” Bublé said.
This article was originally published by CNA.
