Our Lady of Hope Choir

The O Antiphons: The Church’s Ancient Prayer of Advent

In the final days of Advent, from 17 to 23 December, the Church sings a set of ancient texts known as the O Antiphons. Each begins with the word “O” — a cry of longing — and each names the Messiah using a title drawn from Scripture.

These antiphons are sung at Vespers (Evening Prayer) before and after the Magnificat. They form a powerful sequence that intensifies day by day, leading us step by step toward the birth of Christ.

The titles are:

O Sapientia – O Wisdom

O Adonai – O Lord

O Radix Jesse – O Root of Jesse

O Clavis David – O Key of David

O Oriens – O Rising Sun / Dayspring

O Rex Gentium – O King of the Nations

O Emmanuel – O God-with-us

Each title reveals a different aspect of who Christ is — not yet as the infant in the manger, but as the One long awaited by Israel and promised to the world.

A beautiful detail often missed:
when you take the first letters of these titles in reverse order (Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia), they spell ERO CRAS — Latin for “Tomorrow, I will come.”

So even hidden in the structure of the antiphons is a message of hope.

The well-known hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is a poetic adaptation of these antiphons. Each verse corresponds to one of them, which is why this hymn is traditionally sung verse by verse during the final days of Advent.

As we listen and pray with the O Antiphons, we join centuries of believers in a single, ancient prayer:

Come, Lord Jesus.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 4

Our Lady of Hope Choir

From Saint Nicholas to Santa Claus

The familiar figure of Santa Claus has deep roots in the life of a real Christian saint: St Nicholas of Myra, a bishop who lived in the 4th century in what is now modern-day Turkey. Nicholas was known throughout the early Church for his profound faith, his defence of orthodox belief, and above all for his quiet, generous care for the poor, especially children. One of the best-known stories tells of him secretly providing dowries for three impoverished sisters, tossing gifts through a window under cover of darkness so their dignity would be preserved. This pattern of anonymous generosity became central to his legacy.

As Christianity spread through Europe, devotion to St Nicholas travelled with it. In the Netherlands he became known as Sinterklaas, a kindly bishop who brought gifts to children around his feast day, 6 December. When Dutch settlers arrived in North America, the name and customs gradually evolved. Over time, cultural storytelling, poetry, and later commercial illustration reshaped the saintly bishop into the red-clad, bearded figure now recognised as Santa Claus. While the appearance changed, the heart of the tradition — generosity, joy, and care for others — remained.

It is important to remember that Santa Claus did not replace St Nicholas; rather, he is a cultural echo of him. Beneath the folklore stands a Christian witness who believed that love of God must be shown in love of neighbour, especially the vulnerable. St Nicholas gave because he believed in a God who first gave himself to the world in Christ.

For Christians, this connection offers a gentle reminder during Advent and Christmas. Giving gifts is not merely a custom or a seasonal obligation; it is a response to the greatest gift of all — Jesus Christ, God made flesh, given freely for the life of the world. When generosity is rooted in faith, it becomes more than kindness; it becomes a sign of God’s love at work among us.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 0

Our Lady of Hope Choir

**Halloween: Reclaiming What Is Ours**

Every year as October draws to a close, shop windows fill with plastic skeletons, cobwebs, and witches. Children are encouraged to dress up as monsters, and families spend money on decorations, costumes, and sugary treats. For many, this is “just a bit of fun.” But for Christians, it’s worth pausing and asking: *What exactly are we celebrating?*

The clue is in the name itself. **Halloween** is a contraction of “All Hallows’ Eve” — the evening before All Saints’ Day (1st November). This is a deeply Christian feast, honouring all the saints and, traditionally, remembering the faithful departed. In other words, it was originally a night of reverence, reflection, and prayer — not horror and consumerism.

In earlier centuries, Christian families would keep the vigil of All Hallows’ Eve by lighting candles, praying for their loved ones who had died, and attending Mass. It was part of a three-day cycle often called Hallowtide:

* All Hallows’ Eve – 31st October
* All Saints’ Day – 1st November
* All Souls’ Day – 2nd November

This was a time to give thanks for the saints in heaven, to remember deceased relatives, and to pray for the souls of the departed. In many cultures, this remains a beautiful and moving tradition.

Over time, however, the original Christian meaning of the feast was **twisted and overshadowed**. Folk customs, older pagan harvest rituals, and eventually commercial influences merged into what we now recognise as modern Halloween. Particularly in the United States, it became a secular celebration with spooky costumes, parties, and door-to-door “trick-or-treating.” From there, it spread across the world through films, television, and global marketing.

Today, Halloween is big business. Shops start selling themed products weeks in advance. Families are pressured to buy expensive costumes and decorations, often things they can ill afford. The spiritual heart of the feast has been hollowed out, replaced by corporate profit and, sadly, sometimes by imagery that glorifies darkness rather than light.

For these reasons, many Christians — myself included — choose to boycott or quietly step back from Halloween celebrations as they are commonly practised. This isn’t about being miserable or judgemental; it’s about remembering that this date in the calendar was *ours first*. It was meant to be holy.

Instead of participating in the commercial frenzy, we can **reclaim All Hallows’ Eve**. We can light candles for our loved ones who have died, pray as a family, tell the stories of saints, and prepare spiritually for All Saints’ Day. Some churches now hold “Light Parties” or All Saints’ vigils, offering a joyful, faith-filled alternative.

Halloween doesn’t have to belong to consumerism or fear. It can once again be a moment of hope, memory, and holiness — if we choose to live it that way.

2 months ago | [YT] | 2

Our Lady of Hope Choir

The Shakers (United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing) created simple, joyful songs such as Simple Gifts. Yet their theology placed them outside the Christian faith. They denied the sacraments, rejected marriage and family life, and taught that their founder, Ann Lee, was the female embodiment of Christ. Such teachings are contrary to Scripture and judged heretical by the wider Church.

For that reason, while Shaker melodies are still sung, the words are often changed to reflect the true, ecumenical tenets held by Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants alike: the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, the sacraments, and the shared creeds of the early Church. The tunes remain, but the faith expressed must be the faith of Christ’s Church.

Examples include:

“Simple Gifts” (1848, Joseph Brackett) — originally a Shaker dance song about humility. Its melody became the basis of Lord of the Dance (Sydney Carter, 1963), published in Catholic and Protestant hymnals. The text is altered to tell the story of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

“Love is Little” — a short Shaker refrain about love and growth. In some Christian songbooks, the words are expanded into verses about God’s love revealed in Christ.

Other Shaker gift songs have had new texts fitted to them, keeping the simplicity of the melody but rewritten for the true meaning of the Gospel. In this way, the music of the Shakers can be used but only when the words proclaim the true faith.

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3 months ago | [YT] | 1

Our Lady of Hope Choir

A Space for Prayer - writing prayers in the comments

Many people choose to leave personal prayers in the comments, especially to Our Lady. These messages are not just words—they are heartfelt prayers.

The Catholic Church teaches that prayer can be spoken, sung, or written. Just like the Psalms or litanies, these written prayers are a true expression of faith.

Praying to Mary means asking for her intercession, not worshipping her. As the Catechism says:

“The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship.” (CCC 971)

Whether you are offering a prayer, asking for one, or simply reading in silence—this space is a little digital sanctuary of prayer and hope.

🙏 Feel free to add your own prayers, and know that others may be praying with you.

4 months ago | [YT] | 16

Our Lady of Hope Choir

All of our hymn videos are wide screen/landscape. Would you prefer to see upright videos for watching on your phone

4 months ago | [YT] | 2

Our Lady of Hope Choir

Hymns in English from Saints’ Texts
St. Ambrose of Milan (c. 340–397)

* Come, Thou Redeemer of the Earth (Veni Redemptor Gentium)

St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153)

* Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee (Jesu, dulcis memoria)

* O Jesus, King Most Wonderful

* Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts

St. Francis of Assisi (1181–1226)

* All Creatures of Our God and King (from Canticle of the Sun)

* Make Me a Channel of Your Peace (from the Peace Prayer, though authorship debated)

St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274)

* Now, My Tongue, the Mystery Telling (Pange lingua gloriosi)

* Sing, My Tongue, the Saviour’s Glory (Pange lingua variant for Good Friday)

* Humbly I Adore Thee, Verity Unseen (Adoro te devote)

* Zion, to Thy Saviour Singing (Lauda Sion)

* Thee We Adore, O Hidden Saviour, Thee (Adoro te devote translation)

* Blessed Hermann of Reichenau (1013–1054)

* Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above (Salve Regina)

St. John of Damascus (c. 675–749)

* Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain (Canon of St. John of Damascus)

* The Day of Resurrection

Thomas of Celano (c. 1200–c. 1265)

* Day of Wrath! O Day of Mourning (Dies Irae) — usually in partial English versions

St. Patrick (5th century)

* St. Patrick’s Breastplate (I Bind Unto Myself Today)

Aurelius Prudentius Clemens (348–c. 413)

* Of the Father’s Love Begotten (Corde natus ex parentis)

4 months ago | [YT] | 5

Our Lady of Hope Choir

A Prayer for Gaza

God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob — and God of every child,
You hear the prayers of the innocent, even when the powerful do not.
You saw Hagar weeping in the desert; You saw the blood of Abel in the ground.

Look now on Gaza. Hear the sobs of the mothers, the groans of the wounded,
the whispers of children who do not wake.

God of mercy, stop the hand of violence.
Restrain those who have power but not compassion.
Shake the hearts of leaders, armies, and nations
until they remember that every life is precious to You.

Forgive us for the times we have turned our faces away.
Teach us, like Abraham, to plead for mercy —
even for cities that seem beyond hope.

And bring the day when walls come down and graves are no longer dug,
when the innocent are safe, and the wounded are healed,
and all Your children walk in the light of Your peace.

Amen.

Please add your thoughts and prayers in the comments

Hymn to Mary, Queen Of Peace
https://youtu.be/tjqmI1epZsk

5 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 8

Our Lady of Hope Choir

🎵 Why Do We Sing at Mass? – FAQs
Q: Does all this singing make the Mass longer?
A: Not really. The sung prayers (like the Gloria, Sanctus, and Amen) simply replace what we’d otherwise say aloud — often adding only a few minutes, but deepening our prayer.

Q: Why do we keep learning new hymns?
A: The Church's year has seasons (Advent, Easter, etc.), and each invites us to reflect in a new way. New hymns help us pray those themes — and with repetition, they become familiar.

Q: Why does the sung Mass setting change just when I’ve learned it?
A: Different settings suit different times of year — Lent is more solemn; Easter is joyful. Changing settings keeps us attentive and makes special feasts feel truly special.

Q: Why not just sing a few hymns and leave the rest spoken?
A: The Church encourages us to sing the Mass, not just at Mass. Singing the actual prayers of the liturgy brings the whole congregation into one voice of praise.

Remember: You don’t need to know everything — just join in as you feel able. Your voice matters. And every sung prayer, whether old or new, helps lift our worship to God.

5 months ago | [YT] | 4

Our Lady of Hope Choir

Praying to Mary

This has been written to address the views of those who are not Catholic who misinterpret the special place that Our Lady holds. We sometimes have comments made on our channel that refer to 'the worship of Our Lady' which is clearly incorrect. We do not delete those comments but instead answer by reaffirming the nature of praying to Our Lady to ask for her prayers.

Catholics do not worship Mary. Worship belongs only to God.
What we give Mary is special honour, given to her alone because she is:

* the Mother of Jesus (and therefore the Mother of God made man),

* completely faithful to God’s will,

* full of grace and blessed among women (Luke 1:28, 1:42),

* and given to us by Jesus as our spiritual mother (John 19:27).

We don’t adore her—we love her, honour her, and ask her to pray for us, just as we might ask a trusted Christian friend to do. But more than any other saint, she is close to Jesus, and her prayers are powerful because of her humble, obedient heart.

When Catholics say things like “pray to Mary,” it means we’re asking her to pray for us, not to replace God.

6 months ago | [YT] | 20