Bedtime with a toddler can be a whirlwind of energy, and my son Michael was no exception. Reading books felt impossible some nights, so we created a ritual of lying in his bed and singing songs. Two songs became our nightly staples: the whimsical “Rainbow Connection” and a deeply moving hymn from my church, The Prayer of St. Francis (also known as “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace”). Night after night, these melodies would fill his room, gently lulling him into peaceful sleep. I never imagined how profoundly the Prayer Of St Francis Song would resonate in our lives for years to come.
Years flew by, and my toddler grew into a teenager. One day, during a casual car ride, Michael’s voice broke the silence with an unexpected question. He asked about the name of “that song” I used to sing to him when he was little. My mind immediately went to “The Rainbow Connection,” but he shook his head. “No,” he insisted, “the peas song!” I was puzzled, drawing a blank on any “peas song.” It wasn’t until a Sunday Mass, fourteen years later, that the mystery was solved. As the congregation began to sing The Prayer of St. Francis hymn, I felt a nudge in my ribs. Michael, standing beside me, quietly exclaimed, “That’s it! That’s the song!” His two-year-old mind had clearly reinterpreted “Make Me a Channel of PEACE” as the “peas song.” The realization that he remembered this bedtime ritual from so long ago was heartwarming and astounding.
Anne and Michael Dionne during a Parents Day event, a cherished memory linked to the Prayer of St. Francis song that provided comfort after Michael's passing.
Tragedy struck when Michael was just 19 years old. A sudden car accident took him from us, leaving a void that words cannot describe. In the immediate aftermath of unimaginable grief, as we planned his funeral, The Prayer of St. Francis was at the top of my list of requested songs. Numb with shock and loss, the familiar melody filled the church, and I wept. Through my tears, the memory of singing that st francis prayer song to my sweet toddler washed over me, my heart aching with the profound absence of my son.
Life continued, and a year after Michael’s passing, we attended his sister’s Master’s degree graduation ceremony. In a moment that felt surreal, the college president began the ceremony with… The Prayer of St. Francis. Two years later, we found ourselves at the wedding of one of Michael’s closest friends. Always running a bit behind, we were quickly guided to our seats just as the bridal procession was about to begin. As we walked down the aisle, the music swelled, and it was undeniably The Prayer of St. Francis song. While this hymn is common in Catholic Mass, it’s quite unusual for a wedding ceremony, especially given that the bride and groom were unaware of its deep personal significance to our family. My husband, typically skeptical about matters of faith and spirituality, was speechless.
Some events defy explanation by mere coincidence. For our family, The Prayer of St. Francis became more than just a song; it became an unexpected source of comfort, a recurring echo of love, and perhaps, a gentle message from Michael himself. The prayer of st francis song lyrics about peace, love, and forgiveness, once a simple lullaby, transformed into a powerful reminder of connection and enduring love in the face of loss.
