A very well known hymn, often sung in protestant churches. But how many Catholics today know that it was written by Father Frederick William Faber, founder of the Brompton Oratory and the first English translator of 'True Devotion to Mary', to honour the English Martyrs, whose Feast Day is today?Given the ignorance of history on the part of most people today, I'm sure most of the heretics think that the verse,
Faith of our Fathers! living still
In spite of dungeon, fire, and sword:
Oh, how our hearts beat high with joy
Whene'er we hear that glorious word.
refers to the persecutions of the Church under the Romans. Of course, they never sing the third verse, unless it has been edited,
Faith of our Fathers! Mary's prayers
Shall win our country back to thee:
And through the truth that comes from God
England shall then indeed be free.
Father Faber wrote the hymn remembering the tortures, the burnings at the stake, and the executions by being hung, drawn, and quartered of those who were killed by the protestant deformers for the 'crime' of adhering to their ancestral Faith and to the Church founded by Christ, for attending Mass, instead of the conventicles of heretics.
The next time you hear it, remember! Even if the third verse is not sung, never forget that it was written to honour the (now) 284 beatified and canonised Martyrs for the Catholic Faith killed by the protestants for being Catholic.
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