Thank you for this hymn text. Here is an original, just composed chant setting for this hymn to St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop.
I'm also working on a harmonized simplified setting for SATB (the melody for the simplifed version is more-or-less based on the first note of each neume of the chant).
Also, in snooping around the internet, I happened upon Story of Mary MacKillop which I enjoyed reading.
Chuck Giffen
Note: The chant setting has now been updated with a change to the text of the first line of the second stanza.
That was a good article on Mary MacKillop too. Interesting that she had some contact with Caroline Chisholm. Many years ago I heard a talk about her cause for canonisation, but that it was less likely as it needed more backing.
There's another hymn/song to the tune of Jupiter by Gustav holst called "From Penola's Plains" that isn't too bad. And the tune is fun to sing.
There are many hymns about Mary Mackillop. There are not many good ones. The hymn by Veronica Brandt and the "From Penola's Plains" are the only two which I have really warmed to.
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