Hymn to Good St Anne / To Kneel at Thine Altar

This is a hymn about St Anne, mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus.

The author is unknown, and the words have appeared with several variations.

Hymn books where it has been published include

The Chapel Hymn Book, Sisters of Notre Dame (de Namur) of Philadelphia, USA 1893
The St Basil Hymnal, in the 1894 and various later editions,
American Catholic Hymnal, P. J. Kenedy & Sons, New York, 1913
The Ordinary of the Mass and a Complete Manual of Hymns for Parochial Schools, Public Press, Philadelphia, USA, 1935

Based on the earlier publication dates, the hymn is now in the public domain.

With meter 11.11.9.9, it has been set to a range of tunes:

In the St Basic Hymnal, the hymn is set to an set to an unnamed tune.
It can be sung to the very-well-known LOURDES HYMN (Immaculate Mary), although some of the words aren't a great fit.

If you have any information about the hymn, or the tunes it is set to, please leave a message in the Comments box near the bottom of the page.

Downloads

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Piano / organ sheet music - from the American Catholic Hymn Book

PowerPoint slides

Examples

Instrumental - backing track style:

Instrumental - piano:

Lyrics

Traditional language

To kneel at thine altar, in faith we draw near,

Led onward by Mary, thy daughter so dear.

Chorus:

O Good Saint Anne! we call on thy name,

Thy praises loud, thy children proclaim.

[used only in Canada - probably not in the original version]

Of old when our fathers touch’d Canada’s shore,

They named thee its Patron and Saint evermore.

To all who invoke thee thou lendest an ear,

Thou soothest the sorrows of all who draw near.

Saint Anne, we implore thee to list to our pray’r

In time of temptation, take us in thy care.

In this life obtain for us that which is best,

And bring us at length to our heavenly rest.

O blessed of mothers, what rapture was thine

When the Star of the Morning before thee did shine.

'Twas Mary the sinless, 'twas Mary the fair,

The mother of Jesus, the child of thy care.

Modern English

Saint Anne, we implore you to listen to our prayer,
In time of temptation take us in your care.

Chorus:
O Good Saint Anne we call on your name.
Your praises loud, your children proclaim.

(In certain countries only)

Of old when our fathers first touched this bright shore,
They named thee its patron and saint evermore.

To kneel at your altar, in faith we draw near,
Led onward by Mary, your daughter so dear.

In this life obtain for us that which is best,
And bring us at last to our heavenly rest.

St Anne we implore thee to listen to our prayer
In time of temptation, take us to your care.

The sick, the afflicted, the lame and the blind,

the suffring, the erring all solace here find.

St. Anne is in heaven and joins us in prayer
To praise the Lord’s blessings and love that we share.

For all those who come here you offer your prayer
That they may find comfort in Jesus’ dear care.