Love Holding Love

Franciscan spirituality is a spirituality of the heart, often expressed in poetry, painting, music, song and dance. St. Bonaventure imagines the Virgin joyfully singing at the conception of her child and inviting us to join in her sweet song.

This songbook gathers short, prayerful mantras drawn from the writings of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi: the Canticle of the Creatures, the Praises of God, Clare’s letters to Agnes of Prague and more. Each song gives the text and its source, the music and a short commentary.

Music by Josef Raischl, OFS, with Konrad Raischl and David Dargie; English translations and commentary by Frances Teresa Downing, OSC, and Murray Bodo, OFM; Spanish texts by Mary Esther Stewart and Norma V. Mena. Songs in English, Latin, Italian and Spanish, from “All for Our Love” and “Altissimu Signore” to “Pax et Bonum” and “With Great Humility.”