Page 30 - LOTN Spring Issue 49 2022

FAITH AND CULTURE

turn to Jesus, Mother, turn. The Old Westminster Hymnal is
also a good source of popular hymns, as is another old favourite,
Hymns for Catholic Schools. A particularly rare hymn book in
the collection is Oratory Hymns, compiled by William Pitts,
and published in 1875. Stephen told me that one particular
scholar in the US is extremely anxious to get hold of this book
and has made him several offers, so far without success. Another
useful source is Crown of Jesus Music, published in 1864, and
later described by Sir Richard Terry, the first Director of Music
at Westminster Cathedral, as ‘terrible’. Stephen disagrees with
Sir Richard, however, and is an admirer of Henry Hémy, the
editor of the work. Hémy was for a time Professor of music
at Ushaw College, the seminary near Durham. He composed
several hymn tunes himself, including the tune of O bread of
heaven, which he used for a hymn to St Catherine.
Stephen stressed the importance of the words of a hymn,
and sees hymns very much as poetry. Hymn writers he admires
include Isaac Watts (When I survey the wondrous cross)
George Herbert (Let all the world in every corner sing) and
St John Henry Newman, amongst whose output is a little-
known Marian hymn, Green are the leaves and sweet the
flowers. Others are the Victorian hymn writers, Frs Faber and
Caswall, though Stephen conceded that the first of these could
tend towards sentimentality at times!
Over the last few years Stephen has been creating an organ
version of another rare hymnbook, ‘Parochial’ Hymnbook, Henry Hémy, Professor of music at Ushaw College and
which was published in Lancaster in 1883. It seems to be a composer of "O bread of heaven".
selection from the American Parochial Hymnbook, and the Century Folk Hymnals and Songs of New Life. Gregorian
Notre Dame books, plus some written by Fr Thomas Seed SJ, chant often finds a place, either sung by the schola or sometimes
with tunes by Lady Euan-Smith. There are 728 pages in all, so used as an organ voluntary during Communion.
producing the organ version has been a lot of hard work. Finally, if anyone shares Stephen’s interest in old hymns
The music programme for Ash Wednesday, shown above, and would like to get in touch, he can be reached at
demonstrates that Stephen does not confine his choices to old victoriancatholichymns@outlook.com
hymns. He mentioned using Songs of the Spirit, Twentieth

in the Netherlands) swept through Europe, William of
Oot an Aboot Orange drove the Spanish, who had strongly imposed
Catholicism on the Dutch, out of the Netherlands.
Catholic Churches and monasteries were plundered and
with Ron Smith converted to Protestant churches in 1578 and Catholics
relegated to second class citizens. However, William
of Orange specifically allowed religious freedom, so
Catholics and others could continue their forms of
worship, as long as it was not done in a way that would
offend anyone, that is - in private and out of sight.
Catholic citizens in Amsterdam set about creating
churches inside their houses. There were as many as 33
such hidden churches between 1578 and 1853 (when the
law changed and Catholic Churches could once again be
Hidden churches of built). Some of these Schuilkerken (hidden churches) can
still be seen in Amsterdam. One such church is the Ons’
Catholic Amsterdam Lieve Heer op Solder (meaning “Our Lord in the Attic”)
This is dedicated to Saint Nicholas. When the law changed,
the Catholics of this part of Amsterdam built a massive, solid,
new church, also dedicated to Saint Nicholas, just opposite

he Dutch are proud of their tolerance of the central railway station. It was opened in 1887 and, as it
differences of culture or religion and firmly was no longer required as a place of worship, it was closed
believe in personal freedom. When the down. However, its significance was not overlooked and
TProtestant Reformation (called “The Alteration” it reopened in 1888 as a museum, and is still run as such
today. It is the second oldest museum in the Netherlands
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