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I wondered if any Guild Members could help me find out the history of the Guild’s Office Hymn?
Is it a translation of an ancient hymn, or was it written specially for the Guild? Any information would be much appreciated.
Peter Hillyar-Russ
Serving since 1958 –former member of St Wystan’s Chapter, Burton on Trent and South Derbyshire.
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REPLIES
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11/2/04
from Craig Aburn |
It was certainly not written specifically for the Guild as it appears in the English Catholic Hymnbook!
Craig Aburn Group Councillor LG5&6
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11/2/04
from Richard Hawker |
I have just spent the last hour or so trawling the internet for information on the Office hymn, but can find nothing on it whatsoever! However, I do have it in another book- "Catholic Prayers for Church of England People"- compiled by the late Fr. Stanton, which was first published in the 1870s, which implies that it is earlier than the Office, also, the Latin title at the top of the chant in the Ofice book implies that it is an ancient hymn- ie mediaeval at the latest. Regardless of it's age, it is, I think, one of the most beautiful hymns on the Mass and the Blessed Sacrament that I have ever come across.
PAX Yours in Christ, Richard Hawker
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11/2/04
from David Froud |
I did some research on this topic a few years back. This is a translation by Edward Caswall (1814 -1878) of a latin text "Hoste dun vieto triumphans." You will find these words at the top of the Office Hymn. Fr Caswall was an Anglican priest, ordained in 1839, and comtemporay of John Henry Newman. Like Newman he joined the Roman church but shortly after that event in 1850 his wife died. Caswall became an Orator at St Philip Neri near Edgbaston and it was there that he made many of his finest translations (including the hymn Jesus, the very thought of thee). He specialised in working on the Breviary and Missal of the French Monastery of St Bernard and the hymns are contained in the Lyra Catholica published in 1849. There is some dispute as to the authorship of the original text, some attribute it to St Thomas Aquinas while others believe it may be much earlier and suggest Bishop Venantius Fortunatus.
It became part of our Guild Office, (with variations over the years!) when it was compiled by Fr E. Denny in January 1899. It was first sung at S. Mary Magdalene, Munster Square, London on 7th June. It was set to plainchant in 1903 by Fr (later Bishop) Frere.C.R. in 1903. It was at this stage the hymn in its plainchant form.
David Froud Group Councillor PG10
E&OE
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12/2/04
from Peter Hillyar-Russ |
Many thanks for the replies to my query.
I too think it is one of the greatest hymns on Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, and I have prayed it from memory countless times since I first learned it as a young server attending the Guild Office back in the late fifties/early sixties.
More recently I have been doing some thinking and writing (not to be published) on the Epistle to the Hebrews where the theme of Melchisedek appears repeatedly, and the words of the hymn keep coming to mind as I read my Bible.
If anyone wants to share my thinking about the Epistle, I think that the whole book is about the Mass – but the writer needed to keep that a secret, so he never mentions it. His Christian readers would have know what he meant, but outsiders would not understand. He keeps talking about “food and drink”, he quotes the Old Testament verse about “The Blood of the everlasting covenant”, and quotes every word in the Old Testament about Melckisedek, EXCEPT that Melchisedek offered bread and wine. But he didn’t need to say that, as his readers knew knew what he was talking about. If I am right this would make the Letter to the Hebrews evidence that our Catholic thinking about the Mass as a sacrifice goes right back to the earliest days of the faith.
Thanks again for your help with this.
Peter Hillyar-Russ
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