By Cecily Sheehy OP. Published by NZ Dominican Sisters, 2024 (NZD 49.50 p&p included). Reviewed by Amy Armstrong

Dominican sister Cecily Sheehy composed the collection Larksong over many years. She was influenced by her time with Matthew Fox’s Creation Spirituality programme in Berkeley, California and her many years in the classroom.

The very evening I received Cecily’s hymnbook, I headed to the piano and started plucking my way through the songs. My immediate reaction was “How refreshing!” I had met Cecily once after Mass and found her frank and spritely manner just that — refreshing. We’d laughed about how difficult it can be doing parish music because you can never please everyone. But this collection of Cecily’s music will touch a wide range of people.

The hymns touch on important aspects of our church often missing at Mass — the feminine image of God, children and families, Papatūānuku, meditation, being who we are created in God. As a church musician and spiritual director I felt filled with the Spirit when I played and sang Cecily’s songs.

Her songs have a simple yet deep message. They are playable, easily learned and, conveniently, come with CDs that make teaching and learning even more easy. This collection will be useful, and is I think “a must” for schools and parishes. The title, Larksong, suggests an invitation to delve into a melodious adventure.

Larksong is available from: domfinancenz@gmail.com

NOTE: Larksong is spiral-bound so will sit easily on a music stand.

Tui Motu Magazine. Issue 295 August 2024: 27