Au ciel, dans la patrie, In heaven, in the homeland
Oui j'irai voir Marie, Yes, I'll go to see Mary
Ma joie et mon amour. My love and my joy
Au ciel, au ciel, au ciel, Above, Above, Above (In heaven, In heaven, In heaven)
j'irai la voir un jour. I'll go see her one day
Au ciel, au ciel, au ciel, Above, Above, Above
j'irai la voir un jour. I'll go see her one day
J'irai la voir un jour! I'll go see her one day
J'irai m'unir aux anges, I'll join the choir of angels
Pour chanter ses louanges To sing Mary's praises
Et pour former sa cour. And provide her with a court
J'irai la voir un jour, I'll go see her one day
Cette Vierge si belle! This beautiful, sweet Virgin
Bientôt j'irai près d'elle Soon I'll be by her side
Lui dire mon amour. To tell her my great love
J'irai la voir un jour! I'll go see her one day
J'irai près de son trône I'll go right by her throne
Recevoir ma couronne To receive my longed for crown
Dans l'éternel séjour. In my eternal sojourn.
J'irai la voir un jour! I'll go see her one day
J'irai, loin de la terre, I'll go far away from earth
Sur le coeur de ma Mère To rest on my Mom's heart
Reposer sans retour. To rest without return.
I have taken the opportunity of Ronald Chateauneuf's eternal visit to Mama Mary to translate this wonderful, traditional French canticle. If it is sung at Ronald's funeral Mass, many will not have the joy of understanding it. I went to Google and could not find a translation that I respected. So I did this one. As many of you are aware, a French Canadian funeral is not complete without this popular prayer being sung as the coffin is guided out of the church for the last time.
Many of you readers do not relate to this particularly important vestige of North American French culture. However, I have taken this opportunity to make this page of the "365 Thoughts..." blog a singular autobiographical note for all of you and especially for my two sons, who someday may even take the time to read through these silly pages in a moment of nostalgia.
A final note of intellectual curiosity. Notice I call this a canticle. It is because it forms part of popular piety, not high level liturgy. It translates popular faith practices into simple, easy to learn repetitive words and musical phrases. It is more a catechism than a theology. It is hard to forget and easily passes into the tradition of the community from which it springs. There are many examples of canticles. We just don't bother to apply that label to them because the word does sound like a $50.00 piece of language. But you know me. You know that I never pass up a chance to spring $50.00 words on you. At least this time I gave you fair warning!
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