Church Music

I am going through the liturgical pieces in volume one of Catholic Worship Book II.

This is for the dismissal of the catechumens in the RCIA and is by the wonderful Sister Jennifer O’Brien. She also wrote CWB II 87, which is responsorial psalm (33)for the RCIA, but the responses are chanted so I won’t make a backing for that one.

There isn’t much to this text and my backing has made up chords as they were not provided.

Go now and listen to the Word of God.

Go now and listen to the Word of God.

The Word of God brings everlasting life.

The Word of God brings everlasting life.

© Jennifer O’Brien

One way or another I’ve blogged most of these RCIA songs already, but not this one.

It is for the signing of the senses and is just Jesse Manibusan’s song “Open My Eyes” with a special set of lyrics- well just two lines. I made a new backing in any case.

Strengthen your people, help us to follow you,

Strengthen your people by this holy sign.

This Eucharistic song, with a text by Tony Alonso, is set to SIMPLE GIFTS. That’s the tune for “Lord of the Dance” and I thought I’d note it, as it is set for this week’s mass.

I should note that there is also a text called “What a Gift to be Gathered” by Marty Haugen that comes with the sheet music available at GIA. Haugen’s text is more for weddings. The lyrics are in the preview at GIA.

I though I would just be able to link to my backing for “Lord of the Dance” I did years ago when blogging AOV, but I find the tune is not really the same and my backing was way too fast anyway so I have fixed it.

My wife has been thinking of this song from her childhood for some reason and asked me to find it.

It is by Sr Miriam Therese Winter and is a peaceful song of joy from the sixties.

This text is here. Godsongs is, as usual all over it, and she has put up links to sources for the music.

Entrance:  Gather Your People  (Hurd) AOV 1/71

Psalm 118 (McKenna):

Happy are they who follow the law of the Lord.

Gifts: Open My Eyes  (Manibusan) AOV 1/166

Communion: At the Table of Jesus (Haugen, tune SIMPLE GIFTS)

Thanksgiving: Lord, to Whom Shall We Go (Herry) AOV 1/6

Recessional: As a Fire is Meant for Burning  (Duck) GA 881

I feel terrible passing over all the liturgical mass parts in volume one of the Catholic Worship Book II, because, for all its shortcomings as a hymn book, it really is a liturgical treasure and the meat is in this volume.

What I am currently doing is looking for the songs that have been placed in the liturgical section of the book that I haven’t covered already. I’m avoiding chant because BIAB can’t do it.

This song is for the RCIA and is by Bernadette Farrell. Here, the first three verses for the acceptance in to the Order of the Catechumens are given but as you can see from the sample at OCP, she has provided a text for every step of the way.

The sheet music can be purchased at OCP if you don’t have CWB II.

My backing is 3/4 time at 68 bpm and CWB II actually provided chords for this one.

• CWB II 86 With Your Cross of Love Upon Us – this is the same tune with lyrics for Signing of the Senses.
• CWB II 94 By Your Name You Call Us – same tune – Rite of Election

Continuing through the first volume of Catholic Worship Book II, there follow many selections from other mass settings.

Amongst these is this song ,whose antiphon is listed as a response for the prayer of the faithful in Advent. The text is by James McAuley with the tune NEWTOWN by Richard Connolly.

The whole text and tune (ie the verses as well) can be seen in the sample at As One Voice and the lyrics can be found at Small Church Music.

The sheet music can be purchased at AOV.

31 You springs and all that moves

A chant setting with an antiphon based on Dan 3:77 (tune Geoffrey Cox) and Psalm 118 set by Joseph Gelineau from The Grail. Since BIAB can’t do chant, I’ll skip to the next song.

Bernard Kirkpatrick wrote “Springs of Living Water” based on Ezekiel 47.

I can’t find the text anywhere but CWB II.

I have done volume two of Catholic Worship Book II, which is mainly hymns, but there are some great songs in amongst the specifically liturgical choices in volume one that I would like to look at.

CWB II starts with the sung order of the Mass in chant form, followed by the six recommended settings for Australia: Mass of St Francis (no chords!), Mass of Our Lady, Help of Christians (no chords), Mass of Christ the Redeemer (no chords), Mass of Glory and Praise (chords), Missa Magis (chords!!), and Mass Shalom (chords). Francis should have had chords but I’m startled that Magis has them.

That gets us to sprinkling rites:

29 I saw water flowing – ICEL chant.

This is pretty close:

30 If We Have Died to Ourselves

This is metrical song so worth doing on BIAB. It is by Marty Haugen and intended for the blessing and sprinkling of holy water ¬ in fact it is the sprinkling rite from his Mass of Creation. It has lots of verses that would suit other liturgical purposes outside of Lent.

The sheet music can be purchased at GIA, where the text is in their preview.

There are no chords in CWB II, but as is often the case Together in Song (475) comes to the rescue.

The last song to cover in Brian Boniwell’s collection, Spirit of Love, is this reflection on the Beatitudes.

Contact him at boniwell@aapt.net.au if you want a copy of the sheet music. I’ve found sound samples for all the songs on this album here.

1 Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who seek to know you.

Blessed are the lowly ones who trust you in their need.

Blessed are the gentle hearts for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed those who know my peace and give it to the world.

2 Blessed are the hearts of mercy, they shall know forgiveness.

blessed are the pure on heart, who seek to live my ways.

They shall see the face of God, and come to share in my love.

Blessed those who weep and mourn, for i shall comfort them.

© Brian Boniwell 2000