Frederick William Faber

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Frederick William Faber – Life, Theology, and Hymns

Explore the life and legacy of Frederick William Faber (1814–1863) — from Anglican scholar to Catholic convert, founder of the London Oratory, and author of beloved hymns like Faith of Our Fathers.

Introduction

Frederick William Faber is remembered as one of 19th-century England’s most passionate and prolific Catholic writers, preachers, and hymnists. Though he began his clerical life in the Church of England, his spiritual journey led him to convert to Roman Catholicism, become a priest, and help establish the Oratorian community in London. His poetic and theological works—especially his hymns—still find resonance today among Christians of different traditions.

This article will trace Faber’s early life, conversion, ecclesiastical and literary career, his theological vision, famous hymns, and the lessons we can draw from his spiritual legacy.

Early Life and Family

Frederick William Faber was born on 28 June 1814 in Calverley, Yorkshire, England. His family background combined clerical, Protestant, and Huguenot influences.

He spent parts of his boyhood in Westmorland and also attended grammar schooling in Bishop Auckland, though his childhood was not entirely stable in terms of residence.

As a youth, Faber was exposed to strong Calvinist convictions (reflecting his family or cultural milieu), but his intellectual and spiritual sensibilities would later shift.

He also had an uncle, George Stanley Faber, who was a noted theologian and writer, providing a familial intellectual lineage.

Education and Youth Influences

• Faber attended Harrow School and Shrewsbury for secondary education.

• In 1832, he entered Balliol College, Oxford, and two years later won a scholarship at University College, Oxford.

• In 1836, he graduated with a second class in Literae Humaniores (classics, philosophy) and in the same year won the Newdigate Prize for a poem on "The Knights of St John."

• In 1837, he became a Fellow of University College.

At Oxford, Faber encountered the intellectual currents of the Oxford Movement and was influenced by John Henry Newman and the shifting theology of Anglicanism.

While still early in his theological path, he wrestled with religious identity—moving from Calvinist roots toward a more sacramental, Catholic outlook.

Anglican Ministry

• In 1839, Faber was ordained a deacon in the Church of England, and shortly thereafter (in 1839) a priest.

• He supported himself partly through tutoring and literary work.

• In 1843, he accepted the position of Rector of Elton (then in Huntingdonshire, now in Cambridgeshire).

• At Elton, he began introducing more liturgical and sacramental practices—celebrations of feast days, confessions, devotion to the Sacred Heart—practices uncommon in many Anglican parishes of the era.

• His liturgical innovations (in a context with strong Methodist presence) sometimes provoked resistance and friction in his parish.

Yet by the mid-1840s, Faber’s theological and spiritual trajectory was taking a decisive turn.

Conversion to Catholicism and the Oratory

The Turn to Rome

• After a prolonged spiritual struggle, influenced by Newman and others, Faber converted to Roman Catholicism in November 1845.

• He was received into the Catholic Church by Bishop William Wareing of Northampton.

• He was accompanied by a small group of eleven men from his community at Elton, forming a nascent religious society.

Founding the Wilfridians & Movement toward the Oratory

• Initially, the group organized itself in Birmingham under the name Brothers of the Will of God (also called the Wilfridians) and established St. Wilfrid’s Church and a school in that region.

• In 1847, Faber was ordained a Catholic priest, and said his first Mass on 4 April 1847.

• Faber and his community were drawn to the Oratorian tradition (inspired by St. Philip Neri), which allowed a religious life without formal vows and with greater freedom.

• In 1849, a branch of the community was founded in London (William IV Street).

• On 11 October 1850 (St. Wilfrid’s feast), the London branch was formed as an autonomous Oratory, and Faber was elected as its first provost. He held that office until his death.

Under his leadership, the London Oratory (later centered at Brompton) became a major center of Catholic life in England.

Literary, Theological & Hymnal Works

Faber was remarkably prolific. His oeuvre spans poetry, devotional works, spiritual theology, sermons, translations, and hymns.

Major Theological & Devotional Works

Some of his notable works include:

• All for Jesus, or The Easy Ways of Divine Love (1853)

• Growth in Holiness, or The Progress of the Spiritual Life (1854)

• The Blessed Sacrament, or The Works and Ways of God (1855)

• The Foot of the Cross, or The Sorrows of Mary (1858)

• The Precious Blood, or The Price of Our Salvation (1860)

• Spiritual Conferences (1859) — collected sermons and spiritual talks.

• Devotion to the Church (posthumous) — reflections on ecclesiology and piety.

He also edited Lives of the Saints in Oratorian collections.

Poetry & Early Literary Works

• The Cherwell Water-Lily and Other Poems (1840)

• Sir Lancelot: A Legend of the Middle Ages (1842)

• Sights and Thoughts in Foreign Churches and among Foreign People (1842) — travel and church impressions.

• The Rosary and Other Poems (1845)

Hymns

Faber’s hymns are among his most durable legacies.

Some of his best-known hymns include:

• “Faith of Our Fathers” — perhaps his most famous hymn, widely sung across Christian denominations.

• “Dear Guardian of Mary”

• “Have Mercy on Us, God Most High” (Trinity hymn)

• “Jesus My Lord, My God, My All”

• “O Paradise! O Paradise”

• “Mother of Mercy, Day by Day”

Faber believed in promoting congregational singing in Catholic worship, at a time when many English Catholics adhered to low-church or choral-only traditions.

His hymns combine theological correctness, devotional fervor, poetic imagery, and a musical sensibility that made them singable.

Theological Vision & Influence

Spiritual & Ecclesial Themes

• Faber’s spirituality emphasizes divine love, growth in holiness, sacrifice, Mary devotion, and the centrality of the Church.

• He argued that true Christian life involves “easy ways of divine love” — meaning that the soul should live in trustful abandonment to God, rather than scrupulous legalism.

• His devotion to Mary is strong: he translated the classical True Devotion to Mary by Louis de Montfort, and his hymns often invoke Marian intercession.

• He defended the authority and spiritual centrality of the Catholic Church in Devotion to the Church, urging loyalty and fidelity.

Preaching & Pastoral Style

As a preacher, Faber was praised for his clarity, theological depth, and personal exhortation. He avoided excessive gestures or theatricality, preferring directness and sincerity.

His liturgical innovations—such as nightly services, processions, incorporation of hymns—were part of his vision to deepen the devotional life of communities.

Legacy & Influence

• Faber’s hymns endured well beyond his lifetime. Faith of Our Fathers remains widely sung in Catholic and Protestant congregations alike.

• His spiritual writings influenced later Catholic devotional literature and retreat preaching.

• The London Oratory, founded under his leadership, remains a vibrant center of Catholic life in London, and his tomb lies in Brompton Oratory.

• Scholars of 19th-century Catholic revival often regard Faber as a bridge figure between the Oxford Movement and the Catholic renewal in England.

Famous Quotes & Passages

While Faber is less often quoted in short aphorisms, here are several worthy lines and sentiments attributed to or drawn from his works:

“We must remember that if all the manifestly good men were on one side and all the manifestly bad men on the other, there would be no danger of anyone … being deceived by lying wonders. It is the good men, good once, we must hope good still, who are to do the work of Anti-Christ …”
— Devotion to the Church

“The hymns I write I write, not for the choir, but for the people.”
— (attributed of his approach to congregational hymns)

“All for Jesus — that should be the substance of all our prayer: only Jesus, only, all, always.”
— (from All for Jesus)

These reflect his emphases on devotion, humility, and sincerity of worship.

Lessons from Frederick William Faber

1. Integration of faith, art, and doctrine. Faber’s life shows how theology and poetic imagination can enrich each other.

2. Spiritual courage in transition. His decision to leave Anglicanism and shoulder the difficulties of conversion and founding a Catholic community is a testament to integrity and conviction.

3. Devotion accessible to laity. His promotion of congregational singing and accessible devotional works show a pastoral heart for ordinary believers.

4. Steadfastness amid illness. Despite chronic ill health (eventually diagnosed as Bright’s disease), Faber worked continuously, preaching, writing, and leading.

5. The power of rootedness. Faber’s devotion to the Church, sacramental life, and liturgy suggests that lasting spiritual influence arises when belief is embodied in ritual, community, and art.

Conclusion

Frederick William Faber occupies a special place in 19th-century English religious life: as scholar, poet, convert, priest, and hymn writer. His life story runs from theological uncertainty to architectural and spiritual construction, from academic halls to pews singing Faith of Our Fathers. His writings continue to nourish those seeking devotional depth, and his hymns still echo in churches across denominational lines.