I need helping finding some material
  • sdtalley3sdtalley3
    Posts: 263
    Hello friends,

    I'm looking for material for hymn(s) that are militant in nature, i.e. relating to that part of the Church that is still alive, and still singing honor to God. Does anyone have good resources related to this?

    Thanks in advance.
  • Carol
    Posts: 856
    I have loved "God's Blessing Sends Us Forth" since I was a child. It was called The Crusaders' Hymn when I was young. Now OCP uses "Beautiful Savior" for the lyrics which I find a bit too sappy and remind me of "My dog's bigger than your dog." The tune is called St. Elizabeth in my OCP hymnal.

    I don't know if you are in the U.S., but "America the Beautiful" second verse- "God mend thine every flaw" always appeals to me, as well.
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,510
    The Church's One Foundation is very good.
    Thanked by 2Carol CHGiffen
  • Nisi
    Posts: 153
    The Hymnal 1940, under the section of hymns call "The Church Militant".
    Thanked by 1marymezzo
  • m_r_taylor
    Posts: 326
    Militant...can't help but think of Le Chant des Templiers album by the peerless Ensemble Organum. The first one, a crusader chant - Crucem sanctam subiit, which is admittedly mostly an Easter-themed text.

    https://youtu.be/LU4rN_rDaNQ

    I'm not sure if their version is notated on the internet but this page http://cantus.uwaterloo.ca/chant/171780 has some similar versions of the first verse.
  • davido
    Posts: 943
    Onward Christian Soldiers
    Lift High the Cross (especially verses omitted by Catholic hymnals)
    Thanked by 4Carol marymezzo CHGiffen CCooze
  • CarsonHaupt
    Posts: 46
    The full text of For All the Saints is fairly militant in theme.
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,471
    If you are in any of the numerous places where St George is patron - https://www.godsongs.net/2014/04/great-st-george.html
    1.1 Georgia
    1.2 England
    1.3 Ethiopia
    1.4 Iberia
    1.4.1 Catalonia, Aragon, Valencia
    1.4.2 Portugal and Brazil
    1.5 Russia and Bulgaria
    1.6 Serbia and Montenegro
    and that's just national patron.
  • ViolaViola
    Posts: 411
    Battle is o'er, hell's armies flee. Tune by Gregory Murray
    All my hope on God is founded. Tune Michael.
    Thy hand , O God, has guided, Tune Thornbury (the chorus, that goes, 'One Church, one Faith, one Lord!' always gets to me, even though it's an Anglican hymn)
    Forth in thy name, O Lord, I go Tune by Gibbons. My brother had this as the final hymn at his ordination
    Ye servants of God your master proclaim Tune Paderborn There is a very good hymn anthem version of this, arranged by Henry Coleman
    Christus Vincit plainchant, and extremely rousing! We always have it for Christ the King.'Christ conquers, Christ reigns, Christ rules!'
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • marymezzomarymezzo
    Posts: 236
    My new tiny choir is doing Christus Vincit for the first time on Christ the King. Rousing, yes indeed!
    Thanked by 1MAR
  • Chrism
    Posts: 872
    These may seem a bit dated, musically, but at least they're on the militant side:

    Christians! to the war! (Music here)
    O It Is Hard to Work for God (Music here)
    Cardinal O'Connell's O Holy Name and God of Our Fathers
    The One True Faith, the Ancient Creed
    I'll never forsake thee

    Nobody mentioned "Faith of Our Fathers" or "From All Thy Saints in Warfare" yet?


  • sdtalley3sdtalley3
    Posts: 263
    Thanks everyone, there were some selections that really caught my attention. I will have to admit (to my chagrin) I'm not the biggest fan of Faith of our Fathers, there's just something about that hymn that I've heard one too many times. I am more musically inclined to some of the English hymns like what davido mentioned, "Lift High the Cross", I gave that a listen and its very moving. Another one I came across was the old Papal Anthem: Noi Vogliam Dio, Vergine Maria. My goal was to find something expressing the the Church's more militant function in serving God, our fight/struggle against sins and injustice etc. I think there were some selections that expressed that.

    My goal was to look for something or a text (English or Latin) to set to music. Its been a subject burning at the back of my mind for a while.
  • oldhymnsoldhymns
    Posts: 229
    Here are two hymns, both on the militant side, that may meet your objective:

    For the Church (and the Pope)
    I Am A Faithful Catholic
    For_the_Church.jpg
    1700 x 2338 - 619K
    I Am A Faithful Catholic 1 Mozart 001.jpg
    2338 x 1700 - 823K
    Thanked by 3Chrism sdtalley3 Don9of11
  • davido
    Posts: 943
    This isn’t exactly militant but, do you know O God of Earth and Altar?
  • mmeladirectress
    Posts: 1,100
    you mentioned Noi Vogliam Dio, Vergine Maria
    this melody was adapted for use by the Holy Name Society in New Zealand etc as "We Stand For God", 1940, J.P. O'Daly, O.P. and John O'Brien

    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Chrism
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,325
    You could try Faith of Our Fathers to an alternate tune, like SAWSTON or as found in the St. Basil Hymnal. Both of these alternate settings are found in Noel Jones' new, fully SATB hymnal: "A Catholic Book of Hymns." You can download the full PDF for free here: https://www.sacredmusiclibrary.com/product-category/hymnals/?fbclid=IwAR1EXfGQ7kdx1AIqCb4fCV_2yahCHIkWrWzewW0szYGy_OLchEmBsAhyFaE
    Thanked by 2sdtalley3 marymezzo
  • sdtalley3sdtalley3
    Posts: 263
    @ davido

    I haven't heard of that hymn before so I'll check it out.
  • sdtalley3sdtalley3
    Posts: 263
    @ mmeladirectress

    Our Holy Name Society has adopted this same text and tune as well. I made a transcribed rendition for their use, but my previous computer that had the PDF gave up the ghost some time ago.
  • Don9of11Don9of11
    Posts: 708
    A few hymns you might consider is "Sweet Name Which Makes the Dying Live", "To Jesus Heart All Burning", "To the Name that Brings Salvation" there are a couple melodies for this hymn found in the Holy Name Hymnal composed by P. Piel and one arranged by Theodore Marier, and I would also consider "O Queen of the Holy Rosary." Some of you might not consider this a Church Militant hymn but the Rosary has always been an effective means to fighting evil and bring peace to nations, in families and in our own lives.

    Oh, and since today is Veterans Day you might consider "Prayer of a Soldier" a hymn written by Alfred Joyce Kilmer who compared the journey of a soldier to Christ passion on the Cross.
    Thanked by 5sdtalley3 oldhymns irishtenor CHGiffen mmeladirectress
  • CGM
    Posts: 699
    Here are two more (culled from Fr. Rutler's excellent book about hymns). Click on the titles to see the texts:

    1. Christian, dost thou see them

    2. He who would valiant be
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