Irish Tenor to Perform at Maris Stella Church August 7 & 8

AVALON—Mark Forrest, an acclaimed Irish tenor whose melodic voice has filled concert halls and cathedrals from Carnegie Hall to the Vatican, will perform a concert on Sunday evening, August 7, at Maris Stella Church of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish, 5012 Dune Dr., Avalon. The concert is $10 admission at the door. No advance tickets are sold. The following evening, August 8, at 7 p.m., he will conduct a meditative service at the church. Mark will also perform at this spiritual service. The meditative service is a free will offering. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Mark Forrest has sung inspirational hymns for luminaries such as Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa. His soothing Broadway melodies have entertained award winning performers including Charlton Heston and Maureen O’Hara. From the White House to his own house with his wife and seven children, Mark continues to inspire the world with his music. It will be a time of meditation, music, prayer and healing.
Although this international Irish tenor has performed for some of the leading orators of our time, Mark Forrest is not beckoning audiences to himself, rather he hopes his listeners will hear a deeper call and attune their ears to his heartfelt message—a message that has been shaped by what many would call the tragedies in his life. Mark is the father of eight boys. His song is the Faith and Family Foundation, an organization he and his wife, Muriel, founded in 1999 to support and encourage individuals and families with special needs children. His “lyrics” are the sanctity of human life, at every stage and age.
Mark and Muriel’s efforts to establish the Faith and Family Foundation were born out of the sorrowful death of their third boy, Francesco, who was diagnosed in utero with a severely compromised heart. He lived only five days, “touching more people than I ever will in a lifetime,” Mark says.
Their second son, John Patrick, was also born with special needs and is battling a rare nerve condition that has left him blind and confined to a wheelchair. Their foundation assists individuals who care for persons with disabilities, as well as awards those who best exemplify the ethos of faith and family in a public setting. The foundation offers annual awards recognizing outstanding persons with disabilities.
Born in Dublin, Ireland, Mark was awarded full scholarships to study music. He was educated at The Royal College of Music and at the Catholic University of America’s Benjamin Rome School of Music.
This is the fourth year Mark will be performing at Maris Stella Church. Msgr. John Frey, the pastor of St. Brendan Parish who retired this past June, comments that you can’t get enough of Mark Forrest. People come away inspired from his evening of reflection and his concert. The new pastor, Fr. Mark Cavagnaro, is familiar with Mark Forrest and is looking forward to his coming in August.
Along with Mark Forrest, an Irish band Seasons will be performing at the church. The band consists of all family members.
Tickets are available for $10 at the door the evening of the concert. Maris Stella Church is located at 5012 Dune Dr., Avalon.