Father Oche Matutina, an Indonesian Catholic Redemptorist missionary, incorporates electric guitar music into Sunday Mass services in Bourke, north-western New South Wales, Australia. He also performs in a local band.
Fr. Matutina arrived in Australia in 2020 and was assigned to Bourke in 2022. He initially found adapting to the rural town challenging but later developed an appreciation for the area. Bourke is situated within the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes, which covers a significant portion of New South Wales.
Growing up on Sumba island, Indonesia, Fr. Matutina's childhood involved rock music, with influences like Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, and Metallica, supported by his guitar-making father. He joined the seminary at age 17, inspired by a German priest who suggested he could pursue both music and priesthood. He was ordained at 29.
Fr. Matutina regards music as a form of prayer and a tool for connection, particularly in Australia where direct discussions about faith may be less common. He utilizes music to initiate conversations and build community relationships.
Since Fr. Matutina began integrating electric guitar into Mass, church attendance in Bourke has reportedly increased from 3-5 individuals to 30-50 attendees.
Recognizing that a significant portion of Bourke's Catholic population does not attend church, Fr. Matutina co-founded a covers band named Yellowbelly. The band includes local musicians Stephen Wilson (guitarist/singer), Kobie Lollback (bassist), and Dwayne Elwood-Hudson (drummer). Yellowbelly performs at pubs and community events across north-western NSW and southern Queensland.
Fr. Matutina serves as the lead guitarist, occasionally performing rock star techniques such as playing the guitar behind his head. His Aboriginal bandmates reportedly view him primarily as a fellow musician. Fr. Matutina's approach has garnered recognition within the Wilcannia-Forbes diocese. He emphasizes that faith involves community connection and sharing joy, aiming to demonstrate "God's kindness, God's love" through his actions. He has requested to remain in Bourke for an additional three years.