St Theresa's Prayer

[lesley wright]

One of the people responsible for our confirmation candidates came to me on Sunday asking if the girls could sing a setting of St Theresa's Prayer which she'd had sung to her but didn't have the music for. She said she'd play it on a keyboard. Then she sang it to me and I realised that I knew it from umpteen years ago. So I had a hunt in my music drawers at home and eventually found it but it's a photocopied hand-written piece with no indication of who wrote it (the word 'Talbot' appears where a composer would normally write his name) and I have no idea where I got it from - it's so old that the sellotape holding the three A4 sheets together has completely decomposed.
The words are 'Christ has no body now but yours - no hands, no feet on earth but yours - yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world - yours are the feet with which he moves to do good' etc.
The tune is in the key of D, starting crotchet F# quavers F# A G F# E D | minim E, (dotted crotchet rest) quaver E | dotted crotchet F# quavers A G F# E D | minim E (quaver rest) quavers F# F# A | B B B C# dotted crotchet A quavers E | F# G F# E D | minim D etc. (that's roughly the tune as far as "on this world")
I contacted Decani but Sue Dean didn't recognise it and suggested I try Weinberger; the woman there who deals with such requests only responded to say she was off on holiday until the middle of next week.
Is there anyone out there who does recognise it? Personally I'd rather just teach them Martin Foster's hymn based on the same prayer, but if the girls have set their heart on it I'd like to get kosher copies (and I'd like to know who wrote it!)
Sorry for the length of this message but I don't know of any way I can include staff notation in a message like this.
Lesley

[docmattc]

Talbot would be John Michael Talbot. I recognise it vaguely from some toe curling liturgies in the late eighties or early nineties when it was felt the words did not speak adequately themselves and it needed mime.

I'll have a rummage and see if I can locate a source.

[keitha]

It's by John Michael Talbot. Various links will come up if you Google it. I may be able to get my hands on a copy, in which there will be another post!

[docmattc]

Sadly my rummage has been fruitless.

It doesn't look like it covered by Calamus, and while some of JMT's music is covered by CCLI (stuff published by Birdwing) this one isn't listed by my CCLI software. You might have a problem if you want to reproduce the words.

[keitha]

John Michael Talbot's website is at www.troubadourfortheLord.com where I guess there may be contact details in the USA.

[Southern Comfort]

The text is not copyright, only the music. St Teresa of Avila's prayer exists in many incarnations (a simple web search will show that). If you're not reproducing the music lines you should be OK.

Does that help, Lesley?

[Nick Baty]

The text is not copyright

Although the translation and arrangement of words could be.

[lesley wright]

Thanks everyone, you're wonderful!
I knew the name Talbot was reminiscent, but couldn't think where from. And it is pretty naff, especially when you get further into the tune, but I am reluctant to say that because I don't want to cause offence. We don't need to reproduce anything, I have a (presumably illegal) copy from which I can play, and the girls will learn it parrot-fashion - though I think I should try to convince the catechists that Martin Foster's version is infinitely better
Lesley