Brightly gleams our banner

Brightly gleams our banner. Thomas Joseph Potter* (1827-1873). This was printed in The Holy Family Hymns (London, Dublin and Derby, 1860), a Catholic hymnbook for the Archconfraternity of the Holy Family, and later in Crown of Jesus  (1862). A line in verse 1, ‘Take our homeward way’, suggests that it was intended as a final hymn in an act of worship, although ‘See Thy children meet’ in verse 2 suggests the gathering for worship. With its emphasis on the Holy Family, the hymn has a clear reference to the Archconfraternity. ‘Oh Jesus! Mary! Joseph!’ are the opening words of the Solemn Act of Consecration to those joining the Confraternity. This suggests that Potter may have been a member...