Joe Offer linked to this thread in the thread on Catholic Funerals and Danny Boy. In reading the lyrics to "Make Me a Channel of Your Peace" or The Song of St. Francis as it was noted in our mimeographed hymnal in the early 70s, I was reminded of how much children love that song when they hear it.

I remember first hearing it when I was living in a cottage on the edge of some woods in a town where my father had been posted as a NYS Trooper (police to those of you in the UK). That would put me at about age 7 and the year 1971. I had my first guitar and it was a song I tried to play but didn't quite manage. By age 10 I was playing it regularly at Folk Mass in the back row of guitarists with the other learners and youngsters. By age 14, I was playing it often while leading the Music Ministry for Children's Mass at a local Catholic School.

In the other thread I mentioned that I still hear this song at funerals for Policemen and Firemen. It adds something hopeful to those services and comments on their life's work.