Mater Facta, Sed Intacta (“Mother, yet a stainless Virgin”)
Translation: Based on Thomas Isaac Ball
Tune: “Hymn To Joy” • 87 87 D
Page 771
Page 768
Omni Die, Dic Mariae (“Daily, daily, sing to Mary”)
Translation: Fr. Henry Bittleston, Oratorian
Tune: “Laudes Mariae” • 87 87 D
Page 756
“Christ Is King Of Earth And Heaven” by Fr. Ivor Daniel
Tune: “Rustington” • 87 87 D
Page 759
“To Jesus Christ, Our Sovereign King” by Fr. Martin B. Hellriegel
Tune: “Ich Glaub An Gott” • 87 87 R Iambic
Page 679
“Brightest And Best” by Reginald Heber
Tune: “Epiphany” • 11 10 11 10
Page 669
“God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen”
The meaning of “God rest you merry” is “God keep you merry.” Note the archaic use of the word rest (“keep”)—indeed, this carol probably dates from the 16th century.
Tune: “God Rest You Merry” • 86 86 86 R
Page 668
Corde Natus Ex Parentis (“Of the Father’s love begotten”)
Aurelius Prudentius, Christian Poet
Translation: Cento by the editors
Tune: “Divinum Mysterium” • 87 87 87 R
Page 666
“Once In Royal David’s City” by Cecil Frances Alexander
Tune: “Irby” • 87 87 77
Page 662
Huron Carol of St. Jean de Brébeuf (“Upon the birth of Jesus”)
Translation: Fr. Dominic Popplewell
Tune: “Une Jeune Pucelle” • 86 86 88 R
This famous Christmas carol was possibly written around 1642AD, when Saint Brébeuf was in Quebec, recuperating from a broken collarbone, which had left him in excruciating pain for many months.