78. Saint Wilfrid

Hail, holy Wilfrid, hail!
Kindest of patrons, hail!
"Whose loving help doth ne'er
Thy trusting children fail!

Saint of the cheerful heart,
Quick step and beaming eye!
Give light unto our lives.
And at our death be nigh,

To Mary's lovers thou.
Sweet Saint! ha.st shewn the road
Oh teach us how to love
The Mother of our God.

Give us thy love of work.
Thy spirit's manly powers,
And teach us how to save
This Saxon land of ours.

Teach us, clear Saint! to make
The Church our only home,
To love the faith, the rites.
And all the ways of Kome.

Thy life was one long voyage
Of unabated ho}:>e,
"Winning the truant hearts "
Of England to the Pope.

We have the same to do,
A labor hard but sweet;
And we have but to trace
The pathway of thy feet.

Por England's sake make us
Humble and gay and pure;
For so the heart works best.
And makes the blessing sure.

Ah! we have need of thee,
To knit us all in one,
The mischief to undo
Which our cold hearts have done.

To Ireland^s sons of faith
Hard measures have we dealt;
One faith would breed one heart
In Saxon and in Celt.

Thou hadst no idle hour;
Thy gains with toil were bought;
Saint Wilfrid! make us love
Our country as we ought.

Wilfrid! by thy sweet name
Our little ones we call;
Oh then on them and us
Let thy rich blessing fall,

Lover of youth! do thou
Our E H2:lish chililren bless;
Their joyo is hearts' first love
For Mary's service press.

Into our souls, dear Saint!
With thy blithe courage come,
And make us missioners
Of Mary and of Rome!

Hail, holy Wilfrid, hail!
Saint of the free and gay!
Look how we follow thee.
And bless us in our way!