Prayer of St. Francis (Make me a channel of your peace)

Tomorrow, October 4th, is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. I had toyed with the idea of doing this for the occasion, but the tragic event of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, has left the United States, and the world in mourning.

This text seemed perfect for the sad occasion, so, I chose not to wait, and dedicate this to those killed, injured and affected by this horrible tragedy.

Sebastian Temple (1928-1997) grew up in South Africa and later moved to London, where he worked for the BBC on news broadcasts relating to South Africa. He converted to Catholicism and spent much of his time composing music for worship.

The text of this prayer, which was adapted by Sebastian Temple, is as follows:

Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me bring your love.
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord
And where there's doubt, true faith in you.

Chorus:
Oh, Master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there's despair in life, let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there's sadness, ever joy.

Chorus:

Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving to all men that we receive
And in dying that we're born to eternal life.

Chorus:

The arrangement that I used was made by Martin Neary (b. 1940) for the funeral of Princess Diana, held at Westminster Abbey in 1997. It is available from Oregon Catholic Press.

Neary was Organist and Director of Music at Winchester Cathedral from 1972 to 1988, and Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey from 1988 to 1998.

He was fired from the Abbey in a highly publicized and controversial case.

He received the Royal Victorian Order in 1998, and is now a free-lance musician based in London.

Photos of Sebastian Temple and Martin Neary are attached.