Family in Feast and Feria

I always thought I had a good basic knowledge of liturgical music. I studied Gregorian Chant, I'm familiar with traditional hymns, I've read the Church's teaching on the liturgy and Sacred Music. I know many Latin hymns. Well, pride goeth before a fall....

I pulled out my hymnals to play and sing Marian hymns during this month dedicated to Our Lady. I wanted my son to hear them and let them become second nature to him. As I was paging through my Pius X Hymnal, I was just wowed by this hymn. The words and music were so haunting.

Mary the Dawn

Medieval English text, Gregorian Tone 4, setting by Justin Mulcahy, C.F. (pen name Paul Cross)
Copyright 1949 by McLaughlin and Reilly Co. First appeared in 1953 The Pius X Hymnal:

Mary the Dawn, Christ the Perfect Day;
Mary the Gate, Christ the Heav'nly Way!

Mary the Root, Christ the Mystic Vine;
Mary the Grape, Christ the Sacred Wine!

Mary the Wheat-sheaf, Christ the Living Bread;
Mary the Rose-Tree, Christ the Rose Blood-red!

Mary the Font, Christ the Cleansing Flood;
Mary the Chalice, Christ the Saving Blood!

Mary the Temple, Christ the Temple's Lord;
Mary the Shrine, Christ the God adored!

Mary the Beacon, Christ the Haven's Rest;
Mary the Mirror, Christ the Vision Blest!

Mary the Mother, Christ the Mother's Son.
Both ever blest while endless ages run.

To Jesus, through Mary. The text is just beautiful. The words remind me of this time of year, both liturgical and seasonally: May for Mary, Mother's Day, Springtime, gardening, Easter and New Life, Holy Thursday, First Communions, the upcoming Feast of Corpus Christi.

I thought I had such a great find, but it turns out this hymn is very popular. In searching the Web, I find that this piece is even considered one of The Top Ten Catholic Hymns!

Besides the Pius X Hymnal, this hymn is also in The Adoremus Hymnal which is in print.

As an added bonus, I found this gorgeous arrangement of Mary the Dawn arranged for SSA and Chorus by Leo Nestor. This .pdf file also has a sound file, so you can listen while you preview the music. I listened to it all day yesterday...the melody is so haunting.

I can see I need to "hit the hymnals" to build up my sorely lacking repetoire of Marian hymns.