Mary From thy Sacred Image

The author and composer of this hymn about Our Lady of Perpetual Succour are unknown.

Hymn-books which it has been published in include

Manual of Select Catholic Hymns and Devotions for the Use of Schools, Colleges, Academies and Congregations. New York 1925 - unattributed
A Redemptorist hymn-book printed in 1946 (ref), - unattributed
The Leeds Catholic Hymnal, 1957 (ref), unattributed - the source of the sheet music
Hymns used by the Pupils of the Sisters of Notre Dame, 1955

Based on the first of these, it is assumed that the hymn is now in the public domain.

Downloads

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Sheet music (no words)

PowerPoint slides

Examples

Singers with keyboard-style backing track

Singer with backing track:

Choir with organ - recorded live in a church service:

Choir with band:

Instrumental - piano:

Lyrics

Mary from thy Sacred Image
with those eyes so sadly sweet,
Mother of Perpetual Succour
see us kneeling at thy feet.
In thine arms thy Child thou bearest;
Source of all thy joy and woe;
What thy bliss, how deep thy sorrows,
Mother thou alone canst know.

On thy face He is not gazing,
Nor on us is turned His glance
For His anxious look He fixes
On the Cross and Reed and Lance
To thy hands His hands are clinging
As a child would cling in fear,
Of that vision of the torments
Of His Passion drawing near.

And for Him thine eyes are pleading
While to us they look and cry:
"Sinners spare my Child your Saviour,
seek not still to crucify."
Yes, we hear thy words sweet Mother,
But poor sinners we are weak;
At thy feet thy helpless children
Thy Perpetual Succour seek.

Succour us when clouds of sadness;
Hide the light of heaven above;
Hope expires and faith scares lingers;
And we dare not think we love.
In that hour of gloom and peril,
Show to us thy radiant face,
Smiling down from thy loved Image,
Rays of cheering light and grace.

Succour us when stormy passion,
Sudden rise within the heart.
Quell the tempest, calm the billows,
Peace secure to us impart.
Through this life of weary exile
Succour us in every need;
And when death shall come to free us,
Succour us ah! then indeed.