“I really want the world to know that, as priests, we are human and we can relate. We have gifts and we want to share those gifts with the world, and that’s really a way of evangelization.”
The video of this moment when a priest sang for Josh Groban has gone viral and it’s turned the priest at the center of it into a social media sensation.
From Detroit Catholic:
Fr. Patrick Setto’s entire Sunday night was a surprise, starting with his cousins surprising him with tickets to a Josh Groban concert across the border in Windsor, and ending with the world-famous tenor passing off his microphone to the priest.
As several videos from the Feb. 9 concert making the rounds online show, Groban bantered with the audience and asked them for song requests. At the urging of his cousin, Fr. Setto then shouted out to Groban, telling him he would sing with him.
The rest became an instant viral internet sensation.
After Groban handed the priest the microphone, Fr. Setto began to sing “Who Can Say for Certain” and was met with immediate cheers and applause.
“He was taking a complete chance because I could have been a really bad singer,” Fr. Setto, assistant pastor of Mother of God Chaldean Catholic Church in Southfield, told Detroit Catholic. “I have no idea how or why he allowed that, but it was very generous of him.”
Fr. Setto doesn’t think the interaction was an accident and attributes it to Marian intercession and divine providence.
During the drive to the concert, Fr. Setto said nine Memorares, praying that he would be able to meet Groban. His cousin laughed and made a video of him praying to meet the singer.
But then, from the ninth row at The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor, Fr. Setto’s prayer was answered.
The priest also made a point to let Groban — and the audience — know he is a priest — a declaration that was met with cheers and applause at the concert.
“I really want the world to know that, as priests, we are human and we can relate. We have gifts and we want to share those gifts with the world, and that’s really a way of evangelization,” he said.
Check out the interview with Father Setto below:
And the full video of his performance:
