A song of friendship and a song of a father foster memories of special moments in life

Andrew and Julie Motyka pose for a photo with their children—front row, Mary and Thomas; back row, Lucy —at Easter in 2026. When their children were infants, Andrew hummed the lyrics to “God with Hidden Majesty” to them. (Submitted photo)

(Editor’s note: The Criterion has invited you, our readers, to share a song that has led you into a deeper level of faith, humanity or love. Here are some songs—and why they are special—that have been shared so far.)

One in an occasional series
 

By John Shaughnessy

The songs that strike closest to our hearts often come from our younger years, especially the days of high school and college.

Paul Burns takes a trip back in time whenever he hears a certain song that first had meaning for him in high school.

“The song that has led to a deeper faith for me—that’s an easy one—is ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,’ popularized by the Hollies,” Burns says.

That song was a prominent part of his senior retreat in 1976 when he was a student at St. Xavier High School in Louisville, Ky., an all-boys school.

“The impact of those three days was very special,” Burns recalls. “As at school and on retreat, the demographic mix of the boys ranged from the very wealthy to the poor, from excellent athletes to those who never participated in sports, from the very smart National Honor students to those whose goal was trying to get a score high enough on the ACT that would allow entrance into a college of any kind.

“So, what I have described is a group of many boys that socially and otherwise did not mix, did not intermingle. But put together for three days of retreat where hearts and souls are poured out was impactful. Stories were shared.”

Burns notes that the song title, ‘”He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,” was changed to “You Ain’t Heavy, You’re My Brother” for the retreat. Played as a theme for his group, it set the tone for a dramatic change that occurred among the young men.

“Before that retreat, the impact of my classmates was one where maybe you knew their name and really not much more,” he says. “After retreat, high fives in the hallway and lasting friendships, driven by, frankly, the Holy Spirit.”

Burns says that his high school still holds the retreats, and they are held at Mount Saint Francis Center for Spirituality in Mt. St. Francis.

“In the life of Jesus, you can see the playing out of ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,’ ” says Burns, who lives in New Albany and is a member of St. Louis Bertrand Parish in Louisville.

“The song title says it all. When I hear that song, those sweet memories of that retreat come back.”

‘I remember humming it to my children’

For parents, there is always something special about the songs we sang to our children when they were infants.

In his selection of a song to feature, Andrew Motyka turned to one from that part of his life—a song that also tapped into the faith at the heart of his life and his ministry of music.

“If I had to choose one song that has helped my faith and life in general, it is ‘God with Hidden Majesty,’ probably the most popular translation of the hymn ‘Adoro te devote,’ ” says Motyka, director of music for the archdiocese and also for SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral Parish in Indianapolis.

The song ends with these lyrics:

“Let my soul approach you, live within your grace,

“Let me taste the perfect joys time shall not efface.”

Motyka notes, “The text of this hymn captures the faith in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist perfectly, and the tune is one that stays with you. I remember humming it to my children when they were infants.”

To hear Motyka sing the hymn, use the QR code or go to tinyurl.com/MotykaHymn.
 

Whether it’s a song from popular culture or from a church hymnal, you are invited to share your story of how that song has led you to a deeper level of faith, humanity or love. Send your story and song(s) to John Shaughnessy at jshaughnessy@archindy.org or by mail in care of The Criterion, 1400 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46202. Please include your parish and a daytime phone number where you can be reached. †