Liturgical Song?

A liturgical song is a song that is integral to the liturgy.

Browse liturgical song titles in the alphabetical index and genres in the genre index. Find songs for particular days by clicking the liturgical index, or browse the navigation bar above.

Three principles help us to choose music for liturgical songs - liturgical holiness, musical beauty and pastoral universality.

Holy?

What is Holy?
Sacred music is considered "the more holy in proportion as it is more closely connected with the liturgical action" (Constitution on Sacred Liturgy, 112). It must be able "to express adequately the mystery grasped in the fullness of the Church's faith" (John Paul II).

Music, including sacred music, is not liturgically holy if it is incompatible with the liturgical action or Church teaching.

Beautiful?

What is Beautiful?
"The criterion that must inspire every composition and performance ... is the beauty that invites prayer." (John Paul II).

Requires sound form, true art, full adherence to the text it presents, synchronization with the time and movement in the Liturgy for which it is intended, appropriately reflecting the gestures proposed by the rite.
(John Paul II).

Universal?

What is Universal?
Three requirements:
1. "must comply with the legitimate demands of adaptation and inculturation"
2. "must respect specific criteria such as the search for musical expressions which respond to the necessary involvement of the entire assembly in the celebration.
3. "nobody of any nation may receive an impression other than good on hearing them."
(John Paul II).

How Much Singing?

How Much Singing?
(General Instruction, 40):
The amount of singing should correspond to the degree of solemnity of the occasion, with due consideration for culture and ability of the assembly; "preference should be given to those (parts) of greater importance and especially to those to be sung by the priest or the deacon or the lector, with the people responding, or by the priest and people together." More detail

Liturgical Song

Liturgical Song is the website of Australian composer and liturgist, Paul Mason. It features his musical settings of the Mass, the responsorial psalms, and other songs for Christian rituals.

Look for a song from Paul's collections to find help in learning and performing them.

Purchase songbooks at your local Catholic book store, or using the on-line order form on this website.

Purchase songsheet downloads on-line for some individual songs at SibeliusMusic.com.

CDs and Songsheets

Kamahl CD - including recording of Love Never Ends"Faith of Our Fathers" CD Recording by Kamahl

Kamahl recently recorded a collection of favourite hymns and songs of inspiration. The collection includes classic hymns like "Christ Be Our Light," "On Eagle's Wings," and
"Amazing Grace."

Also included is a song I composed for use at weddings and funerals and on Holy Thursday - "Love Never Ends," It is based on a favourite passage of scripture - 1 Corinthians 13.

The CD is available directly from Catholic Weekly .

New CDs coming!

Recording of Mass of Glory and Praise is currently in production and the CD should be available January 2011. Click here to order.

Recordings of many of the songs from Psalms for All Time have taken place already; others are still in progress.

The new CD should be available before May 2011.