Prayer of Saint Francis explained

"Prayer of Saint Francis"
Original Title:Belle prière à faire pendant la Messe
Original Title Lang:fr
First:La Clochette
Country:France
Language:French
Publisher:La Ligue de la Sainte-Messe
(ed. Esther Bouquerel)

The anonymous text that is usually called the Prayer of Saint Francis (or Peace Prayer, or Simple Prayer for Peace, or Make us an Instrument of Your Peace) is a widely known Christian prayer for peace. Often associated with the Italian Saint Francis of Assisi (– 1226), but entirely absent from his writings, the prayer in its present form has not been traced back further than 1912. Its first known occurrence was in French, in a small spiritual magazine called La Clochette (The Little Bell), published by a Catholic organization in Paris named La Ligue de la Sainte-Messe (The League of the Holy Mass). The author's name was not given, although it may have been the founder of La Ligue, Father Esther Bouquerel. The prayer was heavily publicized during both World War I and World War II.[1] It has been frequently set to music by notable songwriters and quoted by prominent leaders, and its broadly inclusive language has found appeal with many faiths encouraging service to others.[2] [3]

Text

In most published versions of the prayer, the text is abridged, paraphrased or copyrighted. Below is the complete original text from its earliest known publication (1912, in French, copyright expired), alongside a line-by-line English translation:

French original:[4] French: <i>Seigneur, faites de moi un instrument de votre paix. Là où il y a de la haine, que je mette l'amour. Là où il y a l'offense, que je mette le pardon. Là où il y a la discorde, que je mette l'union. Là où il y a l'erreur, que je mette la vérité. Là où il y a le doute, que je mette la foi. Là où il y a le désespoir, que je mette l'espérance. Là où il y a les ténèbres, que je mette votre lumière. Là où il y a la tristesse, que je mette la joie. Ô Seigneur, que je ne cherche pas tant à être consolé qu'à consoler, à être compris qu'à comprendre, à être aimé qu'à aimer, car c'est en donnant qu'on reçoit, c'est en s'oubliant qu'on trouve, c'est en pardonnant qu'on est pardonné, c'est en mourant qu'on ressuscite à l'éternelle vie.</i>English translation:<-- Editors: Abridged, paraphrased, and/or copyrighted versions should not be included in the article. The following translation complies with the WP:TRANSCRIPTION policy. -->Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.Where there is hatred, let me bring love.Where there is offence, let me bring pardon.Where there is discord, let me bring union.Where there is error, let me bring truth.Where there is doubt, let me bring faith.Where there is despair, let me bring hope.Where there is darkness, let me bring your light.Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.O Lord, grant that I may not so much seekto be consoled as to console,to be understood as to understand,to be loved as to love,for it is in giving that one receives,it is in self-forgetting that one finds,it is in forgiving that one is forgiven,it is in dying that one awakens to eternal life.

Franciscan viewpoints

The Franciscan Order does not include the prayer in its official "Prayers of St. Francis",[5] and a church historian has noted that the phrasing of the first half of the text ("let me...") is atypically self-oriented for Francis: However, the prayer has been recommended by members of the Order, while not attributing it to Saint Francis.[6]

It has been noted that the second half of the prayer has similarities to this saying of Giles of Assisi (c. 1190 – 1262), one of the saint's close companions:

The first half of the prayer has similarities to Veni Sancte Spiritus in both structure and content.

Musical settings

Sebastian Temple (1967)

The most-prominent hymn version of the prayer is "Make Me a Channel of Your Peace", or simply "Prayer of St. Francis", adapted and set to a chant-like melody in 1967 by South African songwriter Sebastian Temple (born Johann Sebastian von Tempelhoff, 1928–1997), who had become a Third Order Franciscan. The hymn is an anthem of the Royal British Legion and is usually sung at its annual Festival of Remembrance. In 1997, it was part of the Funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, and was performed by the Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor on the Princess Diana tribute album.[7] [8] The hymn was also sung for the religious wedding ceremony of Prince Albert II of Monaco to South African Charlene Wittstock in 2011.[9]

Others

Additional settings of the prayer by notable musicians include those by:

History

Christian Renoux, a history professor at the University of Orléans, published in French in 2001 a book-length study of the prayer and its origins, clearing up much of the confusion that had accumulated previously. The Franciscan journal Frate Francesco and the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano published articles in Italian summarizing the book's findings,[3] [29] and Renoux published an online abstract in English at The Franciscan Archive.[2]

La Clochette (1912)

The earliest known record of the prayer is its appearance, as a "beautiful prayer to say during Mass", in the December 1912 issue of the small devotional French Catholic publication La Clochette, "the bulletin of the League of the Holy Mass".[4] Although the prayer was published anonymously, Renoux concluded that, with few exceptions, the texts in La Clochette were generally written by its founding editor, Father Esther Bouquerel (1855–1923).

Mistaken attribution (1916) to 11th-century William the Conqueror

In 1915, Marquis Stanislas de La Rochethulon (1862–1945), founding president of the Anglo-French association Souvenir Normand (Norman Remembrance), which called itself "a work of peace and justice inspired by the testament of William the Conqueror, who is considered to be the ancestor of all the royal families of Europe", sent this prayer to Pope Benedict XV in the midst of World War I.[2] The Pope had an Italian translation published on the front page of L'Osservatore Romano on 20 January 1916. It appeared under the heading, "The prayers of 'Souvenir Normand' for peace", with a jumbled explanation: "'Souvenir Normand' has sent the Holy Father the text of some prayers for peace. We have pleasure in presenting in particular the prayer addressed to the Sacred Heart, inspired by the testament of William the Conqueror."[30] On 28 January 1916, the newspaper La Croix reprinted, in French, the article from L'Osservatore Romano, with exactly the same heading and explanation.[31] La Rochethulon wrote to La Croix to clarify that it was not a prayer of Souvenir Normand; but he failed to mention La Clochette, the first publication in which it had appeared.[3] Because of its appearance in L'Osservatore Romano and La Croix as a simple prayer for peace during World War I, the prayer became widely known.[2]

Mistaken attribution (c. 1927) to 13th-century Saint Francis

Around 1918, Franciscan Father Étienne Benoît reprinted the "Prayer for Peace" in French, without attribution, on the back of a mass-produced holy card depicting his Order's founder, the inspirational peacemaker from the Crusades era, Saint Francis of Assisi.[2] The prayer was circulating in the United States by January 1927, when its first known English version (slightly abridged from the 1912 French original) appeared in the Quaker magazine Friends' Intelligencer, under the misattributed and misspelled title "A prayer of St. Francis of Assissi".[32] [33] The saint's namesake American archbishop and military vicar Francis Spellman distributed millions of copies of the "Prayer of St. Francis" during World War II, and the next year it was read into the Congressional Record by Senator Albert W. Hawkes. As a friar later summarized the relationship between the prayer and St. Francis: "One can safely say that although he is not the author, it resembles him and would not have displeased him."[34]

Other notable invocations

The Prayer of St. Francis has often been cited with national or international significance, in the spirit of service to others.

By religious leaders

In 1986, Pope John Paul II recited the prayer as a means of bidding farewell to the global religious leaders he hosted for the first "World Day of Prayer for Peace", in Assisi at the Basilica of St. Francis.[35] Indeed, the prayer "over the years has gained a worldwide popularity with people of all faiths".[2]

Mother Teresa of Calcutta (Kolkata, India) made it part of the morning prayers of the Roman Catholic religious institute she founded, the Missionaries of Charity. She attributed importance to the prayer when receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo in 1979 and asked that it be recited. It became the anthem of many Christian schools in Kolkata.[3] [36] South Africa's Anglican archbishop Desmond Tutu, winner of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent leadership against apartheid, declared that the prayer was "an integral part" of his devotions.[3]

By political leaders

Margaret Thatcher, after winning the 1979 general election, paraphrased the prayer on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street, surrounded by a throng of reporters, having "kissed hands" with Queen Elizabeth II and become Prime Minister.[37] [38]

In 1995, US President Bill Clinton quoted it in his welcoming remarks to John Paul II, starting the papal visit to address the United Nations in New York City. Nancy Pelosi quoted the prayer when she became Speaker of the US House of Representatives in 2007,[39] as did her successor John Boehner when he resigned in 2015.[40] Pelosi invoked it again at the opening of the evening House session following the 6 January 2021, insurrection and storming of the Capitol. At the 2012 Democratic Convention, Jena Nardella invoked the prayer during the closing Benediction.[41] President-elect Joe Biden quoted the prayer during his speech following his victory in the Electoral College on 14 December 2020.[42]

By others

The prayer is referenced in the Alcoholics Anonymous book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (1953), and is often known to AA members as the "Step Eleven Prayer".[43] An abbreviated version of the prayer was sung in Franco Zeffirelli's 1972 film about St. Francis, Brother Sun, Sister Moon.[16] In Band Of Brothers (2001), episode six "Bastogne", Eugene ‘Doc’ Roe recites "Lord, grant that I shall never seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, or to be loved as to love with all my heart. With all my heart." while praying in a foxhole in the Bois Jacques. A modified segment of the prayer is recited in one of the early trailers for the Sylvester Stallone 2008 film Rambo. A modified version of the prayer appears in the song "Prayer" in the musical Come From Away.[44] Beanie Feldstein sings the prayer in the 2017 movie Lady Bird, set at a Catholic girls' school.[45] A shortened version appears in the HBO show Deadwood, episode 11, season one, and in the Showtime series The Affair, episode 8, season one. And also appears in the CBC TV series Anne with an E, episode 3, season three.[46]

Sinéad O'Connor recorded a version for the 1997 album.[47]

According to singer and guitarist Trey Anastasio from the American rock band Phish, recital of the Saint Francis prayer is an integral part of his pre-concert ritual.[48]

References

Sources

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: What do we know about St. Francis, America's most popular saint?. Manning. Kathleen. 2017. U.S. Catholic. 4 May 2018. 5 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180505070550/http://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201710/what-do-we-know-about-st-francis-americas-most-popular-saint-31161. live.
  2. Web site: The Origin of the Peace Prayer of St. Francis . 25 May 2011 . Renoux . Christian . The Franciscan Archive.
  3. News: Egidio . Piccuci . 19–20 January 2009 . L'Osservatore Romano . 6 . Le origini del testo attribuito a san Francesco d'Assisi: L'Osservatore Romano e la vera storia della Preghiera semplice . it.
  4. Esther . Bouquerel . December 1912 . La Clochette . 12 . 285 . Belle prière à faire pendant la Messe . 7 March 2017 . fr.
  5. Web site: Prayers of St. Francis . Francis of Assisi . Ordo Fratrum Minorum: Franciscan Friars . 26 April 2017 . 27 April 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170427103030/https://ofm.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Prayers.pdf . live .
  6. Web site: Children praying for peace: Letter from the Minister General and from the Custos of the Holy Land . Michael A. . Perry . Francesco . Patton . Ordo Fratrum Minorum: Franciscan Friars . 27 November 2016 . 26 April 2017 . 27 April 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170427103005/https://ofm.org/blog/children-praying-for-peace-letter-from-the-minister-general-and-custos-of-the-holy-land/ . live .
  7. Web site: Sebastian Temple: Songs, Bio . Oregon Catholic Press . 5 March 2017 . 5 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170305200324/https://www.ocp.org/en-us/artists/587#bio . live .
  8. Book: Bradley, Ian . The Daily Telegraph Book of Hymns . Bloomsbury Academic . 2005 . 5 June 2017 . 978-0-8264-8678-3 . 277–279 . 7 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211107220210/https://books.google.com/books?id=mfneBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA277 . live .
  9. Web site: Royal Wedding: Live broadcast . https://web.archive.org/web/20110705071808/http://www.palais.mc/monaco/palais-princier/english/royal-wedding/live-broadcast.2270.html . Prince's Palace of Monaco . dead . 2 July 2011 . 2 July 2011 . 5 July 2011.
  10. 955423 . Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi . Arthur . Bliss . Musical Times . 114 . 1568 . October 1973 . 1–4 . 10.2307/955423 .
  11. Web site: Peacemaker . Maire . Brennan . Cross Rhythms . 10 March 2017 . 12 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170312050523/http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Marie_Brennan_A_songbysong_rundown_of_her_Whisper_To_The_Wild_Water_album/41445/p1/ . live .
  12. Web site: The Burns Sisters, 'Out of the Blue' . Rambles.net . 10 March 2017 . 12 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170312052204/http://www.rambles.net/burnssis_outblue.html . live .
  13. Web site: Prayer of St. Francis . F. R. C. . Clarke . Leslie Music Publications . 10 March 2017 . 12 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170312050424/http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/prayer-of-st-francis-sheet-music/19851273 . live .
  14. Web site: Prayer of St. Francis . René . Clausen . Shawnee Press . 9 March 2017 . 12 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170312035150/https://www.shawneepress.com/product/viewproduct.action?itemid=35017368 . live .
  15. Web site: A Bing Crosby Discography. BING magazine. International Club Crosby. 2 October 2017. 5 October 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181005054653/http://www.bingmagazine.co.uk/bingmagazine/crosby1bDecca.html. live.
  16. Web site: An Instrument of Your Peace . Donovan . Franciscan Friars of Canada . 4 March 2017 . 19 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200919192356/https://www.franciscanfriars.ca/prayers/four-songs-by-donovan/ . live .
  17. Book: Wilson, Rich . Lifting Shadows: The Authorized Biography of Dream Theater . Essential Works Limited . 2009 . 978-1-906615-02-4 . 371–372.
  18. Web site: Eben . Petr . Učiň mě, Pane, nástrojem . YouTube . Schola OP . 13 May 2019 . 7 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211107220117/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3giMYFKMJA . live .
  19. Web site: Peace Prayer . John . Foley . Oregon Catholic Press . 7 March 2017 . 8 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170308043441/https://www.ocp.org/en-us/songs/1420 . live .
  20. Web site: Instrument of Peace . Marc . Jordan . AllMusic . 8 March 2017 . 12 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170312032813/http://www.allmusic.com/song/instrument-of-peace-mt0017277284 . live .
  21. Web site: Instruments of Peace . Singh . Kaur . AllMusic . 8 March 2017 . 12 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170312044025/http://www.allmusic.com/album/instruments-of-peace-mw0000205514 . live .
  22. Web site: Servant of Peace . Snatam . Kaur . Moved By Love . 9 March 2017 . 12 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170312034841/http://www.movedbylove.org/projects/tunes/84 . live .
  23. Maher, Matt. (official link). Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  24. McLachlan, Sarah. (official link). Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  25. A Ragamuffin Band. (official link). Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  26. Book: Rutter, John . Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace . Oxford University Press . 7 March 2017 . 9780193416741 . June 2016 . John Rutter Anniversary Edition . 7 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211107220125/https://global.oup.com/academic/product/lord-make-me-an-instrument-of-thy-peace-9780193416741?cc=us&lang=en& . live .
  27. Web site: Constantine's Dream (spoken part, in Italian) . Patti . Smith . SongFacts . 13 January 2023 .
  28. Web site: Peace Prayer . John Michael . Talbot . AllMusic . 9 March 2017 . 12 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170312052638/http://www.allmusic.com/song/peace-prayer-st-francis-mt0001257971 . live .
  29. Recensioni: Christian Renoux, La prière pour la paix attribuée à saint François: une énigme à résoudre . Pietro . Messa . Frate Francesco . 68 . 2 . 413–416 . November 2002 . 28 April 2017 . it . 20 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170320052131/http://www.assisiofm.it/preghiera-semplice-2616-1.html . live .
  30. News: 20 January 1916 . L'Osservatore Romano . 1 . Le preghiere del 'Souvenir Normand' per la pace . it.
  31. News: Les prières du 'Souvenir Normand' pour la paix . La Croix . 6 . 28 January 1916 . 6 March 2017 . fr . 14 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170814005736/http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k2593157/f6.image . live .
  32. 22 January 1927 . Friends' Intelligencer . 66 . 84 . 4 . . Philadelphia . A prayer of St. Francis of Assissi . 27 September 2015 . 7 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211107220316/https://books.google.com/books?id=3gf0AAAAMAAJ&q=assissi . live .
  33. Web site: Prayer Credited to St. Francis of Assisi . Garson . O'Toole . Quote Investigator . 22 December 2011 . 9 March 2017 . 7 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211107220127/https://quoteinvestigator.com/2011/12/22/prayer-assisi/ . live .
  34. La Prière pour la Paix . Christophe-André . Marty . Le Gallican . January 2014 . 6 March 2017 . fr . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160708223531/http://gallican.org/plapaix.htm . 8 July 2016 .
  35. Web site: To the Representatives of the Christian Churches and Ecclesial Communities and of the World Religions, for the World Day of Prayer . Pope John Paul II . The Holy See . 27 October 1986 . 7 March 2017 . 29 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191129122414/http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/speeches/1986/october/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19861027_prayer-peace-assisi-final.html . live .
  36. Madre Teresa . TV documentary . . 2003 . 27 September 2015.
  37. News: The real prayer of Francis of Assisi . 12 April 2013 . 6 March 2015 . . 15 March 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150315013623/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9991301/The-real-prayer-of-Francis-of-Assisi.html . live .
  38. (official link). The Wall Street Journal. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  39. News: Pelosi takes the helm in triumph . 5 January 2007 . 6 March 2015 . . 2 April 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402200039/http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jan/05/nation/na-pelosi5 . live .
  40. This Is the Prayer John Boehner Read at His Resignation . Time . 25 September 2015 . 27 September 2015 . 27 September 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150927202430/http://time.com/4050091/catholic-prayer-john-boehner/ . live .
  41. Web site: Praying for the Nation . Nardella . Jena . 9 April 2012 . jenanardella.com . Jena Lee Nardella . 10 January 2019 . 11 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190111175332/http://www.jenaleenardella.com/blog/2012/09/praying-for-the-nation . live .
  42. Web site: 2020-12-15. Joe Biden quoted the Prayer of St. Francis last night. But did the beloved saint actually write it?. 2020-12-19. America. en. 16 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201216053731/https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/12/15/joe-biden-saint-francis-prayer-239521. live.
  43. Book: Wilson, Bill . Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions . 1953 . 99 . Alcoholics Anonymous . 978-0-916856-01-4 . 23 March 2017 . 12 July 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170712162100/http://www.aa.org/assets/en_US/en_step11.pdf . live .
  44. Web site: Come From Away's hopeful message strikes a chord in New York . Whyte . Murray . The Star . 5 March 2017 . 26 June 2018 . 27 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180627144321/https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2017/03/05/come-from-away-has-an-urgent-message-will-america-listen.html . live .
  45. Web site: The Non-Catholic School Kid's Guide to Lady Bird – John Dougherty. Dougherty. John. 13 June 2018. Medium. 9 July 2019. 26 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190226050020/https://medium.com/@johndoc86/the-non-catholic-school-kids-guide-to-lady-bird-7a0a23787c83. live.
  46. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11039100/?ref_=ttep_ep3 "Anne with an E" What Can Stop the Determined Heart (TV Episode 2019) - IMDb
  47. Web site: 28 October 1997 . Official Princess Diana Tribute Track Listing Announced . https://web.archive.org/web/20230908215506/https://www.mtv.com/news/vglw4h/official-princess-diana-tribute-track-listing-announced . dead . 8 September 2023 . 2023-09-08 . MTV . en.
  48. Web site: 18 December 2018 . Trey Anastasio Recounts Spirituality and Sobriety Rituals on SiriusXM's Jam On . 2023-09-23.

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