Songs That Make a Difference (Questionnaire for Catholics!)

NAPM ^ | 2005 | National Association of Pastoral Musicians

[Mrs. Don-o]

What liturgical song has really made a difference for you? It might be a song that has helped to form or strengthen your faith; has played a significant part in the life of your parish or community; is associated with a noteworthy event; or is simply your favorite liturgical song.

We are inviting NPM members and other American Catholics to tell us your selection for a liturgical song that makes a difference. We would like to know the texts and tunes that have done the most to help American Catholics to discover, explore, nourish, and deepen their faith. We will continue to collect choices through September 30, 2005 and then publish a list of the most popular and important songs, according to the survey, later in the fall as well as some of the stories that we receive.

My choice for a liturgical song that makes a difference (One entry per person please!)

Composer, text writer, hymnal, and/or other source (optional)

Please tell us the reason for your selection (optional)

Name (required)

E-Mail (required)

Street Address

City

State/Province

Zip/Postal code -

Diocese

[little jeremiah]

If you could give a link to a site where I could read the words (or even have music written down) to some of these hymns, I'd really appreciate it.

Also, I have a couple of question: How are the 10 Commandments different for Catholics and Protestants? And what translation of the Bible do Catholics use? Thanks very much. My questions are sincere, not to find fault.

And, that Anthem song - whew! Major disgusting.

[cubreporter]

My sister loves the Old Rugged Cross. I think they all are beautiful. We just all sing and praise in our own way, language, religion and belief. When it is sung to our Heavenly Father it is most beautiful no matter what it is.

[Tax-chick]

"Come You Sinners, Poor and Needy
Weak and wounded, sick and sore
Jesus Son of God will save you
Full of pity, love and power."

(Sorry, I was brought up Presbyterian ... I can get down with "A Mighty Fortress," too.)

[Tax-chick]

Catholics don't have "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images" as the Second Commandment (it's contained in the full text of the First), and have "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife" as the 9th and "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods" as the 10th. Coveting is a biggie :-).

I use the Revised Standard Version (Catholic Edition - since my old Protestant RSV fell apart.)

[maryz]

Here's the Ten Commandments.

You should be able to find the words to most of the hymns if you google the titles. (Or you might find more recordings for sale!)

[mdittmar]

"Amazing Grace"

[maryz]

On my First Communion Day

Do you mean this one by any chance?

O Mother Mary, keep their souls from sin,
Let not the least temptation enter in.
And keep them pure and free from evil's way,
As they were on their First Communion Day.

Chorus:

O Mother Mary, Virgin pure and fair,
List to thy children's humble prayer.
Shield them, protect them, be their guide and stay,
As Thou wert on their First Communion day.

[maryz]

The words are very powerful -- and the imaginative progession from our mortality, through the Incarnation from our point of view, then from a heavenly point of view, to the Eternal. I do love it!

[cubreporter]

No, and I can't remember the words...I can remember this much. We sang it on the day we made our First Holy Communion. Oh my, it was so special with all the little girls in their white everything and the little boys in their white suits. It was sang just by the children who were making their First Holy Communion. All the parents, relatives were there to help celebrate such an all important day. Oh the memories. Here is the only line I remember. I'm surprised. Perhaps if I had some other lines I could complete it as it would all come back.

Where Blessed Jesus may repose on my First Communion Day.

[AnAmericanMother]

We sing O Sacrament Most Holy about once a month. Lots of plainchant. Lots of OLD hymns.

We are a Highly Traditional Parish.

[cubreporter]

Good for you. Where may I ask is your parish? You can do a private reply if you choose. We go to a very traditional parish ourselves

[Mrs. Don-o]

Hello, brother---

I just want to answer the question about the 10 Commandments and the Bible.

As you may know, the original Hebrew Bible did not have verses and chapters marked off, so various translators added them in to make Bible Study more orderly. They eventually got more-or-ess harmonized, but there are some slight discrepancies. One is the way the Commandments ar numbered.

Abbreviated Protestant Ten Commandments:

1. You shall have no other gods but me.
2. You shall not make unto you any graven images
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain
4. You shall remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
5. Honor your mother and father
6. You shall not murder
7. You shall not commit adultery
8. You shall not steal
9. You shall not bear false witness
10. You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor

Abbreviated Catholic Ten Commandments:

1. I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods besides me.
2. You shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain
3. Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day
4. Honor your father and your mother
5. You shall not kill
6. You shall not commit adultery
7. You shall not steal
8. You shall not bear false witness
9. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's goods

The first thing which to notice is that after the first commandment, numbering starts to change. For example in the Catholic listing the imperative against adultery is the sixth commandment; for Jews and most Protestants it is the seventh.

But this doesn't indicate any theological differences: it's really just a scribal thing.

English translations? Since the early 17th century, Catholics have used the Douay-Rheims version, which predates the King James by a few years, (the complete KJV was published in 1611, but the complete Douay-Rheims in 1609.) It was the standard Bible for English-speaking Catholics until the twentieth century.

The 20th entury has given us the Ignatius Bible, the Jerusalem Bible, and the Confraternity edition, as well as Catholic editions of Protestant translations (for instance, the Catholic NKJV.) The Catholic versions will have the books from the Septuagint translation (the translation used universally in all Hellenic --- that is, Greek-speaking --- nations in the first few centuries AD) --- often not found in Protestant Bibles.

Does that about cover it?

As for the lyrics of those songs: a surprising number of them can be found by just googling the title or a few words. That's where I'd go to find them. BTW, thanks for the good pings. I appreciate your efforts.

[AnAmericanMother]

Oh, I'm not worried - as they say, my paper trail is a mile wide. Anybody who really wants to find me can do so.

We attend Holy Spirit parish in Atlanta GA.

Here's the website. Neat photo tour of the church.

And here is a recent article in the Archdiocesan newspaper regarding the resurgence of traditional music in Atlanta. (Yes, that's our choir - at least those of us who could stay after service for the photographer). Our choirmaster is extensively quoted in the article. He's a genius - doctorate in organ performance from Juilliard . . . has forgotten more about church music than I have learned in 40 plus years singing in church choirs . . .

I'm going to keep posting this article until somebody appreciates it!

(It drew a nasty letter in the next edition of the newspaper . . . from a "modern composer" who was all bent out of shape thinking that his lovely < blechhh! > music might get displaced occasionally.) Disgusting letter here

[AnAmericanMother]

Here's the money quote from the article, courtesy of our boss:

“Each age poses special problems and challenges and as much as we grow from experiencing Shakespeare and seeing great paintings, our lives as modern Catholics can grow from singing and hearing the great music that has answered these questions. Listening to the music of Palestrina and Victoria gives us an insight into the world of St. Teresa of Avila and St. Ignatius of Loyola. Chant shows us the mind of Aquinas and Augustine. And so the process continues into our time,” Ahlstrom said.

[little jeremiah]

Thank you - I did clink a link up the thread, but since it was an atheist site I didn't like it! But it did have info about the two sets of commandments, your explanation helped clear things up as well.

I can see I'm going to have to get a Catholic Bible to broaden my education.

I was not raised as a theist, and only discovered God in early adulthood. I have never read any Bible but the King James and NIV. I don't like the NIV much. I also study the Vedic scriptures (basis of classic Hinduism) and find many interesting parallels.

Thank you for the articles you alert me to!

[Mrs. Don-o]

Wonderful answers here! Please, if you haven't already, share these with the National Pastoral Musicians organization. Do it! Click here:

http://www.npm.org/Articles/songs.htm

[stop_fascism]

"Angel Band" does it for me.