Father Richard Ho Lung, a Jamaican Catholic has dedicated his life to serving the poorest of poor, the homeless and destitute in the world's worst slums. He founded the Missionaries of the Poor, a religious order that houses and cares for abandoned children, lepers, people with Aids and others in need. Whenever he goes into the ghettos of Jamaica, he is affectionately called `Father'.

For hundreds of destitute and homeless children and elderly, for thousands of ghetto poor, youth, the street children and prisoners in Jamaica he is truly a father. Along with a community of 115 young religious brothers and priests he founded, he serves, and has served for the last 20 years, the `cast-aways" of the world. In a world of intellectual and material pride, he has sacrificed his intellectual career to become a servant of the least, washing their feet and binding their wounds.

The religious community he founded to share and continue his vision and mission became the first to be approved by the Vatican in the English speaking Caribbean. He has also been a servant of the wider society in another arena of life - music. His musical plays and recordings have been a spiritual inspiration and sustenance of hundreds of thousands in Jamaica and far beyond. A primary source of revenue for the Missionaries of the Poor is the music written by Fr. Ho Lung.Fr.

Father Ho Lung will soon be in Bermuda to perform for local audiences. Organised by the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton the concerts will take place at Mount Saint Agnes Academy at 7.30 p.m. on Friday November 16 and Saturday November 17.

In 1967, Richard Ho Lung began writing for Jamaican children in Jamaican rhythms and the native patois, while he was teaching at St. George's College. The songs kept coming and soon the Catholic schools began worship using many of his songs.

In 1974, Father Ho Lung gathered an informal group of exceptionally talented musicians and singers. They came under the directorship of Bart Hopkin who also had great respect and admiration for Jamaica and it's culture as well as for Fr. Ho Lung with whom he had a life-long friendship. Bart added the theory and organised beautiful harmonies for the compositions of Fr. Ho Lung. They worked hand in hand with song after song at music workshops in Jamaica and the Caribbean and at concerts locally and abroad.

1976 saw the beginning of an annual overseas concert tours for Fr. Ho Lung & Friends. The Celebration of Life concerts were staged in Canada, with an encore in 1977 in Canada and in Trinidad and yet again in 1978 in Canada and in Detroit, Michigan.

By the 1990's, Fr. Ho Lung and Friends attained new heights as the quality of productions continued to mature and as Fr. Ho Lung began working with Mr. Alwyn Bully of UNESCO as director. In 1999, Fr. Ho Lung and Friends cut its first compact disc "Working for the Lord" after making a prestigious contract with Oregon Catholic Press for the syndication and dissemination of his large collection of liturgical compositions for use in various Churches in North America.

In 2000 Fr. Richard Ho Lung & Friends launched `Jesus 2000', a star-studded musical extravaganza featuring this talented Jamaican group, backed by a thirty piece Philharmonic Orchestra from Florida.

Tickets for the weekend concert are on sale at St. Theresa's Gift Shop, Elliott Street, Hamilton and the Music Box, Reid Street for $30 adults and $15 children 12 years and under.