"Are you really a musician?"

The Archbishop and I talked and talked. He looked at an album of our peace activities and there he saw a photograph of Muhammad Ali. It seems he is a great admirer of Muhammad Ali. Quite a few times, he asked me, “How long are you going to stay? How long are you going to stay?”

He asked me many questions on different subjects and I answered them. He cannot believe that I am a musician. Two or three times, he looked at me and asked, “Are you really a musician?”

I said, “Yes. I will give a concert here at the Cathedral in four days’ time and I would like to invite you to come. I will sing and play musical instruments. My students will also perform.” But he was fully convinced that my students are the musicians and singers, not me. He could not believe that a person like me would play music.

Then the Archbishop asked me, “How will people come to know about the concert?”

I said, “I only play. I am not involved in these things.” I was looking at my assistants for the answer. A few minutes later, he asked the same question. He was sincerely concerned. He wanted many people to come to the concert.

— 22 December 1997 Guatemala City