ACK IN 2025, we scanned and uploaded “The Catholic Hymnal & Service Book” (632 Pages), which was a 1966 Benziger Brothers publication that seems to have been the creation of Father Joseph Robert Foley (d. 1973) and his assistant director, Frank Campbell-Watson (d. 1980). They also had others who assisted—to a lesser degree—with the project, such as Monsignor Robert F. Hayburn and Monsignor Richard B. Curtin. I was looking through some of the organ accompaniments by Campbell-Watson, and they’re mildly interesting. What’s more interesting is they got ecclesiastical approval for ‘archaic’ language such as Thee, Thou, and Thine, as you can see:
They are not the only ones who have ever received such approval. Many translations in the GREGORIAN MISSAL by Solesmes Abbey use such words: e.g. their Palm Sunday Communion Antiphon has:
“Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink it, thy will be done.”
And, of course, the OUR FATHER in the Roman Missal uses such words. Nevertheless, it’s relatively rare, so I thought I would share it with our readers.
