THE COMMON GOOD
 "These songs see the presence of God in the ordinary things of life. Peter Kearney brings such people as 'the man on the dole who drinks down defeat' (God of The Mess) into the orbit of the care of God. These are songs which are grounded in normal life. They recognise the pain and joys of life, common struggles and successes and the simple yearning of people to know where God is to be found. Whether a song of justice, the celebration of welcome for a new baby (We Welcome This Child) or a scathing critique of the human denial of God (The Search), these songs find me in the mess I call my normal life."
(Rev. Dr. Kim Miller, Anglican Priest)

Track List
Preface by Peter Kearney
Article by Ellen Leary
Educational & Liturgical Uses
Project History
Song Lyrics

TRACK LIST
& Notes on the Songs

1. The Song Behind the Songs.  Gathering up the longings of the human race as if into one great song, mighty rivers flowing to one great ocean. 

2. The Common Good. Written especially for the 'Turning Point' Conference... a light feel (to lighten the lump of all that talking) with lyrics that attempt a brief summary of Catholic social teaching. "The purpose of Government is the good of the people... not profit and loss. Better than gold, the prize of the Kingdom- one life that stood for the common good."

3. Mercy is One of God's Names. Commissioned by the Sisters of Mercy (North Sydney) for the tenth anniversary of the Mercy Foundation, which channels funds from the Mater Hospital into the seeding and development of social justice projects.

4. God of the Mess. "God of the mess that we're in, you still bless us and feel every bump when we fall. You see the good in our hearts and you know how we struggle- you fathered and mothered us all." Inspired by a conversation with Fr. Paul Hannah, the priest in a struggling West Sydney Parish.

5. We Welcome This Child - "If the Universe gathered and spoke just one word, you are the flesh of that Word here today." A song often used for baptisms. A joyful celebration of the new child and our 'beautiful world'.

6. Father Mother God - A contemporary reflection of the Lord's Prayer

7. Highways and Byways - A jaunty account of the history and mission of the Missionary Sisters of Service - a small Australian order who answer "the call of those beyond".

8. Still To Come The New Creation - "The Earth is groaning in the pain of giving birth".

9. The Search - A poem with soundscape - a look at human history in and out of relationship with God

10. My Eye Has No More Tear - Looking at poverty and suffering in our world and asking 'why?'. Written for 'Fast For Kids' - Catholic Missions

11. I Could Not Make The Flowers Grow - Paul Smith, who wrote the words of this song shortly before his death, was a homeless man.

12. L'Arche Prayer - An adaptation of the beautiful prayer from the L'Arche communities which give welcome to the intellectually disabled. Universal in its meaning.

PREFACE to 'THE COMMON GOOD'
by PETER KEARNEY

Sometimes, a song needs an invitation.

David Shinnick invites me to write a song for 'Turning Point', a conference on Catholic social teaching, to be held in Adelaide. My response: 'Still To Come The New Creation'.

The song has a lot of repetition. Perhaps there should be another song with more content? A conversation with Sr Catherine Seward in Adelaide provides me with a key phrase.. 'for the common good' . The new song that emerges has a light feel. It will be a welcome relief I hope, from all the serious talk at the conference. But, perhaps there should be one more song-something more lyrical. And so, a melody I have been saving for years and a puzzling phrase that came with it - ie. "the song behind the song', suddenly find their moment.

People at the conference will spend a lot of time listening. It would be good if they could join in the songs.. not just in unison, but in harmony! So I write three part arrangements. At the conference, it is wonderful to hear the way the songs 'take off' with enthusiastic singing and I am pleased when people say the songs capture the mood and themes of the gathering. The songwriter may not be an activist but songs, small as they are can bring a sense of movement or solidarity.

On the way home from Adelaide, 1 hear from my wife that a friend, Tom Hammerton, has made us a garden gate as a gift.. and his new daughter Kimberley is to be baptised soon after my return. Perhaps a special song? The phrase that springs to mind is "we welcome this child" and as I travel across the Hay plains, melody and lyrics take shape. At the baptism, Tom, Jan, Alexis and little Kimberley sit at the centre of a large circle of people who sing (and dance) the song. The songwriter may be solitary but a song can bring a sense of community and blessing.

Gaps are painful. I can't always be writing of ideals and burning issues. Usually, life is far from ideal. Fr Paul Hannah, talking to me of the people of Mount Druitt says: ''sometimes, out here, we talk of the God of the mess"...a phrase that stays with me for years and eventually becomes a song. Paul Smith writes his poem of a 'wasted' life, 'I Could Not Make The Flowers Grow' and dies a few days later. In his song, and mine, let flowers grow.

Every song has its story. Thanks to the people who inspire the songs, who live the songs. Thanks to those who sing the songs and find ways to use the songs. Thanks to all who help and encourage me in my work and forgive my shortcomings. Special thanks to Dorothy Woodward, Maria Rohr, Terry Westblade, Ellen Leary, Ted Kennedy, Geraldine Dayball, Bill and Barbara Clements, the Monfries, Saboisky and Noone families, Sally Waterford, Lindsay Swadling, you, my family, Jason, Niamh, and Madge my dear pagan-christian wife.

(Peter Kearney, July 1993)

EDUCATIONAL & LITURGICAL USES

Compiled by Ellen Leary

The songs in this collection have many uses in the classroom, parish and retreat centre. Various people involved in these fields have commented on how they can see these songs being used. Thanks in particular go to Sr Dorothy Woodward, Sr Sandra Perrett, Leo Drinkwater, Sr Catherine Crawford and Mrs. Lorraine Kirkaldy.

THE SONG BEHIND THE SONG
*Classes on social justice topics.
* Theme song for such events as "One World Week" , "World Peace Day", "Social Justice Week"
* Use in conjunction with films such as "Cry Freedom" , ''Romero'' , .'The Power of One", etc.
* Work with Aboriginal culture and their understanding of song, how they 'sing the land into existence ..(see Bruce Chatwin's 'Songlines')
* Work in classroom on contemporary prophets and martyrs.

FOR THE COMMON GOOD
* Again use in Social Justice week or One World Week, etc.
* Staff, Parish Pastoral Council reflection, used to introduce question , 'What is the common good to which we are called in this community? What is our mission?'.
* Leadership programmes, to focus on the service style of the leadership of Jesus.
* Lent/Easter paraliturgy.
* Call and commitment ceremony to the values of the Kingdom for new leadership teams in the school, parish etc.
* Celebration of gifts - the power of each person to bring about change.

MERCY IS ONE OF GOD'S NAMES
* Reconciliation ceremonies for parish, school or retreat settings.
* To replace the Penitential Rite at the Eucharist, and including a Sprinkling Rite.
* In times of drought or dryness (physical or spiritual)
* At healing or anointing mass/ceremony .
* Prayer services for Australia, the world, current situations, with a slide presentation.
* Prayer of mission: our call to be the face of mercy to others.

GOD OF THE MESS
* Parish, classroom reconciliation rite, to celebrate God's unconditional forgiveness.
* Reflection song after communion, when we know we are blessed even though we don't have our lives together.
* Set to visual images newspaper clippings, photos, slides or to mime or role-playing to be dramatised during the singing.
* To use with the themes of hope, resilience, solidarity with the suffering.
* An expression of Jesus's option for the poor and outcasts.

WE WELCOME THIS CHILD
* ldeal for Baptisms, First communion, Confirmation.
* Christmas concerts, , celebrations.
* Beginning of year mass, liturgical dance in primary grades where circle is enlarged to include everyone.

FATHER MOTHIER GOD
* Reconciliation rites.
* Prayer services, Evening Prayer, etc.
* Reflections on images of God in Scripture, introducing the question, 'Who is God to you?'

HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS
* Studies on the Australian Church, Australian personalities, history of religious orders.
* Career Days, commitment days, vocation, lifestyles.
* Units on poverty and the marginalised. What is our response?

STILL TO COME THE NEW CREATION
* Creation liturgies.
* Liturgical dance with God in centre, movement with streamers, as the world turns, symbolic of the world coming to life.
* Looking at the growing partnership between science and religion, both offering new ways of seeing and new ways of knowing and being to each other.

THE SEARCH
* Units on World Religions, the God that can't be confined.
* Images of God.
* Contrast with Psalm 139.
* Lenten prayer service, use with strong visual images.
* Reconciliation rite, focusing on the damage done to the earth and the various attempts at conservation.
* Aboriginal spirituality. Song says something about white dislocation from the earth and parcelling up of life into the sacred and the profane. Contrast with Aboriginal sense of the sacred.
* Liturgical dance, with 5 groups each being given a verse to which they devise a movement, dance, ritual, etc.

THE EYE HAS NO MORE TEAR
* Social Justice, One World Week, human rights topics.
* Lenten study in schools. .
* Prayer for refugees, indigenous people.
* The prophetic message.. use in study of the prophets.

I COULD NOT MAKE THE FLOWERS GROW
* Retreat/reflection when discussing meaning of freedom and value of hope.
* Expression of personal struggle.
* Introduction to guest speaker asking for charitable support.
* In conjunction with Community/Social service programmes in schools.

L'ARCHE PRAYER
* Dedication ceremony for any place of caring - refuge, hospice, etc.
* Song of welcome in any Christian community/gathering.
* As a Christian vision statement.
* Expression of commitment, renewing of vision, especially at the beginning of the school year, for both staff and students.
* Eucharist celebration in any group.
* Class prayer.