Many people have strong reactions to rapper Bad Bunny, stemming from his political outspokenness, his sometimes-lewd musical lyrics, or even the fact that his halftime show at the Super Bowl will be performed entirely in Spanish. Yet, millions of young people around the world adore the 31-year-old rapper, whose real name is Benito Martínez Ocasio. They are especially fond of him in his native Puerto Rico, looking at him as a kind of homegrown hero.
In 2025, the rapper intentionally decided to offer a residential concert series in Puerto Rico, which the Wall Street Journal estimated to have generated nearly $200 million in economic value to the struggling island. Most Puerto Ricans see this as evidence of his strong convictions and willingness to use his stardom to make a difference.
In other words, they believe he has a conscience.
Where might his social conscience have been formed?
Bad Bunny grew up in Vega Baja, a very humble, small town on the island. It is a place that Catholic Extension Society knows very well.
Young Benito was raised Catholic and attended Most Holy Trinity Parish—a church that was built with Extension funds in 1980.
His father was a truck driver and his mom a public school teacher.
Bad Bunny did his first-ever public singing in the parish choir. He also was an altar server. While not an outwardly practicing Catholic now, he admits that these experiences in the church shaped his life. And, the parish choir continues even without their young prodigy.
Father Luis Vazquez Santos (below) is pastor. His salary is supported by Catholic Extension Society. The pastor and many parishioners know Bad Bunny’s family, including his grandparents and his mother, who is an active lay leader in the parish and teaches religious education.
Investing in the overlooked
Catholic Extension Society believes that overlooked faith communities are the very places where some of the greatest talent, creativity and hard-working people are to be found. Bad Bunny is no exception.
That is why for over 120 years, we have chosen to invest in communities like Vega Baja, where according to census data nearly 45% of the population lives below poverty.
The parish will soon be rehabilitated eight years after it was damaged by Hurricane Maria, thanks to Catholic Extension Society’s disaster recovery program. Like many other parishes, the building has never fully been repaired. It leaks and creaks and is even more susceptible to damage when the next hurricane comes.
That is why Catholic Extension Society has been working to restore more than 600 churches and Catholic schools across the island. When completed it will be the largest rebuilding and restoring of churches untaken in the history of Christianity in the Western Hemisphere. The purpose of the program is to not only rebuild the church’s presence in economically struggling towns like Vega Baja, but also create an estimated 7,000 jobs to the island, and bring $400 million in economic value to Puerto Rico.
The good in ‘Bad Bunny’
Catholics have long believed that salvation is a journey, not an event. Beginning with our baptism (which Bad Bunny shares), God’s grace is always at work in us, perfecting our nature. That is why many Catholics in Puerto Rico have embraced Bad Bunny, even if he is not currently a “practicing” Catholic, his lyrics are offensive, or lifestyle no longer that of a “choir boy.”
No doubt, his Catholic mom, who volunteers to teach catechism to young parishioners, is praying for her son. Perhaps not unlike the 4th century saint, St. Monica, who famously prayed for her child Augustine—who went from a wild youth to one of the most influential leaders in western civilization. Moms always see their sons’ brilliance first.
Sister Yelitza Ayala, a Dominican Sister, a partner of Catholic Extension Society and native of Puerto Rico, is also praying for Bad Bunny. She admits that some of his lyrics are so explicit that she cannot listen to them. Yet, she is praying to St. Benedict, his patron saint. Her special intention for him is that he uses his Catholic conscience to take a stance on defending the innocent, particularly children. While serving as director of the Human Development Center in Guánica, Puerto Rico, from 2020 to 2024, Sister Yelitza encountered children who were abused. She’s hoping that “Benito” (aka Bad Bunny) will use his powerful pulpit to shed light on those suffering and call people to action.
In January, Catholic Extension Society took a group of pastors to visit some of the communities in Puerto Rico that we support. One of the places we stopped at was Bad Bunny’s home parish. There, we learned about their present realities, and celebrated a Mass in thanksgiving for their upcoming parish renovation through our recovery program.
By supporting faith communities like Vega Baja, we are creating hubs where people can come to experience God’s grace—which remains with them for life. In our faith tradition we believe that God’s grace suffices. So, we don’t give up on people, and we don’t “throw the baby out with the bathwater,” which is why no one in his home parish or town are throwing “Bad Bunny out with his baptismal water.”
That includes long-time parishioner, Olga, who is friends and neighbors with Bad Bunny’s grandparents. “I remember when he was just this tall” she said, pointing to her knees.
Olga will be rooting for him when she watches him at the Super Bowl halftime show, hoping that it will be an opportunity to share with the world the joy of their community and their pride as Puerto Ricans.
Help us rebuild Catholic churches and schools in Puerto Rico! Catholic Extension Society works in solidarity with people to build up vibrant and transformative Catholic faith communities among the poor in the poorest regions of America. Please support our mission!
