NeuroDivine

Hymns | Beatification of Fulton J Sheen | 24 September 2026

O God whose hand through ages leads
By ways both near and far,
Through Irish fields of stone and grass,
And prairies 'neath the stars;
You called a servant to proclaim
The riches of Your grace,
And gave him words to lift men's eyes
T’wards Christ's abiding face.

2.
Where sheep-paths crossed the western lands,
By hedgerow, bog, and hill,
The faith his forebears’ hearts received
Would shape and guide him still;
Then Illinois beneath wide skies
Became the place of seed,
Where what was sown in Irish soil
Would blossom into deed.

3.
The Mississippi rolled along
Through valleys broad and deep;
The same Lord watched Roscommon fields
Where dawn awoke the sheep.
Across a continent he bore
The Gospel's radiant light,
And showed the searching soul of man
Christ's mercy, truth and might.

4.
Through printed page and spoken word,
Through counsel, book and prayer,
He led the restless and the lost
To find the Saviour there;
His voice rang out through countless homes,
Yet ever sought the same:
To draw all hearts towards the Cross
And glorify Your Name.

5.
From city streets to farming towns,
From mountains crowned with snow,
He taught the ancient faith anew
That all might come to know;
The wheatfields gold beneath the sun,
The wide horizons broad,
Became a sign of harvest won
For Christ, incarnate God.

6.
O God of Roscommon's green fields,
And plains that meet the sky,
We thank You for this servant's life
Whose witness shall not die;
Grant us the faith Your servant showed,
The wisdom he made known,
To lead our neighbour on to Christ
And heaven's eternal home.

Reflection

I wrote this hymn while watching the Beatification Mass of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. As the liturgy unfolded in St Louis, I found myself thinking of the distance between his family’s roots in County Roscommon and the American homes reached by his voice.

That distance became the hymn’s landscape: Irish fields, Illinois skies and the Mississippi. Sheen’s gift for speaking across it drew so many people towards Christ. In writing, I wanted to give thanks for that witness, and to pray that we might share the faith we have received with the same generosity.

Hymn information 

First line: O God whose hand through ages leads
Text: Michael McFarland Campbell
Metre: DCM
Tune:
Theme: Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
NDH-0343

© Michael McFarland Campbell. 2026. 
Permission granted for local church or parish use with attribution. Not for commercial reproduction.