A PARISH RESOURCE

Welcome to the Music Ministry portal of the Liturgy Committee website. This portal has been established to provide parish music ministers (and others who choose to visit) with a comprehensive list of music suitable for the feasts and seasons. The links above will help you navigate your way around the site, which continues to be a work in progress.

Although these lists are quite comprehensive, they are by no means able to take the place of thoughtful and contemplative preparation. We urge all music ministers to pray and reflect on the scriputures and rituals of that particular celebration before consulting these lists. OLMC music ministers should also consider the Liturgy Planner, if one has been prepared for that feast or season.

The US Bishops' Document, Music in Catholic Worship suggests that music ministers, when choosing music, make their choices based on the following judgements. Below each are some guidelines about how these judgements may apply to using this portal's music suggestions:

The Musical Judgement
When using these suggestions, ask yourself; is this quality music? Is is part of a repertoire of a variety of music styles?

The Liturgical Judgement
Does this song support the scripture of the day and/or the ritual action taking place at this time? Can the music ministers who serve at this Mass lead this song well? Would this song's level of difficultly prevent the assembly from participating in its own sung prayer?

The Pastoral Judgement
Do this community that gathers know this song? Does it give them the opportunity to express and challenge their faith? Do the words and style of this song reflect the characteristics of this celebrating community?

MUSIC SOURCES

As this site has been primarily designed as a parish resource, it lists music that is:

1. Held within our parish music collection
2. Can be legally copied under the terms of our Word of Life International Copyright Licences.

The large collection of resources in Wentworthville from which these suggestions are drawn includes:

Some other collections not listed here (e.g. Catholic Worship Book) would contain songs that are also listed in the suggestions, as a number of the titles overlap between the hymnals.

We hope you find these suggestions useful and good luck in your music ministry.

MUSIC FOR CHILDREN'S LITURGY OF THE WORD

Responsorial Psalms have been matched to the Sundays of the year.

Where possible, the psalm of the day has been used. Alternatively, an appropriate seasonal or common psalm has been identified. Most have been sourced from the collection Forever I Will Sing: Psalms for All Seasons by Michael Mangan.

Other Songs that can be used in celebrating Children's Liturgy of the Word, such as when children are gathering or before returning to the Eucharistic table, have also be arranged. These have been matched to the appropriate liturgical season.

In the case of both the psalms and the songs, the key resources referenced are the Children's Liturgy of the Word resources listed below:

Some other songs in the general parish collection that are very well known and/or considered to be easy for children to learn and relate to have also been included.

Please Note: The collection title listed next to the artist in each song listing refers to the compact disc (CD) held in the parish collection that bears a recording of the song.