My family regularly attends a parish that belongs to the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter and through that experience I have been introduced to a wonderful many hymns from the English Catholic traditon I would never have otherwise encountered. "Faith of Our Fathers" is one that I had heard before, but it is sung regularly at our Ordinariate parish with gusto. 

This beautiful hymn is particularly fitting for those who belong to the Ordinariate as it was written by Reverend Federick William Faber who had been raised Calvinist and became an Anglican priest. He later followed St. John Henry Newman to become a Catholic priest and then went on to work with John Henry Newman at the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Birmingham and then at the Brompton Oratory in London. 

The hymn honors and remembers in a special way the Catholic martyrs who were killed throughout what is now known at the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland in the fallout of King Henry VIII's establishment of the Anglican Church. The hymn was originally published in 1849 with seven verses for Ireland and four verses for England, Scotland, and Wales. Many versions now exist, including Protestant versions which omit verse three's reference to Mary or simply omit that verse altogether. 

The lyrics of the hymn with four verses for England are as follows: 

Faith of our Fathers! living still
In spite of dungeon, fire, and sword:
Oh how our hearts beat high with joy
Whene’er we hear that glorious word:
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!
Faith of our Fathers! Holy Faith!
We will be true to thee till death!

Faith of our Fathers! Mary’s prayers
Shall win our country back to thee;
And through the truth that comes from God
England shall then indeed be free.
Faith of our Father! Holy Faith!
We will be true to thee till death!

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:
Faith of our Fathers! Holy Faith!
We will be true to thee till death.

This great hymn brings to the forefront the beautiful sacrifice of love and faith made by the martyrs. They gave all for the sake of Christ and Christ did not abandon them nor has the Church here on Earth forgotten their gift of self. We cling to faith in times of difficulty and trial, and it is essential we remember what has been passed down to us and at what cost it was given to us.