Bro. James Hayes - De La Mennais Brothers
Much of my energies go into finding and arranging songs and mass parts to use in youth masses as well as writing my own, some of which you can find on this site. I am hoping to get a publishing deal at some point as some of my stuff is already being used in a few US and UK parishes, mainly through contacts in the LifeTeen network.
I am passionate about working with young people in bringing new music into Catholic liturgies that may help the young especially to find a home in the church and to come to better know and love Jesus Christ. Such songs and music have helped me immensely, so I simply want to share what I have been given.
Over the past 6 years I have brought various groups of young people to De La Mennais Brothers' youth gatherings in France (where our order was founded) and to World Youth Day in Germany (Aug. 2005), made up of pupils from our Liverpool school and youth from the main parish where I work. On the French trips there I always try to bring young members of both the parish and school worship bands to help lead the music for the gathering with me. We always have great fun and many have been back 2, 3 or 4 times. I think that performing Christian songs can be for them (as it is for me) a way into a new and deeper relationship with Christ if they let that performance become a prayer.
My name is Brother James Hayes
I was born in Southampton in 1968, the youngest of five children. My parents were both born in Ireland, coming over to England after their marriage. Thirteen years ago when they both retired, they decided to move back to their beloved "Emerald Isle" and the green countryside of Co. Limerick.
I'm a former pupil of St. Mary's College in Southampton, run by the De La Mennais Brothers, and I am a life-long Southampton F.C. fan ("Oh, When The Saints..!!"). I joined the De La Mennais Brothers in 1990 after completing a Music degree at Liverpool University. At the moment I am College Chaplain and part-time teacher of Film Studies, Music and RE in a Liverpool boys comprehensive run by my order, St. Francis Xavier's College. Other activities include conducting the College Orchestra, co-leading the staff band, the Manic Street Teachers (!) and helping a colleague with one of the College football teams. I am also Music Minister for a youth group in St. Austin's R.C. Parish, Liverpool
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Name: Bro. James Hayes
Status: Teaching Brother
Hometown: Southampton, England
Occupation: Teacher + Chaplain
School: St. Francis Xavier’s College
Location: Liverpool, England
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Interests: playing music (clarinet, bass clarinet, guitar, singing,...), listening to music (all sorts), cycling, football, films, hiking, sport in general, reading and computers.
Movies: The Seventh Seal (I. Bergman + lots of his other films), La Jetée (C. Marker), Three Colours trilogy + The Decalogue (K. Kieslowski), Rome, Open City (R. Rosselini), The Great Dictator (C. Chaplin), Talk To Her (P. Almodavar), 400 Blows (F. Truffaut), The Sweet Hereafter (A. Egoyan), Being There (P. Sellars’ last film), 12 Monkeys, Memento, Good Will Hunting, Donnie Darko, The Usual Suspects, L.A. Confidential, Under Suspicion, The Matrix trilogy, Lord Of The Rings trilogy...
Musical influences: Delirious, Tim Hughes, Switchfoot, Jars Of Clay, Matt Redman, Newsboys, Sixpence None The Richer...
Other stuff I really like includes Talk Talk (from "The Colour of Spring" onwards), XTC, Cocteau Twins, Gemma Hayes (my cousin), early R.E.M., early Icicle Works, Crowded House/Finn Brothers, Radiohead, Nik Kershaw, Coldplay, Downhere, Mute Math, Dodgy, Snow Patrol, Athlete, Keane, Matt Maher, Feeder, Doves, Kirsty McColl, Blur, Lowgold, Guster, Kings Of Convenience, Santa Carla, Kate Bush, OMD, American Music Club...
In the Classical sphere, Stravinsky, Sibelius, Bach, Gregorian chant and other Mediaeval vocal music, Mozart (of course), Mahler, Prokofiev, Schubert lieder, Howells' "Requiem", Carissimi's "Jephte", S. Reich, Tippett, solo piano music...
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Who am I?
