When I was a lad we used to 'walk with the scholars' on Whit sunday. Round Swinton the walks were interdenominational with CofE and Catholic scools walking side by side. Well, in tandem if truth be tod as we all walked along the same roads! There were 3 Catholic schools - St Marks, St Charles and mine, St Marys. The Protestant ones were St Peters, St Augustines, The Holy Rood and some others I cannot recall.

It was always a bit of a contest as the CofE school brass bands competed with the pipe band of St Marks or the fifes and drums of St Marys. As we all met in front of Swinton town hall I remember the massed bands and congregations of the Catholic schools belting out 'Faith of our Fathers', drowning out all opposition. One of the few times I was proud to be Catholic:-)

So, to me, that is what makes a good hymn. I would rather have a good her nowadays.

"Faith of our fathers living still,
In spite of dungeon fire and sword..."

Cheers

DtG