05 October 2016

‘The flowers and fruits that in thee grow,
let them his glory also show’

‘World’s Smallest Seed’ (40”x30” oil/canvas, by James B. Janknegt)

Patrick Comerford

I am presiding at the Eucharist in the Chapel of the Church of Ireland Theological Institute this evening [5 October 2016], and the preacher is the Right Revd Dr Ferran Glenfield, Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh.

The Readings, Collect, Proper and Post-Communion Prayer are those of the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. But some of the hymns also reflect the fact tha yesterday was the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi.

The readings are: Lamentations 1: 1-6; Psalm 137: 1-6; II Timothy 1: 1-14; Luke 17: 5-10.

These images and this note are published in this evening’s chapel booklet:

A note on this evening’s Eucharist and hymns:

This evening’s readings, collect, preface and post-Communion prayer are those for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. Our hymns are in both the Church Hymnal (5th edition) and Thanks & Praise.

Processional Hymn: ‘All creatures of our God and king’ (Church Hymnal, 24) is based on ‘The Canticle of the Sun’ written by Saint Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) shortly before his death, but was not published for almost 400 years. This version was translated by the Revd William Henry Draper (1855-1933), Vicar of Adel, Leeds, and later Master of the Temple, London, for a children’s Whitsuntide festival in Leeds. The words, ‘The flowers and fruits that in thee grow, / let them his glory also show,’ also prepare us for our Gospel reading. The melody, Lasst uns erfreuen (Easter Song) was found in Geistliche Kirchengesäng (Cologne, 1623) and was arranged for the English Hymnal (1906) by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) for Athelstan Riley’s hymn, ‘Ye watchers and ye holy ones’ (Church Hymnal, 476).

Gloria: This Peruvian liturgical text (Thanks & Praise, 196), sung to a Peruvian traditional chant, was collected by John Ballantine.

Gradual: ‘Father, hear the prayer we offer’ (Church Hymnal, 645) was written in 1856 by Love Maria Willis (1824-1908) for an American magazine, Tiffany’s Monthly. The tune Sussex is an English traditional tune collected and adapted for the English Hymnal (1906) by Vaughan Williams, who first heard it in Sussex.

Offertory: ‘God everlasting, wonderful and holy’ (Thanks and Praise, 43) was written by Harold Riley (1903-2003). The tune Coelitas plaudant is a melody from the Rouen Antiphoner (1728), and was harmonised by Vaughan Williams for the English Hymnal (1906).

Communion Hymn: As we receive Holy Communion, we sing ‘Jesus, remember me’ (Church Hymnal, 617), by Jacques Berthier (1923-1994) and the Taizé Community. Berthier, in collaboration with Father Robert Giscard and Father Joseph Gelineau, developed the ‘songs of Taizé’ genre. He composed 284 songs and accompaniments for Taizé, including Laudate omnes gentes and Ubi Caritas.

Post Communion Hymn: ‘How sacred is this place’ (Thanks & Praise, 55) is a hymn by the Revd Fred Pratt Green (1903-2000), the Methodist hymn-writer, poet and playwright. He based this hymn is based on the evening canticle Nunc dimittis (Luke 2: 29-32). The melody for Nunc dimittis was included in Pseaulmes cinquante de David, published in Lyons in 1547 by Louis Bourgeois (ca 1510-1561), and the harmony is chiefly by Claude Goudimel (d 1572).

Patrick Comerford,
5 October 2016


Saint Francis with a fox: ‘All creatures of our God and king, / Lift up your voice and with us sing’ … a sculpture at Gormanston College marking the 800th anniversary of the birth of Saint Francis of Assisi in 1982 (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2016)

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