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 Janelle still gets excited thinking about singing for Pope
John Paul II and close to 1 million
people at World Youth Day in 2002. The
23-year-old dynamo was chosen from
entrants from around the world to not
only sing and record the World Youth Day
theme song, but also to perform with her
band 26 times throughout the six day WYD
event in Toronto.
Janelle grew up in a small French town in Legal, Alberta.
By the time she was 5 years old, it was
apparent that this sparkling, vibrant
little girl had an extraordinary gift –
to sing – and to do so exceedingly well.
From a very early age, her mother and
grandmother taught her old French
heritage songs, after which came lots of
exposure to singing in and learning the
music of the church. By age 14, Janelle
had become the lead singer with a
contemporary Christian band, hosting
events in Edmonton, Alberta, that
regularly attracted 300-600 youth.
After singing with this group for 4 years, Janelle moved to
New Zealand where she attended ICPE
school of Evangelization. Upon her
return to Canada, she joined the
Life-Vision Communications team,
singing, recording, and even doing some
 secretarial work. Soon after, she marred Life-Vision’s
director of operations, Jason Reinhart,
presently her manager. The couple
currently live and work in Radway,
Alberta, with their son Eric.
Janelle and her current band, ONE80, have been
touring extensively throughout Canada,
seeking out and accepting every
opportunity to grow in their art and in
their faith. With a studio at their
disposal, writing and recording is
ongoing and prolific.
With a desire to reach youth with music and a message that
is positive and offers hope to a hurting
world, this is one artist with a very
clear objective and with the drive, the
team, and the platform to not only see
her dreams come true, but to supersede
them.
Janelle has recorded her first solo album, “New Day”,
which was produced by Steve Rendall of
Harvest Music Group, and Bill Baumgart
from High Pass Studios in Nashville,
Tennessee.
Janelle has been awarded:
·
New Artist of the Year (VIBE Awards
2003)
·
Best New Artist of the Year (Maja Awards
2003)
·
Female Artist of the Year (Maja Awards
2003)
·
Best Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year
(Covenant Awards 2003).
She has been nominated for a total of 8 awards
There is no denying that this remarkable Canadian
singer/songwriter is poised, ready and
willing to embark into a life of service
to God and His people.
To order Janelle’s debut album, New
Day, visit her website:
www.janelle.cc or call
Life-Vision Communications at
1-866-286-LIFE (5433)
The Day the Pope Held me in His Arms
by Janelle Reinhart
 Words
cannot express how touched I was on
March 21, 2002, the day I met His
Holiness Pope John Paul II in St.
Peter’s Square in Rome, Italy. My heart
was overflowing with appreciation and I
could not believe the magnitude of God’s
goodness. I had traveled to Paris and
Rome with a group of young people
employed at the National World Youth Day
(WYD) Office in Toronto.
The purpose of our trip was to meet with
French and Italian WYD delegates
planning to bring their young people to
Toronto in July for WYD 2002. We
brought information for the leaders,
encouragement for the young people and a
fire burning within us promoting
participation in WYD 2002. We left
March 14th, spent 4 days in Paris then
proceeded onto Rome for 6 days. My
life’s highlight was Thursday evening
when the Pope gathered young people from
all over Europe (and the world via TV),
and personally asked them to join him in
Toronto for WYD in July. The theme of
the evening was this year’s WYD theme;
“You are the Light of the World and Salt
of the Earth.” The theme was written in
Italian on thousands of yellow red and
blue banners and displayed with vigil
candles that were handed out to the
people in St. Peter’s Square. The
festivities of the evening included
music by the Vatican Symphony orchestra,
appearances from several Italian pop
stars, young people rollerblading up and
down St. Peter’s Square with blazing
torches, testimonies from young people
about their past WYD experiences and of
course the Pope’s address to the young
people. I had the privilege of opening
the official ceremony with the WYD theme
song. I sang the international version
in French, English, and Italian. While I
was singing the Pope was making his
entrance parading through the crowd in
his Pope-mobile, but as if by divine
intervention, just as I began singing
the first chorus, “The Light of the
world, Salt of the earth….” The Pope
traveled up the ramp before me, waved
and smiled at me and then proceeded to
take his seat on the upper stage for all
the world to see! It was amazing! My
heart was bursting with emotion! The
celebration was beautiful and I was so
moved by all that was happening.
Unknown to me the climax was yet to
come!
At the end of the celebration about 40
people were given special passes giving
them permission to meet the Pope and
shake his hand. Among them was the
Italian President and his wife, some
clergymen, the pop artists who had
performed earlier for him, and myself!
I just couldn’t believe what was
happening! When it came to my turn, I
knelt before the Holy Father, kissed his
hand and then I broke down, sobbing like
a baby. Then the next thing I knew he
gently took my head into his hands and
laid my head on his chest. He began
stroking my hair as if to say, “Shhhh,
shhhh”. Such fatherly love! Then he
held my face in his hands and smiled
while the Cardinal nearby told him that
I was the official World Youth Day Theme
song singer and that I would be singing
again for him in Toronto. I then placed
my hand on his face and we gazed at each
other, his one hand cradling my cheek
and mine his. I felt as if time had
stopped! I was amazed at how his frail
body and aged face radiated such amazing
humility and love. I was sure at that
moment that the day I see Jesus face to
face will much resemble this silent
heart to heart exchange. There was so
much I had planned to tell him, but all
I could get out between my sobs was, “Je
t’aime”, which in French means, “I love
you”. He smiled again, gently kissed my
forehead, I kissed his hand one last
time, then I got up and left. It took
me at least 20 minutes to compose
myself. That night I laid awake for a
long time thanking God for his goodness
and many blessings. I especially
thanked Him for His gift to the world in
our Holy Father Pope John Paul II.
- Janelle
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