Catholic singer, composer releases new song for Jubilee Year

Catholic singer and composer Christine Wharton releases her latest single ‘In the Desert, Water of Life’ for this Jubilee Year. The song captures a vivid narrative of endurance and faith among our people and symbolises the quest for a brighter future, holding onto hope even in harsh circumstances. The Water of Life is referenced to John 4:14 “the Water I give to them will become in them a spring of living water.” Water is viewed also as a source of life and renewal amidst adversity.

The theme Pilgrims of Hope in this Jubilee Year holds special significance for Wharton as she celebrates her own jubilee this year, marking over 50 years of contribution to music and counselling.

A former university counsellor, Employee Assistance Programme counsellor, and Drug and Substance Abuse counsellor with an M Ed in Counselling from the University of Houston, Wharton has made significant impacts not only as an artist but also as an advocate for music within the Catholic community through her SPES Music, which has a mission to spread messages of hope through music.

SPES Music was devised in 1989 from a shared calling to spread hope through song (spes means ‘hope’ in Latin). The name was developed with guidance from the late Fr David Olivierre at St Anthony’s Church, Petit Valley, and with further encouragement from Archbishop Emeritus Donald Reece of Kingston, Jamaica.

Christine’s musical journey is deeply rooted in her Catholic faith. Her songwriting career began at age 16 when she started composing poems that later evolved into songs inspired by divine revelations and biblical texts. Her early experiences with charismatic movements in the late 1970s further fuelled her passion for music.

She has shared her music in Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, and spent 11 years in Saudi Arabia. In Trinidad and Tobago, she participated in numerous musical events, including the Pope’s Mass choir in 1985, and a Caribbean Hymnal project led by Br Paschal Jordan OSB and Fr Garfield Rochard during the 1980s. Her contributions to the Caribbean Hymnal choir resulted in several recorded songs produced for distribution within the Catholic community.

In 1993, Christine and SPES Music group recorded a local version of the Family Song in recognition of the United Nations’ International Day of Families for the National Family Services Division of Trinidad and Tobago.

In 1994, Christine released her premiere album titled Life Is A Song – Inspirational Music for Today’s Living, featuring 11 original tracks that address themes of family life, empowerment, and identity. Songs like ‘I Thank You God’, ‘The Harvest Song’, and ‘Call of the Vagrant’ resonate with listeners seeking solace amid life’s challenges.

Christine also participated, as a soloist, in the Wayne Berkeley and Thora Dumbell’s production Broadway in Concert at Queen’s Hall in 2005.

Notable productions such as Woman at the Well and Passion Plea at Living Waters Community highlighted her talent and commitment to using music as a means of spiritual connection.

‘In the Desert, Water of Life,’ is set for a soft launch at the Living Waters Community 50th anniversary celebration on March 16. The song is a powerful anthem in a Reggae music style, symbolising sustenance and salvation amidst adversity and tells a compelling story of unwavering hope.

The song paints a vivid narrative of resilience and aspiration, serving as a metaphor for our own journeys through life’s difficulties toward renewal and promise. As we navigate today’s challenges, the need for hope has never been more critical.

(Adapted from a media release)