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

Copyright

Please direct enquiries about authorisation and permission to use information on this site to info@liturgicalsong.com

Word of Life

Word of Life copyight service subscribers may copy from Mass of Glory and Praise and Psalms for All Time songbooks if:

They own at least two originals,
They report all usage in their annual report,
for words and melody: have an Annual Restricted Copyright license
for full music: have a Music Copy license.

Copyright Information

Texts

The texts displayed on this website may be freely copied and distributed on paper for non-commercial use, but only if the source is quoted with the following copyright notice:
“copyright © Paul Mason, Wahroonga NSW 2076, Australia. Available at www.liturgicalsong.com”

For use in any medium destined for sale or which directly or indirectly supports a commercial venture, or for inclusion in publications, written permission is required.

Likewise, for electronic re-transmission, notably via Internet, prior authorisation is required.

Images, graphics, sound files

To copy or distribute any other elements from this site (including images, graphics or sound files) in any form, prior permission is required.