Thank you Dixie for coming on with us. We were delighted to have you on podcast and hope to catch up again in 2025.
Dixie's contribution will be published on our podcast page excepted from full podcast on 31 December but also enjoy the other reflections over the Christmas Season.
I fully resonate with your reflections on motherhood and Christmas carols, which often express a profound mingling of joy, despair, and hope. One of my favorites I first heard during our years in Newfoundland: The Seven Joys of Mary by The Great Big Sea, sung accompanined only with a bodhrán (traditional Irish percussion instrument. Have a listen: https://youtu.be/AX1nv1HOzXo?si=dEycBqfVXMEGA_7u
That’s incredible - never met anyone who “happened” to play the bodhran :) You’d love the Newfoundland music scene! Merry Christmas to you and your family as well!
Dixie, this resonated deeply with me. Christmas is so much richer and more poignant for me now that I am a mother, for all of the reasons you mention. And “In the Bleak Midwinter” is my favorite Christmas carol, so I was happy to see you included it. Merry Christmas!
Another motherhood carol is the Coventry Carol with origins in the medieval retelling of scripture and specifically Herod’s targeting of the innocents.
Have you ever heard the Wexford Carol, as performed by YoYo Ma & Alison Krause? I think you would appreciate it.
You would love the movie “I Heard the Bells,” by Sight and Sound Theatre/Productions. It’s a film about the history of that beautiful carol and the tragic events in Longfellow’s life that led to his writing it. His wounded son was not the only tragedy, sadly. You can watch it with a subscription to Great American PureFlix, and it’s also available to rent/buy through other streaming platforms. Some libraries also have it! 11/10 recommend; it’s a new favourite movie of mine, and I think you’d love it too.
I love this! My perspective on Mary (as well as other mothers in Scripture) completely shifted after becoming a mother myself. Reflecting on her experience is one of my favorite things about the Nativity story.
I was trying to think of songs from Mary's perspective and the only one I could come up with was Amy Grant's Breath of Heaven. The other song that came to mind (and one I'm not fond of) was Mary did you know.
In the Bleak Midwinter is such a lovely piece. Thank you for reminding me of that one!
Too much mansplaining (it was written by a guy) among other things. lol.
I'd be curious to know your reaction as a Catholic to Breath of Heaven if you ever wish to share. :) I remember singing along to it as a preteen. It was my favorite Christmas song for a few years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWo3qlqyW1c
The melody is beautiful. I really enjoyed it. I will admit I'm not familiar with the imagery and tradition surrounding the song though. Is there a story behind it?
Thank you Dixie for coming on with us. We were delighted to have you on podcast and hope to catch up again in 2025.
Dixie's contribution will be published on our podcast page excepted from full podcast on 31 December but also enjoy the other reflections over the Christmas Season.
Regards
John and Shane
C&SI Team
Thank you so much, Shane and John! Such a delight to do this. I wanted to make sure everyone could enjoy the full podcast, too!
I fully resonate with your reflections on motherhood and Christmas carols, which often express a profound mingling of joy, despair, and hope. One of my favorites I first heard during our years in Newfoundland: The Seven Joys of Mary by The Great Big Sea, sung accompanined only with a bodhrán (traditional Irish percussion instrument. Have a listen: https://youtu.be/AX1nv1HOzXo?si=dEycBqfVXMEGA_7u
Wow, this is wonderful! Thank you for sharing this song, Ruth.
Also, beIieve it or not, I actually play the bodhran! Long ago in college I was in an Irish band...
Merry Christmas!
That’s incredible - never met anyone who “happened” to play the bodhran :) You’d love the Newfoundland music scene! Merry Christmas to you and your family as well!
I will have to tell you about how I "met" the instrument sometime while we're on the Camino!
Dixie, this resonated deeply with me. Christmas is so much richer and more poignant for me now that I am a mother, for all of the reasons you mention. And “In the Bleak Midwinter” is my favorite Christmas carol, so I was happy to see you included it. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas, Christina! I'm heartened to hear that it isn't just me!
Another motherhood carol is the Coventry Carol with origins in the medieval retelling of scripture and specifically Herod’s targeting of the innocents.
Have you ever heard the Wexford Carol, as performed by YoYo Ma & Alison Krause? I think you would appreciate it.
Have a wonder-full Christmastime!
Yes, thank you, I actually just came across that version of the Wexford carol this year!
The Coventry Carol is so beautiful and is almost unbearable for me to sing or hear. But that story is part of Christmas, too, as you say.
I completely come undone with a Coventry Carol. It’s got to be one of the saddest and most poignant laments ever written.
I am right there with you.
You would love the movie “I Heard the Bells,” by Sight and Sound Theatre/Productions. It’s a film about the history of that beautiful carol and the tragic events in Longfellow’s life that led to his writing it. His wounded son was not the only tragedy, sadly. You can watch it with a subscription to Great American PureFlix, and it’s also available to rent/buy through other streaming platforms. Some libraries also have it! 11/10 recommend; it’s a new favourite movie of mine, and I think you’d love it too.
Thanks for the recommendation, Chantal! Sounds wonderful. And yes, I’m aware of the wider story — and Longfellow is such an interesting person!
I love this! My perspective on Mary (as well as other mothers in Scripture) completely shifted after becoming a mother myself. Reflecting on her experience is one of my favorite things about the Nativity story.
I was trying to think of songs from Mary's perspective and the only one I could come up with was Amy Grant's Breath of Heaven. The other song that came to mind (and one I'm not fond of) was Mary did you know.
In the Bleak Midwinter is such a lovely piece. Thank you for reminding me of that one!
I haven't heard Breath of Heaven! Thanks for the recommendation. I feel the same way you do about Mary Did You Know, alas.
Too much mansplaining (it was written by a guy) among other things. lol.
I'd be curious to know your reaction as a Catholic to Breath of Heaven if you ever wish to share. :) I remember singing along to it as a preteen. It was my favorite Christmas song for a few years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWo3qlqyW1c
I will listen to it tomorrow!
Oh, also, we sang "Maria Walks Amid the Thorns" a lot this Advent. Do you know that one?
I do not! I'll go look it up right now. Thank you!
The melody is beautiful. I really enjoyed it. I will admit I'm not familiar with the imagery and tradition surrounding the song though. Is there a story behind it?
All I know about it I learned from Wikipedia! It was a pilgrimage song to begin with, I guess?