El Padrecito Ministries

I am a Catholic Priest, a Conventual Franciscan, and my name is Father Masseo Gonzales. By the time I was nineteen-years-old I was expelled out of a high-school, dropped out of another, and had a juvenile police record. At nineteen I lost a portion of my right leg as a result of a street fight. It was only by the grace of God – and a number of incidents which followed – that I went through a conversion and returned back to my faith. Much to my surprise, however, I also discovered I had a religious vocation. In 1985 I joind the Franciscans and in 1996 I was ordained a Catholic Priest. Once ordained, I just knew I had to do something for our youth.

“El Padrecito” and the HOMIES

The opportunity presented itself in 2000 when my blood brother, HOMIES creator David Gonzales, released his popular HOMIES toy line. You see, I was/am the priest behind the character, “El Padrecito.” And so with my limited computer skills I created “El Padrecito’s online church.” And soon thousands of youth from around the country, mostly those who had abandoned the faith, were writing me seeking spiritual guidance. (See Los Angeles Times Newspaper Article, December 17th, 2007.)

Rap and Hip-Hop Outreach: 2006

The “online church” ministry finished in 2006. This is when Facebook was booming and it was too difficult to compete with changing technologies. Not only that, but I wanted to broaden my outreach and felt a call to use rap and hip-hop as a means of reaching the youth. I was well aware that society and perhaps even the church would frown upon this “guttural” and an “in-your-face” style of music. In light of how quickly we were losing our youth, however, I needed to trust the inner voice. Or as Pope Francis would eventually say at World Youth Day in Brazil, “if the youth don’t come to church, the church needs to go to the youth.” I couldn’t help but ask: “couldn’t these wonderful beats, story-telling and an “in-your-face style” of music be used to proclaim the Gospel and the Good News of the Church?

El Padrecito & FoundNation
In 2006 started taking inner-city kids in Northern California and providing them with a more holistic environment in which to write, record, produce and perform their music. This led into the production of number of rap music videos with an anti-gang message.

This new adventure ironically led me into the performance world, and I absolutely loved it. So not only have I had the opportunity to oversee the production of numerous music videos and two cd’s, but now peform and provide conferences with one of the more successful catholic hip-hop groups in the U.S., FoundNation Family. Our group has performed at World Youth Day in Brazil (2013), the National Catholic Youth Conference 2015 (Indianapolis), in dioceses and archdiocese from New York to Los Angeles, throughout Texas, etc., and have produced a number of music videos and two CD’s , “Universal” and “Ave Maria.” Our soon-to-be released "Opening Act" ought to be released by Christmas 2016.


Performing Arts Center: Guadalupe, California

It had always been a vision to plant the ministry in the farming community of Guadalupe, California. And so then in 2012 we opened up “El Padrecito’s Performing Arts Center.” Currently dance classes in hip-hop, ballet, tap, etc., are provided at low cost to many disadvantaged children and their families. We are the only such community dance center within a 75 mile radius and roughly 75 students pass through our classes each year. Local instructors are hired and the children, mostly girls between the ages of 4 and 13, perform roughly 18 times in the local community, providing opportunity to improve self-esteem and expore artistic potential.

What's next for El Padrecito? Only Our Blessed Mother knows of course. But it is hoped to do a national tour with FoundNation in 2017, and continue our work with the youth and young adults in Guadalupe, California, slowly building on existing programs. It is also hoped to start an official Militia Immaculata youth and young adult group.

There are plenty of souls to save. May Our Blessed Mother guide us, to her son, Jesus Christ. And may the Kingdom of the Sacred Heart of Jesus reign in this world, as soon as possible.

Father Masseo Gonzales, OFM Conv.

El Padrecito Ministries
Founder
950A Guadalupe Street – Guadalupe, CA. 93434
805-219-0441