Hymnology: Saint Ferdinand III, A Saint for Our Times

 

Saint Ferdinand III, King of Castile and Leon

King Saint Ferdinand III is largely forgotten in our time. Even in my hometown (San Antonio, Texas) where the Cathedral, or Mother-Church of the Archdiocese, is named after him, his feastday on May 30th is not observed. In the 1962 Roman Missal, May 30th was a First Class Feast (the equivalent of today's Solemnity) in the Archdiocese of San Antonio precisely because the Cathedral is named after him. Today in Spain, his feastday has been downgraded to an optional memorial (indicated by the lower-case "m" on the Spanish liturgical calendar), while here in the US, it seems that the optional memorial of Saint Joan of Arc has taken precedence lately. While we do have a strong culturally-French background in parts of the U.S., we also have strong Spanish roots (which may be even stronger now due to immigration). To resolve this discrepancy of feastdays, I believe we should have both St. Joan of Arc and King St. Ferdinand III as Optional Memorials here in the U.S. so that different areas may avail themselves of whichever one is more suited to the location and to the faithful. After all, isn't that the goal of inculturation? Additionally, St. Ferdinand's reconquest of his homeland from the enemies of Christianity, specifically the enemies of Catholicism, are the perfect reason for Catholics (and all Christians) to seek his heavenly intercession today. 

As we watch our homelands in the West fall, one country at a time, to the unreasoning and demonic forces of evil, we need to look to this Saint who had reconquered his homeland from the enemies of Christianity centuries ago. We need to look to his example so that we also can take back our own homelands today, and although we do not fight this battle today taking up physical arms because "our war is not against flesh and blood, but against...the spirits of wickedness in the high places", we do need to take up our spiritual arms and fight: the Holy Mass, the Seven Sacraments, the Divine Office, Lectio Divina (praying with the Bible), the Holy Rosary, the sacramentals, family prayer, and so forth. There are many opportunities to keep the life of grace alive in our souls, and to raise our children in the joy and mirth of our holy Faith and in the Liturgical Year.

In two short months, June will again be upon us, the month we Catholics have for centuries dedicated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The demonic forces of evil have striven for the last few decades to wrest this month from us and dedicate it to sinful pride. It is time for a spiritual reconquest, one that the great Saint Ferdinand III, the Reconqueror, can help us to achieve. There were two things that Saint Ferdinand always did: first, he always spent the night in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament before any battle; second, he always brought an ivory statue of Our Lady with him into battle, hanging from his saddle (his first wife, Beatrice, gave that ivory statue to him just after their marriage as a token of her virtue). Thus, the first thing we can learn from him in time of battle is to run to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and to do battle with and through Our Lady. One last thing to mention is that Saint Ferdinand shares one thing in common with the Little Flower, Saint Therese of Lisieux: Our Lady smiled on him just as she would smile on Saint Therese centuries later.

I wrote this hymn to St. Ferdinand to ask his intercession in our fight to reclaim our homeland for Christ today.

San Fernando, King Victorious

Text: David D. Varella (2023)
Tune: CWM RHONDDA by John Hughes (1907)

1.     San Fernando, King victorious,
King reclaiming Christendom,
King whose sword’s name means “wolf-slayer”,
Slay the wolves Christ’s flock surround.
San Fernando, San Fernando,
Raze proud Satan’s kingdom down!
Raze proud Satan’s kingdom down!

2.     San Fernando, noble ruler,
Greatest King on Spanish shores,
Help us to reclaim our homeland
As you did in days of yore!
San Fernando, San Fernando,
Help ‘gainst evil spirits’ war!
Help ‘gainst evil spirits’ war!

3.     San Fernando, all-night vigils,
Kneeling ‘fore God’s altar-throne,
Great on earth your holy fervor,
Prayer before each battle done:
San Fernando, San Fernando,
Thus were all your battles won!
Thus were all your battles won!

4.     San Fernando, now in Heaven,
Praying Christ the Lamb before,
Hear the prayers of Christian people,
As we fight a valiant war:
San Fernando, San Fernando,
Help us here on earth once more!
Help us here on earth once more!

5.     San Fernando, just and pious,
Patron Saint of governors,
Pray for all th’Executive Branch
That to Christ the King they turn!
San Fernando, San Fernando,
Help them Christ the King to learn!
Help them Christ the King to learn!

6.     San Fernando, chosen patron,
Our devotedness is vast.
Intercede for our salvation,
And our kin ere time is past.
San Fernando, San Fernando,
Guide us while our life shall last!
Guide us while our life shall last!