About this artist

Cristóbal Fones (Santiago, 1975) is a Chilean Jesuit priest.

The fourth child of a large family, he was born in the city of Santiago. Since he was a child, he actively participated in the ecclesial community. He studied at Colegio San Ignacio El Bosque, a Jesuit school, where he received a formation oriented to the service of the most needy.

Before entering the Novitiate in 1994, he used to sing at popular music festivals and wedding celebrations with a group of friends called Engranaje. While studying sociology at the Catholic University of Chile, he accepted the call to consecrate his life as a priest.

During his formative years, music has been present accompanying various apostolic tasks and his own experience of prayer. Encouraged by his superiors, he recorded some songs for pastoral use in 1996 ( I contemplate you in the world ). The reception of this simple production and the need to make Catholic music more accessible in Chile encouraged him to produce a second, more widely distributed production in 1997 ( En el solo la esperanza ).

In 1999 he recorded a new album ( Father, I sing to you ) some songs created during his period of philosophical studies, and that same year he leaves in December for a pastoral experience in the south of the country with the Mapuche people. As a result of his missionary work in the lafkenmapu (territory by the sea), he composed the first mass in the indigenous language of Chile ( ülkantun Mass ) in 2001.

After resuming his theological studies, he composed a mass in Spanish in 2002 ( The table of all ), which he recorded with a choir of young people linked to Ignatian spirituality. These years are especially active in music ministry. He participates in numerous concerts and presentations of Catholic music throughout the country and collaborates in other Christian music productions (Toronto 2002, Misa Pampina, Dios te ama, En tus manos Señor, Ven a mi ventana, Más allá de las cumbres and Levántate).

In 2004, an anthology album of his religious songs was released for distribution abroad ( Consecrated to you ). In 2005 he collaborated in the production of the album in homage to Father Alberto Hurtado, SJ (Un fuego que enciende otros fuegos), where he recorded two new compositions. He also collaborated in the elaboration and recording of support material for the celebration of the Ignatian Jubilee 2005-2006 (A World is not enough and Servants of Christ’s mission) with new songs.

After graduate studies in sacramental and liturgical theology in Washington DC, USA, he moved to Boston MA to study modern music at Berklee College of Music. In 2008 he recorded new compositions in an album edited by Oregon Catholic Press, which includes texts by various contemporary authors ( Woven to earth ).

Since his return to Chile that same year, he has collaborated in several record productions (Congregados por tu amor, Cantos memorialiales, Vamos a cantar al Dios de la vida, Vivamos nuestra fe, Fe) and has composed some songs for schools and religious congregations (Amar y más amar, Himno Colegio Lecaros, Teresa Ternura, Violetas, Himno de la Misión), while participating in various prayer and singing meetings. In 2011, he participated in the MAGIS experience and the World Youth Day in Spain.

In 2013 he made his first international tour of different cities in Mexico, entitled: “With Christ, bring peace”, accompanying various Christian communities hit by the reality of violence, drug trafficking and kidnappings; bringing a message of reconciliation, welcome and hope. It also participates in the Magis Brazil experience, as well as the World Youth Day.

In 2014, he recorded a new album that includes Jesuit compositions from different parts of the world ( Ite inflammate omnia ) and began directing some massive youth choirs in different parts of the country ( 100 Voices Chile , In Crescendo Concepción , Araucanta ). In March 2015 he was assigned to the Itinerant Mission of the Society of Jesus, where he performs a pastoral service of accompaniment to young people in various dioceses in the south of the country. In these years he has been able to share his music in many places within Chile and also through some tours in Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Spain and Colombia.

In 2016 he performed as a soloist a new album that compiles songs composed from texts by Esteban Gumucio, at the request of the Congregation of the SSCC ( You, my brother ). In 2017 he released a new instrumental album “for a holistic ecology” ( Küme Mongen ), which collects in its themes old melodies, revisited from the purest elements of nature, with sounds of the world and a strong influence of ethnic music. It obtains the Recyclápolis National Environmental Award for this production in 2017, in the sustainable culture category.

In 2019 she recorded a new album interpreting songs composed by the Discalced Carmelite Sisters of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit ( Alone in God ), on the occasion of the Centenary of the Easter of the Chilean saint Teresa of Jesus of the Andes. During these last years of itinerant mission, it has promoted the recording of some community experiences of massive singing, such as Sing Chiloé y A King is Born in Valdivia as well as interpreted new songs for digital broadcasting ( Wake me up , New Women , Fisherman of men , Open to grace , xCh’ul Maria , Veni Creator Spiritus , Declaration of domicile , Easter Proclamation , The Wound , People are needed and many more).

During 2021 he was releasing as singles the songs that make up his new album Nova Omnia (2022), already available in digital stores as part of the celebrations of the Ignatian Year 2021-2022 and that, like Ite inflammate omnia (2014) recreates Jesuit compositions from various parts of the world.