John Michael Talbot

John Michael Talbot Born May 8 1954 Is An American Roman Catholic Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist Who Is Founder Of A Monastic Community The Brothers And Sisters Of Charity Biography Talbot Was Born Into A Methodist Family With A Musical Background In Oklahoma City Oklahoma And Started Learning To Play The Guitar At An Early Age. At Age 15 He Dropped Out Of School And Was Performing As A Guitarist For Mason Proffit A Country Folk-Rock Band Formed With His Older Brother Terry. Talbot Embarked On A Spiritual Journey That Led Him Through Native American Religion And Buddhism To Christianity. At This Point He And His Brother Terry Joined The Jesus Movement Recording The Album Reborn Which Was Re-Released By Sparrow Records Originally Released As The Talbot Brothers On The Warner Brothers Label . Two Solo Albums Followed For Talbot John Michael Talbot 1976 And The New Earth 1977 . Both Of These Were Produced By Billy Ray Hearn. Reading The Life Of Saint Francis Of Assisi He Was Inspired To Begin Studying At A Franciscan Center In Indianapolis. He Became A Roman Catholic And Joined The Secular Franciscan Order In 1978. He Started A House Of Prayer The Little Portion. Talbot Moved The Little Portion To Eureka Springs Arkansas On Land He Had Purchased During His Mason Proffit Days. He Founded His Own Community The Brothers And Sisters Of Charity At Little Portion Hermitage As An "integrated Monastic Community" With Celibate Brothers And Sisters Singles And Families. By 1989 Talbot Had Married Viola Pratka With The Permission Of The Catholic Church . Pratka Was A Former Incarnate Word Sister Who Had Come To The Community In 1986. Per The Community's General Constitutions Talbot's Title Is "General Minister And Spiritual Father". For Many Years He Has Promoted The Work Of Mercy Corps. The Hermitage Suffered A Fire In April 2008 In Which The Chapel Library And Many Common Areas Were Destroyed. On April 10 2010 The Bishop Of Little Rock Anthony Taylor Dedicated The New Buildings. On October 2 2010 The Brothers And Sisters Of Charity At Little Portion Hermitage Celebrated The Opening Of The New Monastery Church And Common Center. read less