Beyond The Beacon podcast 112 – More than a melody: The unstoppable spirit of Tony Melendez

Tony Melendez, a renowned toe-picking Catholic guitarist born without arms, says let God use you, take you to places, and you be the instrument that God plays. Melendez’s life was forever changed in 1987 when he played his guitar for Pope John Paul II in Los Angeles, and the Pope approached him afterward from the stage to kiss him in appreciation. Melendez says his phone hasn’t stopped ringing since that moment, and he continues to perform 15-20 concerts a month.

On this latest episode of Beyond The Beacon, Melendez recounts this story and more with the Diocese of Paterson’s Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney and Communications Director/Beacon Editor Jai Agnish before taking the stage for a concert at Sacred Heart & Our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Dover, N.J.

Listen to the episode here, or on any major podcast platform, or watch it on Bishop Sweeney’s YouTube channel.


Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Previous Story

Diocese of Paterson clergy appointments: May 27, 2026

Next Story

Obituary: Sister of Christian Charity Mary Lawrence Cassidy, 91

Latest from News