Abstract
Almost Invariably the critics who attempt to evaluate the work of Francis Thompson mention his utilization of the liturgy of the Catholic Church, but each critic attaches a different degree of importance to Thompson’s use of the liturgy. These degrees range all the way from generalized statements that Thompson’s poetry contains liturgical imagery to the vigorous statement of John Thomson that Francis Thompson’s poetry has more liturgical images than does that of any other author. It would be impossible, of course, to prove the last statement without performing the almost impossible task of making a thorough study of a great many English poets. Nevertheless, the mere fact that such a statement was made would seem to indicate that there were many obvious liturgical images In Thompson’s work.