Pope Francis, Catholic Rock Star, Is Putting Out a Pop Album

Those who choose to preorder the album on iTunes will be able to instant-download the song “Wake Up! Go! Go!”

The album’s announcement comes amid a high-profile trip to the United States, and on the same day that Pope Francis spoke before the United Nations.

The album features Pope Francis delivering scared hymns and excerpts from his moving speeches in multiple languages with musical accompaniment ranging from pop-rock to Gregorian chant.

While it’s Pope Francis’ first record, there is a precedent of Papal albums: John Paul II and Benedict XVI have also released music in the past. They are in English, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese. The pre-released tittle track from the album,”Wake Up! Go! Go!”

“I tried to be strongly faithful to the pastoral and personality of Pope Francis: the Pope of dialogue, open doors, hospitality”.

This album will see the Pope’s earnest message set to stirring tunes produced by artistic director Don Giulio Neroni.

The single, which debuted on RollingStone.com Friday, features rousing, albeit soft-spoken pleas such as “The Lord speaks of a responsibility that the Lord gives you”. “For this reason, the voice of Pope Francis in ‘Wake Up!’ dialogues music. Forward! finds Pope Francis addressing a South Korean audience in English past year amid atmospheric synths, trumpeting horns and sky-scraping electric guitars”, said the magazine. Some of the album’s proceeds will be donated to “a support fund for refugees”, according to a news release.