Australia Day - Choir/Cantor Book with Propers
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    I recently put this booklet for someone, so I thought it might be worth posting for those who live in Australia, since (from what I hear) it falls on a Sunday this year.

    The entrance and communion antiphons are the missal antiphons that I composed, and the offertory is out of SEP (I tried to find the most suitable option 4, and this one seemed to fit the praise & thankfulness motif of the other propers).

    There are two editions: one using the Revised Grail Psalms for the responsorial psalm, one with the actual Lectionary texts. The antiphon is the identical in both.

    Thanked by 1hartleymartin
  • R J StoveR J Stove
    Posts: 302
    Thank you sir. Yes, you are right about Australia Day falling on a Sunday this year; but most of my compatriots will be taking the following Monday as a public holiday. (Similarly, whenever Australia Day falls on a Saturday, a great many Aussies absent themselves from work on the preceding Friday.)

    I won't be in a position to play the organ in a Catholic parish this Sunday, I must admit. Still, perhaps Martin Hartley - based in Sydney, and, of course, a regular participant on these threads - will be doing so. We shall see. (Mr. Hartley and I have never met; I am very seldom in New South Wales at all nowadays.)
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    I'm not in a position to use the chants this year. I have lots of work to do recruiting new singers. At the request of the Parish Priest we're singing "Help of Christians, Guard this Land."

    I'll keep these Australia Day propers on file for the future when I might be able to use these chants.
    Thanked by 1R J Stove
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    The Hymn is still under copyright (the composer is still alive and a regular attendee at St Francis, Paddington). Here is the first two verses for study purposes:

    Help of Christians, guard this land
    from assault or inward stain,
    let it be what Christ has planned,
    His new Eden, where you reign.

    Teach us that in Christ, your Son
    lies the wisdom to be free
    and the cross which we would shun
    is man's tree of liberty.

    May 24th is the Feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians, and this hymn is to be highly recommended for this feast day.

    As far as I am aware, this hymn has only been published in "The Living Parish" and "The Catholic Worship Book" which are both long out of print.

    It is also the anthem of the Australian Catholic Student Association, and it is always sung at least once during the annual conference, typically on the Saturday Mass of Our Lady.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • R J StoveR J Stove
    Posts: 302
    Ah,yes, a Richard Connolly composition. The work of an exceptionally talented musician who also happens to be an exceptionally charming man. I had the privilege of interviewing him last year, and the result was published in the October 2013 issue of Sydney's Quadrant magazine (though only subscribers to that magazine can read it online).
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    He has written some fantastic stuff, and certainly been a major influence in Australian hymnody. I think that it is just a shame that this particular hymn isn't well known around the English-speaking world.
    Thanked by 1R J Stove
  • veromaryveromary
    Posts: 162
    And James McAuley for the lyrics!

    They are both fairly accessible for getting permission to publish things. And still in print through As One Voice.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    As one voice... the collection where less than half the songs are on the approved music list...
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