Boyce & Stanley launch tour with new songs inspired by Thérèse

Jo Boyce & Mike Stanley

Jo Boyce and Mike Stanley begin their 'Age to Age home-coming Tour' on Saturday, 17 October with two new compositions inspired by the writings and spirituality of St Thérèse of Lisieux.

The songs have been used during times of prayer and worship as the relics were taken across the country. They featured particularly in liturgies led by Boyce & Stanley when some 5,000 people venerated the relics at St Chad's Cathedral in Birmingham and also in Evening prayer from the Church of the Sacred Heart and St Teresa in Coleshill.

Endorsing the music, Bishop Malcolm McMahon, Patron of the Visit of the Relics, said: "My Song of Today and Child of Grace capture the simplicity of St Thérèse and will help all pilgrims pray more deeply. They capture the spirit of the visit of the relics of St Thérèse in words and music. I am sure that they will be used in our churches long after the Relics have left our shores."

Mike said: "Child of Grace, is a contemporary reflection on the life of this wonderful spiritual role model. It was inspired by her autobiography; The Story of a Soul, and describes different aspects of her life, asking in turn for her intercession in our lives. By contrast, My Song of Today expresses how a child lives in the immediacy of the present moment, not paralysed by the past or fretting about the future - something we find hard to do in todays society . The text for My Song of Today was adapted from Thérèse' own poetry, in fact she wrote this piece when she knew she was dying. Her confidence in God as her only desire is overwhelming and the sentiment she expresses is one we can all aim for: "Come reign within my heart,today, dear Lord, today,"'

"The Age to Age albums contain songs which have endured, treasures of our faith", said Jo, "some of them may even have been known and sung by St Thérèse herself"

The Age to Age tour dates are as follows:

Saturday 17 October, 8pm - The Immaculate Conception RC Church, Stroud
Sunday 18 October, 7.30pm - St Barnabas Cathedral, Nottingham
Saturday 31 October, 7.30pm - Cathedral Church of St Anne, Leeds
Sunday 1 November, 6pm - St Mary's RC Church, Leyland, Preston
Saturday 14 November 8pm - St Anne's Catholic Church, Chertsey
Sunday 15 November 6pm - St William of York, Forest Hill

Tickets are £7.50 and £5 concessions and can be purchased from CJM Music
on 01675 466254 or online www.cjmmusic.com

An EP CD of the songs of St Therese of Lisieux is available from the CJM Music website and will also be available on iTunes.