Songs That Make a Difference (in the faith life of American Catholics)

National Association of Pastoral Musicians ^

[Convert from ECUSA]

Hmmmm. I vote for Tantum Ergo, Salve Regina (a personal favorite), Praise to the Lord, and three not on the list: "God of Grace and God of Glory" and "Guide me O Thou Great Jehovah (or Great Redeemer)" - both of which are sung to Cwm Rhondda, a magnificent Welsh tune. I haven't heard them since my Anglican days and I miss them, but the tune and both versions of the words are great! AnAmericanMother, as a fellow former Anglican , you may recall Cwn Rhondda and the two different sets of words to it. The other one not on the list is "The Strife is O'er".

[Carolina]

There's also "Love Divine All Loves Excelling" tune "Hyrfrydol".

*from another former Anglo-Catholic.

[AnAmericanMother]

Whoa! That notation is sort of a half-way step between the old Gregorian and modern staff notation.

Where's it from?

[Carolina]

From the Roman Catholic in Belarus website.

Have you seen The Anglican Use Gradual?

I do miss the Gradual Psalm Book but definitely not "815". ;) The OCP psalm stuff really grates on me.

[Sashula]

This thread wouldn't be complete without a link to http://www.mgilleland.com/music/moratorium.htm

[AnAmericanMother]

You beat me to it!

Our choirmaster thinks that site is a hoot! Of course, he is a real old-fashioned musician and loves the chant and medieval and Renaissance polyphony. (Who wouldn't, once they hear it done well and reverently?)

[dsc]

"Compare "Lord of the Dance" with "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day"

That literally made me nauseous.

[Convert from ECUSA]

:))

[klossg]

I want to be able to be a part of mass and if it means I have to sing squishy little tunes that say almost nothing, Then that is what I do. But, since I am here and have seen what you beautiful people say ... here is what puts the extra starch in my shorts:

Doing the same Responsorial Psalm ... regardless of the readings or the season ... every Sunday. Such as:

"Taste and see that the lord is good."

What are the other highly repetitive psalms that people use ad nauseam?

Taking the Lamb of God and changing it to anything but Lamb of God. ... "Prince of Peace" ... "Merciful Lord" ... "Dude of Cool" Takes away the sin of the world ...

[Notwithstanding]

Has anyone ever heard the "Lamb of God" that sounds like "99 bottles of beer on the wall" (or some siilar pirates' drinking song)?

[Convert from ECUSA]

Aw jeeze louise, "Lord of the Dance"! GAG!!!!! Shudder!!! They made us sing that travesty at a "youth Sunday" at my old Baptist church in 1971 when I was almost 16. They made us sing it again on a "youth trip" to Brasstown, NC a short time later (the locals tried to be polite since we were visitors, but the looks on their faces.......I think they were praying the lighting would not hit us poor misguided youth). That was when my old Baptist church, like so many in that era, was trying to make itself "relevant to today's youth." GAG! That same year the real Baptist minister retired and they hired some liberal carpetbagger from Rochester, NY....it was all downhill from there. Three years later when I was in college I ended my membership in that church. By then, it went from godly Baptist to typical mainline liberal Protestant, and even in my then-agnostic days, I regarded it with disdain, as I wanted something substantial, not cotton-candy.

[P.O.E.]

Free mp3s from The Apologetix (fun, pro-Christian parodies of famous songs)

[Notwithstanding]

This "online survey" is absolutely worthless as a real tool for measuring popularity or signifigance.

Happily the number responding was paltry.

I don't hold that real representative results would be much different given the ridiculous way in which we all have these same stupid songs foisted upon us by the "liturgists".

I know that some songs have a faux sentimentality to them, but I don't think people really find such songs beautiful in the long run. Many songs (such as One Bread One Body) are just like pop songs from my high school days that I have a sentimental attraction to, but which I know are embarassingly vapid and immature.

Other songs, such as Tantum Ergo, Ave Verum or Joyful Joyful, never make me cringe in embarassment the way Glory & Praise songs often do.

[Carolina]

What are the other highly repetitive psalms that people use ad nauseam?

All the Ends of the Earth

To you, O Lord

These are the same two we've been singing since Christmas.

[twin2]

Thanks so much for your post on OCP. As commentator, I read the prayers of the faithful, and some weeks I can barely get the words out of my mouth. Your article zeroed in on the problem. They are so long-winded and politically correct that at the end I am not sure what we prayed for.

They usually go something like this ".....for all world leaders that they may use their resources to bring justice and equity to the world" or

"....for the harvest, that we will work to distribute God's resources in a fair and just manner."

I can't take the socialist context of these prayers anymore. We have a new pastor in our parish and I think I will approach him about finding a new source for Prayers of the Faithful.

[Notwithstanding]

Whenever a song has us celebrating ourselves I want to shout "STOP THE INSANITY!" at the top of my lungs.

Thats why I hate the songs that have us singing God's lines in the first person (I will raise you up...).

I understand that to do so is not per se incorrect, but when every song focuses on patting ourselves on the back and none focus on worshipping "Him", I can't play along - even though I know all the words by heart. I simply won't sing some songs - I try to pray joyfully with a smile on my face during such songs.

Ignore the stupid things during Mass - consider them pennance that you serve as you suffer along with the Lord at nonsens and impropriety (however well-intentioned it may be).

Try to correct the essential errors when doing so won't cause you to be uncharitable or when ignoring them seems to shirk one's duty.

[kidd]

Marty Haugen ("All Are Welcome") was the music coordinator for my church as a kid (St. Boneventure Catholic Church in Bloomington, MN).

Marty Haugen is a Lutheran. Wrote all his songs and directed the music at a Catholic church and never converted to Catholicism.

He was a soft-spoken Kenny Loggins looking guy. Sort of a flower child without the drugs. Even though he was a nice guy, he always creeped me out, even as a kid. He even taught CCD classes - which I always thought was kind of an invasion. I recall one class where we spent an hour studying the lyrics to "Stairway to Heaven," not because he thought they were important, but because he simply had a lot of trouble keeping control of the students.

[Notwithstanding]

Magnificat is a great resource for such prayers!

[twin2]

thanks, I will check it out.

[markomalley]

The Prayer of the Faithful

69. In the Prayer of the Faithful, the people respond in a certain way to the word of God which they have welcomed in faith and, exercising the office of their baptismal priesthood, offer prayers to God for the salvation of all. It is fitting that such a prayer be included, as a rule, in Masses celebrated with a congregation, so that petitions will be offered for the holy Church, for civil authorities, for those weighed down by various needs, for all men and women, and for the salvation of the whole world.67
70. As a rule, the series of intentions is to be
    • For the needs of the Church;
    • For public authorities and the salvation of the whole world;
    • For those burdened by any kind of difficulty;
    • For the local community.

Source: Revised Roman Missal

Another good source for generic prayers is from the Breviary...