‘If you want peace, work for justice’ wrote St Pope Paul VI on the World Day of Peace in 1972. This ongoing call, rooted in sacred scripture, is as prophetic and needed today as ever. Pope Francis said in the catechesis on ‘Justice’ from April 2024:
‘We all understand how justice is fundamental for peaceful coexistence in society: a world without laws respecting rights would be a world in which it is impossible to live . . . Without justice, there is no peace.’
PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES
The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (Vatican) and the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace give resources that provide principles and practices in the Catholic tradition for us here in Australia.
Singing justice and peace is most obviously present in the shared Jewish and Christian treasure of the Book of Psalms:
Psalm 84 (85) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
1. I will hear what the Lord God has to say, a voice that speaks of peace.
His help is near for those who fear him, and his glory will dwell in our land.
2. Mercy and faithfulness have met; justice and peace have embraced;
faithfulness shall spring from the earth and justice look down from heaven.
3. The Lord will make us prosper and our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him and peace shall follow his steps.
AUSTRALIAN COMPOSERS
There are many fine settings by Australian composers of this psalm. Hymns for singing justice and peace are also plentiful, including ‘Song for human rights’, ‘All the hungry,’ ‘Bigger table’, ‘Bring forth the kingdom’, ‘Prayer of St Francis’, ‘Send down the fire’, ‘The cry of the poor’, and ‘Who will speak?’
The longer list below offers a wealth of resources to sing justice and peace across faith communities and prayer formats. As the Canticle of Zachariah (Benedictus: Luke 1: 68-79) sings each new morning, we pray that the God who seeks to set all people free guides our feet into the way of peace.
Fiona Dyball works across parish, school and tertiary settings in Melbourne as a musician, educator and liturgist, and serves on the national executive of the Australian Pastoral Musicians’ Network.
For more information on where to download the music highlighted in this column, see below.
RESOURCES
Psalm 84 (85) Lord, let us see your kindness and grant us your salvation.
Gen Bryant; YouTube
Br Michael Herry fms (free digital download from Marist Music)
Hymns
A new heart for a new world (Watts/O’Brien): AOV2-158, CWBII 477, digital download from Willow
Act justly (Bernadette Farrell); Pat Barrett
All the hungry (Beth Doherty)
Alleluia! Raise the Gospel (Farrell)
Bigger table (Matt Maher); YouTube
Bring forth the kingdom (Marty Haugen): AOV2-4, CWBII 306, digital download from Willow
Gospel Canticle Benedictus/ Canticle of Zachary (Alstott/Farrell): digital download from OCP; YouTube
Lord, make me an instrument (Sara Hart/Francesca LaRosa)
Micah’s theme (Sr Anne Kelly IBVM): CWBI 748, Gather Australia 486
Peace prayer (John Foley SJ): CWBII 548, digital download from OCP; YouTube
Prayer of St Francis (Temple): AOV2-126, CWBII 555, digital download from Willow
Send down the fire of your justice (Haugen): AOV2-164, CWBII 389, digital download from Willow
Song for human rights (CWM RHONDDA): AOV2-135, CWBII 606
The cry of the poor (Foley): AOV1-83, CWBII 618, digital download from OCP; YouTube
The Kingdom of God (Taize): digital download from Willow
Who will speak? (Haugen): AOV2-102, digital Download from Willow
Playlist for Catholic Social Teaching from publisher OCP
Making sense of psalm numbering