A Catholic Book of Hymns

Would this hymnal be useful in our parish?

• Like to return to singing hymns that are Catholic prayers and not songs about us?

• Would you love to once again hear and sing hymns that teach and reinforce the Faith?

• Be able to sing four part harmony in every hymn so that Catholics may sing in praise.

• Have a hymnal in your pews that will not be replaced due to any "new translations"?

Our hardbound hymnal is being purchased by forward-thinking Catholic parishes that are printing a weekly Order of Mass bulletin and like that the music may be inserted in this hymnal, that will hold up to 18 pages of music, permitting your music director to choose ALL the music for your Mass, taking control over the Liturgy

"But we sing the propers." We present this book to propose not that hymns replace the proper chants for a particular day's Mass but live happily alongside them. In most instances, the proper chants for processions might be sung by the cantors and choirs as the texts change with every Sunday and solemnity, so in most cases, it's not practical for the congregation to learn and sing them.

The background of this hymnal:

"Music and silence-how I detest them both!" --Screwtape, under-secretary to the devil, The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis

It's easy to see why the enemies of mankind would hate and fear both sacred silence and sacred music. Both bring joy, spur contemplation, and draw the soul nearer to the Lord. Both have been part of our private prayer as well as our communal liturgy for thousands of years.

The Psalms--biblical songs of praise, supplication, and wonder--have been sung for three thousand years. Naturally, Jesus, His disciples, and later the early Christian community also sang hymns (from the Greek word meaning "songs of praise"), as The New Testament makes clear.

We sing because we love, and sung praise elevates our words, takes them out of the realm of the commonplace, and increases our joy. The holy pleasure of singing to God involves the entire person--spirit, heart, mind, and body--and unites us not only with the Divine but also with one another as a worshiping community. This collection of hymns for the singing Catholic congregation exemplifies the best of the genre. These songs are religiously orthodox, beautiful, sacred, and--for the most part--familiar. But here you will also find worthy hymn tunes and texts that are new to you.

And at the conclusion of Mass, a suitable hymn can send the people forth with the praise of Almighty God on their lips.