Top Catholic Songs

Mark Mallett writes:
I wrote Deliver Me From Me at a time when I felt acutely my spiritual poverty. I think that's why so many people connect to this song---those who are genuinely seeking Christ experience their own weakness, and so this song becomes the song of their heart also.

Scripture says, "By His wounds we are healed." Are we not His body? Then it could be said that when we expose our wounds to others in a spirit of humility, they too find healing, because in that humility, that truth, they find Jesus hidden within us, in the distressing disguise of the poor.

Deliver Me From Me

Deliver me from me
From this earthly tent, sagged and leaking
Deliver me from me
From this earthen vessel, cracked and dried
Deliver me from me
From this flesh, so weak and worn
Lord, deliver me, from me... into Your Mercy

Into Your Mercy
Into Your Mercy
Into Your Mercy
Lord, deliver me from me... into Your Mercy

...deliver me from me
From this flesh, so weak and worn
Lord, deliver me from me... into Your Mercy

Nick Alexander here...

Ash Wednesday is early this year (February 6, 2008). With this comes the arrival of Lent, one of the most solemn, most holy seasons in the Church Calendar. To me, this is an opportunity to truly stretch oneself towards holiness in ways they've never considered before: reading that classic devotional, attending (or trying to attend) daily mass, going to Stations of the Cross, adoration, tithing, and fasting.

For too often I've heard people try to inject their own apathy as a paltry joke: "You know what I'm giving up for Lent? Church." Yeah, I've never heard that one before.

Instead, I wanted to craft a comedy song that explored all the nuances of this incredible season, while still tickled the funny bone. Considering that this song has been very strongly received (even becoming the top downloaded song of 2006 from CatholicMusicNetwork means that it hit a chord. (Previously, I didn't want to do a parody of a song Weird Al had already written... but the opening lines to this song trumped that rightaway...)

Check out the video appearance of this as well. Have a laugh about Lent, before it comes...

This Time of Forty Days
by Nick Alexander (Parody of "King of Pain" by The Police)

There's a little black spot on your head today
I guess it must mean today is Ash Wednesday
And we enter a time when we will give things up
For some it's so easy but for me it's rough

I hope I can last without it being a pain
On Friday's no meat, but at least fish is okay
We just got our throats blessed on the Feast of St. Blaise
And it starts right this week, this time of forty days.

There's a little black spot on your head today (Is my soul prepared?)
It's to remind us that from dust we came (Is my soul prepared?)
Guess I should read a good book, and watch the t.v. less (Is my soul prepared?)
Should I complete the Old Testament, or Prayer of Jabez? (Is my soul prepared?)

I hope I can last without it being a pain
On Friday's no meat, but at least fish is okay
I guess I should stop calling my sister bad names
And it starts right this week, this time of forty days.

When you fast don't act like all those Pharisees
Rumpled hair, bruises on your hands and knees
Instead wash yourself, put on a happy face
And on the Feast of St Joseph you can take a break...
Forty Days

Well, Jesus He fasted thru the wilderness (Is my soul prepared?)
With all the church offers, can we do no less? (Is my soul prepared?)
There's a little black spot on your head today
Is it dark, is it bold, or has it faded grey?

I hope I can last without it being a pain
On Friday's no meat, but at least fish is okay
When I've completed this Lent, don't want to be the same
As I am right this week, upon these forty days.

Forty days...
You'll always need forty days...

Copyright (c) Nick Alexander Music 2006

Today, January 28, is the Feast Day of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). He is the author of the Pange Lingua, which is one of the most beautiful chants in our Church Tradition. Meditate upon these lyrics today:

Donna Lee writes:

My song, Whispers From Heaven has helped me in my own healing process.

My daughter would have been 22 years old this year. Making the decision to have an abortion when I was 22 years old in 1986 changed my life forever. It is something that I have thought about every day of my life since then.

In the beginning of my music ministry I was too afraid to talk about it when I gave my testimony about my return to the Catholic church. It was in Australia at a Marian conference that I was singing at in 1994 where I finally got the courage to talk about it. Ever since then it is hard for me not to share about because God's forgiveness, love and mercy is infinite.

My story is too long to tell here. Some of you have heard it. I am such a fan of Divine Mercy and I speak and sing of it wherever I can. My personal journey of forgiveness has been a long one and although I have forgiven myself, and I know that God forgave me and my daughter too--I still can't help but think about what she may have looked like or the woman that should would have become and all the things I missed out on being a mom for the first time. Thank you Jesus for your mercy.

You can listen to my song here in its entirity, since itunes only runs 30 seconds of it.

Gerard Faucheux writes:

A few years ago, during midnight mass in Brookhaven, Mississippi, a song was played that just kind of settled in my soul. I don't really remember the melody or the words - just the feeling. Something about the dark church and the sound of the guitar and gentle singing just created something that has never left. During one of my long commutes, ideas started coming, comparing the awesomeness of God with the frailty of a little baby and other paradoxes due to Jesus, the son of God, the 2nd person of the blessed trinity, coming to live as one of us, to die as one of us, to die for all of us. Why? For love of us. I still don't understand this love. Even on my best days, I don't deserve this love. Yet while we were sinners, he died for us. (Rom 5:8) Wow! Thank you, Jesus!

I was thrilled (and extremely nervous) to be able to play and sing this song in my home church, St. Joseph's in Paulina, Louisiana a few years ago. A dark church - midnight mass - the sound of guitar and (somewhat) gentle singing - I hope that someone else was touched and changed the way that I was years before.

God Almighty, Little Child
Words and music by Gerard C. Faucheux, Sr.

God Almighty, little child.
King of Kings so meek and mild.
Creator of the universe cradled in her arms to nurse.
Why did You come? Why leave Your home?
Why become a creature so low?
You came because You loved, now let us love You.

On Your birthday, Jesus, it’s time to recall
That You humbled yourself to save one and all.
So we sing Glory to God in the Highest
And on Earth, peace to all.
We lift our voice in Alleluias
For You came to save us all,
For You came to save us all.

Earth creator, on Earth You dwell.
Omnipresent, Emmanuel.
Unbound by space, unbound by time.
Confined by days and trapped by night.
Equal to God, but You lived as man,
I try, but I cannot understand.
Your ways are high above the ways of man...

Glory to God in the Highest
And on Earth, peace to all.
We lift our voice in Alleluias
For You came to save us all,
For You came to save us all.

Copyright © 2005 Gerard C. Faucheux, Sr.

Imagine
by Nancy Krebs

Looking at a newborn baby, nestled in your arms;
you can’t believe how perfect she is, you can’t believe her charms.
Imagine that this child you hold would someday grow to be
the Mother of your God, the Lord of you and me.
That’s what happened long ago in a country far away.
Two people watched their little girl at work, at home, at play.
She always did her best, she did what she was told;
a child so very perfect, they never had to scold.

They never imagined, how could they imagine
what her future was to be, the glories she would see.
They never imagined, really imagined
that all hope would begin with their child
who was born without sin.

As she was growing up, her kindness knew no bound
The room just seemed to light up whenever she was around.
There was no single virtue that she did not possess;
there was no single sin that she would need to confess.
When she was fully grown an angel came to her.
Bringing her the message and the honor God would confer.
She would be the Mother of the Son of God no less.
The plan would unfold with her simple answer “yes”.

She never imagined, how could she imagine?
What her future was to be, the glories she would see.
We never imagined, really imagined;
our salvation would begin with this child
who was born without sin.
What a life she did begin
this child who was born without sin.

Susan Bailey writes:

Wait with Me is based on readings from a book detailing the locutions received by Fr. Don Stefano Gobbi, the founder of the Marian Movement of Priests from the Blessed Mother. In these readings, Mary speaks about her waiting for the Christ Child to be born. I found these readings to be a wonderful way to reflect upon Advent, a beautiful season of joyful expectation that is so overshadowed by the noise and chaos of the commercial Christmas of the world. Written in the first person and arranged and performed in a simple and peaceful manner, you can imagine the Blessed Mother sharing her reflections with you on the coming of Christ Jesus as a baby into the world.

This song is available on through iTunes, and is on two albums: Wait with Me: Advent of the Promised Son and Mater Dei. Visit my website to see how you can purchase the albums.

You can listen to the song in its entirety here (or here for dial-up users).

Wait with Me
based on #462, #484 and #508 of To the Priests, Our Lady’s Beloved Sons by Don Stefano Gobbi

Beloved child, enter in this mystery
This blessed time as we wait for the Holy Son
Come inside of my immaculate heart
And wait with me, oh wait for Him to come!

Come feel my sigh of expectation
The spark of love, the moan of desire
As I wait now in labor
With a love that burns like fire

The nightime comes and darkness swallows
The fading light, the end of day
And yet His light envelopes me
In His ecstasy, His way

Prepare your hearts now for this moment
In quiet solitude and song
And let the tranquil peace of soul
Mark the passage of night to dawn

Gerard Faucheux writes:

By Your Hand is my interpretation of Matthew 6:25-34. After over twenty years of marriage (and just recently leaving my 30's behind) and constant employment with regular raises, I am still amazed that we seem to be doing just as well as when we first started out together. It doesn't seem to matter how much money I make, or how hard I work - we always seem to be making just enough. Sometimes things get tough, usually when I get so wrapped up in trying to handle everything on my own, but when I come to my senses and call out to God, things ALWAYS work out! I feel like God wants to keep me in a place where I know that I need Him as my provider, as my heavenly Father. Why do I forget so often?

Lord, I am SO thankful for the many blessings that You have given us throughout our lives. I had no choice of where or when I would be born. I know that because of You, well, I've got it pretty good. Thank you for being faithful to me, even when I lost my way. I hope that I am being a faithful servant with the gifts that I have been given. Thank you Lord!

By Your Hand
Words and music by Gerard C. Faucheux, Sr.

I could work from dawn till dusk, every minute I'm awake
I could work my fingers to the bone
It really doesn't matter how much money I could make
It would never be enough on my own.

By Your hand I am fed
By Your hand I am clothed
By Your hand I am sheltered
By Your hand I'm made whole
Where would I be without You Lord
For by Your hand I am. By Your hand I am.

Think about the birds they neither sow nor reap nor store
Yet we're worth so much more than them.
And think about the lilies they do not spin, they do no chores
But Solomon never dressed as well as them.

So I won't worry about what I eat or wear
I'll just put my trust in You.
I'll seek You first and Your righteousness
'cause that is all I have to do.

Copyright © 2005 Gerard C. Faucheux, Sr.

Bob Filoramo has written an exceptional song for Thanksgiving, one which the lyrics really speak for themselves.

ETA: Bob writes: "Thank You Jesus was written for my brother's wedding. My brother had been through some very difficult times and as I considered how God had rescued him, what he had come through and where he was that day, I could think of nothing else to say but "Thank You Jesus"; hence the refrain: What can we say but thank you Jesus?

We often try real hard to praise God eloquently with lots of words and that's great, but sometimes it hits me that all I need to say is Thank You Jesus fro all that you've done for me. That's basically the origin and spirit of the song.

Enjoy:

Thank You Jesus

We are in awe as we behold what You have done.
We stand amazed as we see Your plan unfold.
What can we say, what can we do
To express our gratitude
for revealing Your great power in our lives?

What can we say but "Thank You, Jesus!"
for all that You have done for us?
What can we say but "Thank You, Jesus!"
for all that you have done in our lives?

We once were lost, but now we have been found.
We were dead through our sin but now we live.
Wev'eve been set free by Your blood
By Your precious, saving blood.
Now we're heirs to Heaven, children of God.

We're in Your care and so we do not fear.
Abundant life is all that lies in store;
Life filled with peace, life filled with joy
life that is secure
In the hands of the Almighty, Jesus Christ

Copyright (c) Robert M. Filoramo (ASCAP)