Hymn to The Incarnate Word

Nestled within our Incarnate Word campus is the majestic clock tour that not only marks the passage of time but also resonates with the institution's profound Catholic heritage. As we walk through our campus, a familiar tune chimes each day, “The Hymn to the Incarnate Word.” This hymn tune was adapted from Hosanna #34. The words, along with a women’s choir arrangement were written by Sister Mary of the Infant Jesus Brennan, CCVI, and though the exact date is not known, these lyrics were written sometime around the year 1944. Later, an SATB version of the hymn was arranged by Sr. Maria Goretti Zehr in 1988. Sister Mary of the Infant Jesus Brennan was born in Dublin, Ireland on May 16, 1867, and died on June 15, 1962. She entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word on September 27, 1890. Sister Elia Rosas shared a bit about her in her own words, “Sister Mary of the Infant Jesus was an accomplished musician and composed several hymns. In April 1926 Sister was given charge of supervising the teaching and study of music in the Congregation. She was a member of the General Council and lnspectress of Music in the schools of the Congregation. In her later years, Sister retired to St. Joseph's Convent where she died on June 15, 1962, at the age of 95. Her music lives on to the present day. One of her sayings was ‘that music is the first thing we hear when we die.”’ Our campus, founded in 1881 by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, stands as a testament to the Congregation's commitment to education, service, and the communities that they serve. Our clock tower used to sing the “Hymn to the Incarnate Word” each day at 3:00 pm, but now we hear this hymn at 9:01 am, 12:01 pm, 3:01 pm, and 6:01 pm. Praise be the Incarnate Word!