As Clay in the Hands of the Potter (Sr. Suzanne Toolan)

As clay in the hands of the potter,  

I come to you, O Lord 

I come to you to be fashioned, 

to be fashioned by you, my Lord. 

More than dust and ashes; 

formed by creating Word, 

Your life in me I now cherish, 

 Lord of humanity. 

Refrain 

All that is wounded or broken, 

all that is dwarfed and unkept, 

I bring to you, Lord of all wholeness. 

Heal me, O Lord, my life, 

Refrain

Come with your Life-giving waters, 

come to this parch-ed clay, 

‘Liven and strengthen and shape me. 

Be to me Savior once more. 

Refrain 

This song was composed by Sr. Suzanne Toolan, SM, and shared with seminarians at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park when Sr. Suzanne taught there. 

To hear a recording of this song, click on the video below. The voices are those of Sr. John Peterson, SM, and Sr. John Evans, SM. (Published by Pretzel Records, Resource Publications, San Jose, CA, 1979). 

Here is OLMC Pastor Fr. Patrick Michaels’ tribute to Sr. Suzanne’s work: 

   Sr. Suzanne Toolan, SM, is a significant part of the Church's identity in the Bay Area, as she has worked and functioned as a Sister of Mercy at Mercy Center, Burlingame. Her hymn, "I Am the Bread of Life" is a part of the musical memory of generations of Catholics (and other Christians) throughout the Bay Area, across the United States, and around the world. She was a significant part of our life and training at St. Patrick's Seminar in Menlo Park, leading us in music for the Friday Liturgies at the Seminary. We seminarians were her first opportunity, in the late 1970's (this album dates from that time), to work with men's voices (and boys’ antics) in her professional career, as she had always worked in the context of her Order at the girls’ high school at Mercy. She learned and we learned...she laughed and we laughed...she grew in love and we grew in love. It was a marvelous time for all of us. She would write what she referred to as "throw-away" music for us to sing once. I have a whole binder that I failed to throw away. She would continue to grow musically and spiritually through the music of Taizé, becoming one of the most moving leaders of Prayer Around the Cross in the Bay Area. She continues to reside at Mercy, Burlingame. 

 Image, video & text source:  Fr. Patrick Michaels, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Mill Valley