Sebastian Temple: Sing! People of God, Sing!

St. Francis SFPS-2 (1967)

Up to now the early post-Vatican II albums have come from the U.S.  But there was activity in this field in the U.K. also, and probably the best known artist/song writer to get things started was Sebastian Temple.

Born in South Africa, he emigrated to the UK, where he spent many years active in Catholic work and writing.  A secular Franciscan, he’s best known for his song “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”, based on the Prayer of St. Francis, which was a favourite in the 1960’s and 1970’s and sung at Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997.  That was also the year that Temple passed away himself.

His music is simple and upbeat; his wish was for people to be happy while singing his songs, and he certainly succeeds in that regard.  This album is a good example of his work but, like so much of the era, it has been forgotten, even with the fame its composer and performer achieved in his lifetime.

Personal note: it was my intention to post this album soon after Sister Germaine’s, but I ended up in a Catholic hospital for a couple of days were I was able to view the election of Francis I as Pope.  Temple was a Franciscan whose most popular song is based on St. Francis’ prayer. Now we have a Pope (and a Jesuit no less!) who takes Francis’ name as his own.  Divine providence?  I’d like to think so…

The songs:

1. Sing! People of God, Sing! (Sing! Sing! Sing!)
2. Follow Christ (And Love The World As He Did)
3. Your Will Be Done (If You would have me…)
4. The Blessed Sacrament (Come, Let’s Share In The Banquet Of The Lord)
5. Thank You Jesus
6. All That I Am (All That I Do)
7. Glorious God (King Of Creation)
8. (Sing Praises To) The Living God (Glory Hallelujah)
9. Take My Hands (And Make Them As Your Own)
10. If We Eat Of The Lord (And We Drink Of The Lord)
11. We Are One (In Jesus, All Of Us Are One)
12. Prayer For Peace (Lord We Pray For Golden Peace, Peace All Over The Land)
13. How Great Is Your Name
14. The Mass Is Ended (All Go In Peace)

More Music