Father Richard Ho Lung, OJ
Composer Of Hymns, Liturgical Music (Including Masses), Sacred Songs, And Theatre Musicals
(b. 1939)
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EARLY LIFE
Father Ho Lung was the first member of his immediate family to be born in Jamaica. His grandparents came to Jamaica as indentured labourers, and this was followed in the late 1930s with the migration of his mother and father, who were fleeing the rise of communism in China. On September 17, 1939, Richard Ho Lung was born in Richmond, St. Mary. His early life was a collage of religious directions. His parents were Buddhists, but, having no Buddhist temple to worship at in Jamaica, wanted their children to have spiritual upbringing and allowed Richard’s sister to worship at the Methodist church. In this era that pre-dated commercial radio in Jamaica, Richard Ho Lung’s main introduction to music was through the pocomania singing and chanting, which took place in the vicinity of his home in St. Mary. Sarah, the helper at the home, would also sing to them as children as she took care of them, and this also was an influence on Richard. Like many Chinese/Jamaican families, Richard’s parents were shopkeepers, and eventually the family migrated to Kingston, running a wholesale business on Old Hope Road, near Cross Roads. It was then that the family first got a radio, and Richard was able to listen to mento and revival music on air, starting in 1950. At this point, Richard was enrolled at the St. Aloysius Primary School, run by the Franciscan Order of Catholic priests. It was at St. Aloysius that his desire for Christian service and performing of charitable works first began to solidify. After leaving primary school, Richard enrolled at St. George’s College (High School), run by the Jesuits, where he excelled academically and paved his roots to studying to become a Jesuit Priest. ACADEMIC LIFE Richard Ho Lung entered the Weston School of Philosophy and Theology at Boston College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. On his return to Jamaica he taught at St. George’s before returning to the United States to finish a degree in Humanities. Back in Jamaica, he taught Literature for six years at the University of the West Indies in the Arts Department. Father Ho Lung holds Masters Degrees in Philosophy, English Literature and Theology, a Licentiate in Theology, and a Doctorate in Humanities. |
MISSIONARIES OF THE POOR
In 1981, coming out of his deep compassion for the poor and marginalized, Father Ho Lung left the Jesuit Order and founded the Missionaries of the Poor. The organization boasts that it has never charged a single dollar to anybody for the assistance that it offers. In fact, members of the organization have actually been killed while performing their duties to assist the least affluent in the society. The focus of the homes are abandoned, sick, disabled or dying men, women, infants and children. Missionaries of the Poor have established six mission homes in other regions, namely India, Philippines, Haiti, Uganda, Kenya, and Monroe in North Carolina. In 1988, Missionaries of the Poor became the first male Catholic religious institution founded in the Caribbean to receive the approval of the Vatican, elevating the order to an Institution of Pontifical Right.
THE MUSIC
Ironically, Father Ho Lung commonly regarded as one of Jamaica’s most important composers of sacred music, has never officially studied music. His musical compositions are all intuitive and come out of his passion to assist the poor and downtrodden, and spread the word of Jesus Christ. He was fascinated with the Jamaican language and culture, as articulated by the man in the street, and decided to express that through music.
On his return from Boston, he felt language was something that came from the soul, and to be true to God and to the people, he had to write Jamaican Songs. He re-discovered mento, ska, and reggae, and wrote music for Jamaicans with his people driving themselves to be themselves, while worshipping God. Christ was a part of the people, and he understood that he also had to be a part of the people. He recorded his music with Leslie Chin.
The very first composition that Father Ho Lung remembers was his 1961 hymn “Enter into Jerusalem”, which became instantly popular, to his great surprise, and began to be used, not just in Roman Catholic churches, but in churches of all denominations around the Caribbean region. His “Caribbean Mass”, produced in the late ‘60s while lecturing and tutoring at the University of the West Indies, also became very popular. It was in this period that Father Ho Lung and Friends created a series of concerts, starting at The Little Theatre. The music travelled all over the Caribbean, especially to Trinidad, and concert tours were made to Canada, New York, North Carolina, Germany, Brazil and England.
During this period, Father Ho Lung established strong ties with many popular Jamaican singers and musicians, including the iconic Noel Dexter as Musical Director and Leslie Chin as Producer. Father Ho Lung also produced a rare Jamaican popular chart hit “Sinner”, which hit the top ten, and garnered much air play.
In 1972 he wrote “Sugar Cane”, based on a true story, with a Biblical message overlaid. This was followed by “Ruby” and “Amazing Grace”. His writings came out of his personal experiences and those of the persons with whom he interacted.
Father Ho Lung, as part of his Christian activism, worked with the squatters, talked with them and sat in front of the bulldozer with them, to protest the rights of the people. The tragic Eventide Fire in 1980 was also a catalyst for his musical compositions, as he spoke out in public and used the music to express his concern for the poor, and the need for charitable works.
He composed many popular liturgical pieces, including “Our Father” (The Lord’s Prayer), “Rejoice My Soul” and “Eternal Love”, which he produced using the Jamaican language. Eventually Jon Williams took over as Musical Director for Father Ho Lung’s productions, and in 2000, Father Ho Lung and Friends launched its most ambitious project, a musical theatre production, “Jesus 2000”, at the National Arena, the scope of which was beyond anything staged for theatre in Jamaica, with the exception of the LTM Pantomime. “Jesus 2000”, the first of these musicals, was a tremendous success, drawing thousands of attendees, and creating waves in the Christian and theatre communities. Since then Father Ho Lung and Friends have written and produced some 20 major musical productions, including “Moses”, “Isaiah”, “King Herod”, “King David”, and “Queen Esther”.
Father Ho Lung wrote the stories for his musicals, penned the lyrics of the songs, and created the melodies for most of the music.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
In 1981, coming out of his deep compassion for the poor and marginalized, Father Ho Lung left the Jesuit Order and founded the Missionaries of the Poor. The organization boasts that it has never charged a single dollar to anybody for the assistance that it offers. In fact, members of the organization have actually been killed while performing their duties to assist the least affluent in the society. The focus of the homes are abandoned, sick, disabled or dying men, women, infants and children. Missionaries of the Poor have established six mission homes in other regions, namely India, Philippines, Haiti, Uganda, Kenya, and Monroe in North Carolina. In 1988, Missionaries of the Poor became the first male Catholic religious institution founded in the Caribbean to receive the approval of the Vatican, elevating the order to an Institution of Pontifical Right.
THE MUSIC
Ironically, Father Ho Lung commonly regarded as one of Jamaica’s most important composers of sacred music, has never officially studied music. His musical compositions are all intuitive and come out of his passion to assist the poor and downtrodden, and spread the word of Jesus Christ. He was fascinated with the Jamaican language and culture, as articulated by the man in the street, and decided to express that through music.
On his return from Boston, he felt language was something that came from the soul, and to be true to God and to the people, he had to write Jamaican Songs. He re-discovered mento, ska, and reggae, and wrote music for Jamaicans with his people driving themselves to be themselves, while worshipping God. Christ was a part of the people, and he understood that he also had to be a part of the people. He recorded his music with Leslie Chin.
The very first composition that Father Ho Lung remembers was his 1961 hymn “Enter into Jerusalem”, which became instantly popular, to his great surprise, and began to be used, not just in Roman Catholic churches, but in churches of all denominations around the Caribbean region. His “Caribbean Mass”, produced in the late ‘60s while lecturing and tutoring at the University of the West Indies, also became very popular. It was in this period that Father Ho Lung and Friends created a series of concerts, starting at The Little Theatre. The music travelled all over the Caribbean, especially to Trinidad, and concert tours were made to Canada, New York, North Carolina, Germany, Brazil and England.
During this period, Father Ho Lung established strong ties with many popular Jamaican singers and musicians, including the iconic Noel Dexter as Musical Director and Leslie Chin as Producer. Father Ho Lung also produced a rare Jamaican popular chart hit “Sinner”, which hit the top ten, and garnered much air play.
In 1972 he wrote “Sugar Cane”, based on a true story, with a Biblical message overlaid. This was followed by “Ruby” and “Amazing Grace”. His writings came out of his personal experiences and those of the persons with whom he interacted.
Father Ho Lung, as part of his Christian activism, worked with the squatters, talked with them and sat in front of the bulldozer with them, to protest the rights of the people. The tragic Eventide Fire in 1980 was also a catalyst for his musical compositions, as he spoke out in public and used the music to express his concern for the poor, and the need for charitable works.
He composed many popular liturgical pieces, including “Our Father” (The Lord’s Prayer), “Rejoice My Soul” and “Eternal Love”, which he produced using the Jamaican language. Eventually Jon Williams took over as Musical Director for Father Ho Lung’s productions, and in 2000, Father Ho Lung and Friends launched its most ambitious project, a musical theatre production, “Jesus 2000”, at the National Arena, the scope of which was beyond anything staged for theatre in Jamaica, with the exception of the LTM Pantomime. “Jesus 2000”, the first of these musicals, was a tremendous success, drawing thousands of attendees, and creating waves in the Christian and theatre communities. Since then Father Ho Lung and Friends have written and produced some 20 major musical productions, including “Moses”, “Isaiah”, “King Herod”, “King David”, and “Queen Esther”.
Father Ho Lung wrote the stories for his musicals, penned the lyrics of the songs, and created the melodies for most of the music.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
- Order of Jamaica
- 2016 Nelson Mandela Human Rights Achievement Sunshine Award
- Lifetime Achievement – American Chamber of Commerce – Jamaica Business & Civic Leadership Award
