Where Charity and Love Prevail

This Lenten hymn is one of many translations of the Latin hymn, Ubi Caritas, which is attributed to Paulinus of Aquileia in 796.

The translation was made by Dutch-American Roman Catholic liturgist, composer and publisher Omer Westendorf (1916-1997), shortly before Vatican II.

It was first published in 1961 by World Library Publications, and has since been published in many books, by various denominations.

With meter 8.6.8.6, tunes it is set to include:

• CHRISTIAN LOVE, by French organist and composer Paul Benoit OSB (1893-1979) - this is the original tune that this translation was set to
• TWENTY-FOURTH, by Lucius Chapin (1760-1842) and / or Amzi Chapin (1768–11835)
• CHESHIRE by Thomas East (c 1540-1608)
• TALLIS ORDINAL by English composer Thomas Tallis (c. 1505–1585)
• ST PETER by Alexander Robert Reinagle (1799-1877)
• LOVE OF THE HEART by Fr. J. Roel Lungay (b 1960) written in 1996

Downloads

This section may contain affiliate links: I earn from qualifying purchases on these. Free downloads are provided where possible (eg for public domain items).

Choral arrangement (SATB) with organ by Jan Vermulst

Examples

Choir with organ, recorded live in a church service. Tune CHRISTIAN LOVE

Solo singer, self-accompanied on guitar, tune CHRISTIAN LOVE:

Choir, unaccompanied, professional recording, tune CHRISTIAN LOVE:

Contemporary Christian music style - tune LOVE OF THE HEART:

 

Instrumental - flute, violin and keyboard, based on CHRISTIAN LOVE

Lyrics

The lyrics are copyright so cannot be reproduced here. But they are currently available on this website. A rough outline is:

1  Where charity and love prevail,
There God is ever found;
Brought here together by Christ’s love
By love are we thus bound.

2  With grateful joy and holy fear ...

3  Forgive we now each other’s faults ...

4  Let strife among us be unknown ..

5  Let us recall that in our midst ...

6  No race nor creed can love exclude ...

See more ...

• Hymns about mercy
• Lenten hymns

KEEP IN CASE ORIGINAL IS REMOVED, BUT DO NOT DISPLAY Chorus:
Where charity and love prevail,
there God is ever found;
Brought here together by Christ’s love,
by love are we thus bound.

With grateful joy and holy fear
God’s charity we learn;
Let us with heart and mind and soul
now love God in return.

Forgive we now each other’s faults
as we our faults confess;
And let us love each other well
in Christian holiness.

Let strife among us be unknown,
let all contention cease;
Be God’s the glory that we seek,
be ours God’s holy peace.

Let us recall that in our midst
dwells God’s begotten Son;
As members of his body joined,
we are in Christ made one.

No race or creed can love exclude,
if honored be God’s name;
Our family embraces all
whose Father is the same.