Holy Ghost, Come Down upon Thy Children

Holy ghost! come down upon Thy children,
Give us grace, and make us Thine;
Thy tender fires within us kindle,
Blessed Spirit! Dove Divine!

For all within us good and holy
Is from Thee, Thy precious gift;
In all our joys, in all our sorrows,
Wistful hearts to Thee we lift.

Holy Ghost! come down upon Thy children,
Give us grace, and make us Thine;
Thy tender fires within us kindle,
Blessed Spirit! Dove Divine!

For Thou to us art more than father,
More than sister, in Thy love,
So gentle, patient, and forbearing,
Holy Spirit! heavenly Dove!

Holy Ghost! come down upon Thy children.
Give us grace, and make us Thine;
Thy tender fires within us kindle,
Blessed Spirit! Dove Divine!

Oh we have grieved Thee, gracious Spirit!
Wayward, wanton, cold are we:
And still our sins, new every morning,
Never yet have wearied Thee.

Holy Ghost! come down upon Thy children,
Give us grace, and make us Thine;
Thy tender fires within us kindle,
Blessed Spirit! Dove Divine!

Dear Paraclete! how hast Thou waited,
While our hearts were slowly turned!
How often hath Thy love been slighted,
While for us it grieved and burned!

Holy Ghost! come down upon Thy children,
Give us grace, and make us Thine;
Thy tender fires within us kindle,
Blessed Spirit! Dove Divine!

Now, if our hearts do not deceive us,
We would take Thee for our Lord!
O dearest Spirit! make us faithful
To Thy least and lightest word.

Holy Ghost! come down upon Thy children,
Give us grace and make us Thine;
Thy tender fires within us kindle,
Blessed Spirit! Dove Divine!

Ah! sweet Consoler! though we cannot
Love Thee as Thou lovest us,
Yet, if Thou deign st our hearts to kindle,
They will not be always thus.

Holy Ghost! come clown upon Thy children,
Give us grace, and make us Thine;
Thy tender fires within us kindle,
Blessed Spirit! Dove Divine!

With hearts so vile how dare we venture,
Holy Ghost! to love Thee so?
And how canst Thou, with such compassion
Bear so long with things so low?

Holy Ghost! come down upon Thy children
Give us grace, and make us Thine;
Thy tender fires within us kindle,
Blessed Spirit! Dove Divine!