“Faith of Our Fathers” is a stirring Catholic hymn written in 1849 by Father Frederick William Faber in honor of the English and Irish Catholics who kept the faith through centuries of persecution, “in spite of dungeon, fire and sword.” It has become one of the best-known hymns in the English-speaking Catholic world and is sung by other Christians too. Below are the lyrics, the story behind the hymn, its meaning, and when it is sung.
The lyrics
As printed in the Catholic section of The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920):
Faith of our fathers! living still
In spite of dungeon, fire and sword;
O how our hearts beat high with joy,
Whene’er we hear that glorious word;
(Refrain)
Faith of our fathers! Holy Faith!
We will be true to thee till death!
Faith of our fathers! Holy Faith!
We will be true to thee till death!
Our fathers chained in prisons dark,
Were still in heart and conscience free;
How sweet would be their children’s fate,
If they, like them, could die for thee!
(Refrain)
Faith of our fathers! Mary’s prayers
Shall win our country back to thee;
And thro’ the truth that comes from God,
Our land shall then indeed be free.
(Refrain)
Faith of our fathers! we will love
Both friend and foe in all our strife;
And preach thee too, as love knows how,
By kindly words and virtuous life.
(Refrain)
Faith of our fathers! days of old
Within our hearts speak gallantly;
For ages thou hast stood by us,
Dear Faith, and now we’ll stand by thee.
(Refrain)
The story behind the hymn
- Frederick William Faber (1814–1863) was an Anglican clergyman who became a Catholic in 1845, joined St. John Henry Newman in the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, and became the first superior of the London Oratory. He wrote many hymns so that English Catholics would have their own songs in their own language.
- 1849: “Faith of Our Fathers” appeared in his collection Jesus and Mary. It remembers the martyrs and the faithful who suffered for the Catholic faith after the break with Rome under Henry VIII: priests executed, families fined and imprisoned for attending Mass.
- Two versions: Faber wrote one for England, with the verse praying that “Mary’s prayers shall win our country back to thee,” and a longer one for Ireland.
- The tune most used in the United States, St. Catherine, was composed by Henri Frederick Hemy in 1864.
The meaning of the hymn
- Faith that survived persecution: the faith of our ancestors is “living still,” and our hearts leap when we hear of it.
- Free in conscience: even in chains, the martyrs were free; we pray for the grace to be faithful like them.
- Mary’s intercession: Faber trusted Our Lady to win back his country to the faith.
- Love for friend and foe: the faith is spread not by force but “by kindly words and virtuous life.”
- Fidelity: the faith has stood by us for ages; now we stand by it. “We will be true to thee till death!”
See St. Thomas More, one of the English martyrs.
When is it sung?
- On feasts of martyrs and of the saints of England, Ireland and Wales.
- At Confirmation, First Communion and parish celebrations of the faith.
- On national and patriotic occasions, such as Memorial Day and Independence Day in the United States.
- At funerals of faithful Catholics.
Frequently asked questions
Is Faith of Our Fathers a Catholic hymn?
Yes. It was written by a Catholic priest about the Catholic martyrs. Some Protestant hymnals use it with altered verses.
Who wrote Faith of Our Fathers?
Frederick William Faber, a priest of the London Oratory, in 1849.
What persecution does the hymn refer to?
The persecution of Catholics in England and Ireland from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries.
More Catholic hymns
- Catholic hymns: lyrics and meaning
- Holy God, We Praise Thy Name
- Crown Him with Many Crowns
- Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above
- St. Philip Neri prayer
- Prayer for the Church
- All Saints’ Day
Texts and sources
- Lyrics: Frederick William Faber (1849), as printed in The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920), Catholic section, public domain (Wikisource). Small transcription corrections are listed in our text log.