"I was really conscious of all the supermarket workers and want to acknowledge them and give thanks to them," Fr Chris says in this video before launching into his catchy new song.

Listen to the supermarket song

Lyons sent a link to the songs to the prime minister with a note saying: "We think these songs could play a part in this current time of remembering. Here is the link that will enable you to hear them: chrisskinner.org.nz/we-are-you."

He received a reply from the prime minister's office thanking them on behalf of the prime minister and telling them a copy of the email had been sent to the Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Hon Megan Woods, for her information.

One song is inspired by the words used by Adern at the time of the tragedy that "You are us"; it has the title, We are you

Lyons said You are us was a phrase that sprang up almost immediately after the tragedy, directed at the Muslim community, reassuring them that the rest of Aotearoa-New Zealand stood with them.

"I wanted to place the phrase in the mind of the killer and others who think the same way: 'You are us - and we are you.'"

​Lyons said Chris Skinner's music reflected the theme very well, giving energy to his words, and also emphasising their urgency.

Skinner has written a second song inspired by the outpouring of public support with flowers, resulting in the "Garden in the street".

"For me, the floral tributes provided a beautiful display to show the Muslim community that they were not alone in their grief and trauma. We were standing with them," he said.

"My hope is that the song will support and comfort the Muslim Community and that it touches into the hearts of all New Zealanders who stand for peace and believe and uphold the gift of our common humanity."

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• Suppled: Fr Chris Skinner
• chrisskinner.org.nz
• Image: screenshot chrisskinner.org

The tour began on Monday 2 July in Queenstown.

Children from St Joseph's School Queenstown sang, listened and learned the actions for Chris' music.

His sense of fun and real joy was contagious and all were smiles during his concert.

Later that afternoon, Catholic school teachers from all over Central Otago gathered to hear Chris use his music to teach about the liturgy of the mass.

The tour then travelled along the Ida Valley to Ranfurly for a school concert.

The children there knew Chris's music and sang along beautifully.

Then it was on to Oamaru for another concert and a parish teacher session in the late afternoon.

On Wednesday night Chris was in Dunedin where parish musicians had gathered at Holy Name.

He spoke about the fact that people bring their own lived experience of the liturgy to the parish music ministry.

Amy Armstrong, the Dunedin Diocese's pastoral leader, said it was really refreshing to hear someone who is fully immersed in the kiwi context speaking to them.

The following afternoon was spent in the St Peter Chanel Church in Green Island.

Chris shared his Marist story, as well as his music and wisdom on the liturgy, with the teachers who had gathered from Dunedin and the surrounding districts.

In Balclutha, families seemed to come from everywhere for the school concert.

Cousins of all ages appeared and enjoyed with the children and teachers at St Joseph's school.

Teachers travelled to Invercargill from Winton, Bluff and Gore to join the local teachers at St Patrick's Church.

Chris's input was enhanced by recent video clips about the mass created by Bishop Peter Cullinane for the Christchurch Diocese.

He finished his marathon tour in Gore where he gave a concert at St. Mary's in the morning and, in the evening, presented a session at Blessed Sacrament Church for parish musicians.

"It was a nice follow-up to his tour 2016 tour of the Dunedin Diocese where he taught us all his Hopetoun Mass, which is being sung in many parishes," said Armstrong.

"Touring and teaching in all parts of our Diocese has brought a liturgical cohesiveness which helps us feel more as one.

We also like to claim Fr Chris as one of our own as he has some strong roots in the Balclutha/Tuapeka Mouth areas of Otago," she said.

"We all felt utterly blessed by Fr Chris Skinner's prayerful spirit, which came through each concert and workshop he offered to us here in the Dunedin Diocese."

Read the press realise

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• Press release: Supplied: Katrina van de Water, Catholic Education Office Advisor and Amy Armstrong, Pastoral Leader
• Image Supplied

The concert took place to launch Angel of the Forest, a new album by well known singer, Fr Chris Skinner.

A special feature of the concert was the performance of five songs with lyrics by another well known priest Fr James Lyons.

The album also contains Song for you co-written with John Matteson and four songs with both lyrics and music by Chris.

The title refers to the Kotuku (white heron).

One of the unique features of the concert was that both artists had time to explain how the words and music came about.

Mother of Mercy carried a message about how sorrow and pain might be met by compassion and mercy.

Lyons explained that the phrase thieves of innocence compelled him as he wrote it.

"'You hold seeds for the planting in the soil of our sorrow' was a line that spoke gently and powerfully to me, said Margaret Riordan, who was at the concert.

Another song Into my Life had lyrics by Lyons that spoke of thankfulness for precious friendships in our lives.

"As Fr Chris wove the beautiful melody with his voice, I was grateful for all those who came to my mind," said Riordan.

"One of my favourite songs had an ecological theme - Kotuku".

"I especially loved the way the words of the Maori proverb, ‘He Kotuku rerenga tahi' just flowed from Chris's voice into the air - as if the majestic kotuku was taking flight," she said.

The last song from the album was Mum and Dad which Chris wrote after looking at his parents' wedding photograph.

It was a gentle reflection on love, hope, dreams and memories.

The concert concluded with few audience requests.

‘Sons of Gallipoli' was sung with gusto by all, and was clearly a song that has been adopted with enthusiasm by the parish.

Chris says the album contains some very moving songs and some lively upbeat compositions.

"This is truly something quite different given the collaboration that has taken place and the arrangements have a real celtic flavour," he says.

• Click here for the titles and lyrics of the songs.
• Click here to order a copy of the CD.

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• Supplied Margaret Riordan
• Image Supplied

Their Album, 'Reason to Believe' is to be released on 1 November.

Brian Martin, from the Hawke's Bay, brought the two singers together.

In April 2011 he was in New York. He woke in the early hours and remembered that the Breakers had played the final of the Trans-Tasman NBL basketball championship. Interested in knowing the outcome, through the internet he tuned into NZ radio for the final score.

While waiting he heard Jim Sutton reviewing the first album of artist Janice Bateman. Brian thought that her voice came through with such quality and clarity that he was inspired to send her an email. That was the beginning of' 'Reason to Believe'.

When Brian got home he brought Fr Chris and Janice together to look at the possibility their working together.

"I wasn't sure about being involved in the project given my vocation, style and previous recordings. I am more at ease with the behind the scenes approach." says Fr. Chris.

"This particular project is a bit more out there but Brian assured me he would keep all that in mind."

Janice and Chris recorded the album in January of this year in Orewa with Mike McCarthy at his studio. She had recorded her first album with him and Chris had recorded the single 'You raise me up' with Mike in 2005.

Reason to Believe is an album of duets and solos, including timeless classics such as Flying Without Wings, Bridge over Troubled Water, Smile, In the Arms of an Angel, Amazing Grace and Sailing

Janice Bateman

Christchurch singer Janice Bateman's debut Album "Here I am" rose quickly to number 5 on the NZ charts and won immediate acclaim. She was voted the Female Artist of the Year at the Variety Artists of New Zealand awards.

Fr Chris Skinner

Chris is a Marist priest. He began writing his own songs from the age of 16 and recorded his first album in 1990. On average he has produced an album every two years since then and sees his music as an integral part of his priesthood.

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• Supplied

Fr Skinner was one of the lead in acts for female composer and singing sensation Carole King and the Bee Gee's legend, Barry Gibb.

Chris told the crowd that living last year on the adjacent hill at the International Marist Novitiate, he heard Rod Stewart and wondered what it would be like to sing at the Mission Concert.

"I lived here for five years, training for priesthood and one year on the hill 'over there', and I never imagined I'd be standing here singing", he told an enthusiastic and swelling crowd of around 5,000.

Chris will shortly release a joint album, with a Christchurch based singer, Janice Bateman.

The album is called "Reason to Believe".

Executive Producer Brian Martin told CathNews some of the tracks are well known but there are also some original works as well.

"It has some truly beautiful music with underlying messages that I think all listeners will identify with and relate to, whatever their circumstances," he said.

"The real messages in life are not announced to you, they are discerned", Martin said.

Martin is clear in his view that instant responses to music are the stuff of rock music and that real life messages require subtlety.

"It's about engaging with people when they don't want to listen to a sermon, and Chris does this so well with his music", he said.

Martin says 'Reason to Believe', to be released shortly, is worth waiting for.

"'Reason to Believe' brings out so many layers, so many 'reasons' to believe, Martin said.

"Belief in each other, God, love, life, pleasantness, a positive attitude" are just a few he said.

"With Janice and Chris' album, 'Reason to Believe' "People can take their own layer", said Martin.

As well as listening to Chris Skinner and the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra, a well behaved crowd of 20,000 enjoyed the hits of Barry Gibb and Carole King.

Mission Concert organiser Gary Craft said preliminary preparations are already under way for the 2014 Concert.

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Chris Skinner
Image - Chris Skinner