1st Verse:
The light can still shine on the darkest of days
At night there may still be crimes but we continue to pray...
The love Jesus has for us
Is so open yet at times mysterious...
The hope continues
From writing this note with open windows
My coat is always yours and I'm sure it will fit-you...
Brothers and sisters
Cousins and teachers...
We all deserve love and... 

Please see this blog article to see how this collaboration with Asiansa09 evolved: topcatholicsongs.com/enchristment

Initially, I had imagined this song would be slow and meditative. But the Spirit made me go uptempo! Tell me what you think. Record the song and send it to me! A lead sheet with guitar chords is attached to the end of this story. Thanks, Dan (Asiansa09), for the inspiration.

5/12/17: I uploaded a revised audio demo in which I did voice pitch correction and also corrected mistakes I had made in singing the melody in verses 2 and 3.

7/20/2017: I uploaded a piano + voice score (notated sheet music) which can be downloaded free as a PDF file. See download links at end of story. Huge thanks to my music colleague André van Haren for preparing this arrangement!

9/28/2017: See the Sibelius score player below. A brand new feature of Sibelius 8.7. Thanks to André van Haren for sending me the embed code for his Sibelius engraving. Please comment below if you have questions about Sibelius or scoring/engraving in general. This song has been submitted to OCP Music for consideration. 

Enchristment

CHORUS
On my knees, I humbly pray.
I love to feel your radiance.
My heart is one with you, O Lord,
in this moment of Enchristment.

VERSE 1
My God, my Christ, you are in my heart.
I praise you, I worship you.
Your presence in this holy place
makes me want to be with you
forevermore.

VERSE 2
My God, my Christ, you are in my mind.
I pray, with Mary, for chastity.
I pray for us to receive your grace
as we place our trust in you
forevermore.

VERSE 3
My God, my Christ, you are in the Church.
Help all parents live a faithful life.
Help us love each other
as we love ourselves.
forevermore.

Lyrics: Dan vi Nguyen and Richard Schletty 
Music, guitar, vocals, mixing: Richard Schletty

This track deals with the current state of the world through the mind of a Catholic. Everyday issues are presented and evaluated. This song was composed by my friend and I. I am on vocals while he is on guitar.

Artist: God's Messengers
Title: The Hardest Song of Songs
Genre: Religious
Year: 2016
Composer: God's Messengers

It's the Second Luminous Mystery. It's Our Lord's first miracle. AND it has everything to do with YOU, right now....

SONG LYRIC:  We taste heaven meal
08/02/2017
By:  Dan Vi Nguyen

CHORUS
On earth we get to taste heaven meal
Bread and wine on the alter present by priest
Bread turns into body, and wine turns into blood of Christ
Believers in faith for salvation.

VERSE
Come to the meal of heaven
On earth we get to participate in heaven meal
With Mother Mary leads the way to the church
Her way is perfection of her heavenly love for Christ.

VERSE
Heavenly of graces from Mother Mary
In the church, Mother shares her joy of her children
Together we are one body of Christ
We are nurture in blood and body of Christ.

VERSE
We praise the Lord, our salvation, our Christ
In the church we sing with joy
We share the meal of heaven 
With our brothers and sisters.

Note from Richard (collaborator with Alex): I have posted my second Folk-Rock sung version of my rewrite of Alex's lyrics. I also posted a very rough Hip-Hop spoken version of Alex's original lyrics. See the first comment below for my modified lyrics. We would appreciate your honest comments about our efforts. Anyone is welcome to join in the fun of collaboration. That's what this site is all about.

A Few Thoughts
(Original lyrics by Alex John)

1st Verse:

I love this Bible verse about sow the seed.

Mathew 13: 1-9
The Parable of the Sower:  "On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea."  Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore.  And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow, And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up.  Some felt on rocky ground, where there it had little soil.  It spring up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it as scorched, and it withered for lack of roots.  Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked.  But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, and hundred of sixty or thirty-fold.  Whoever has ears ought to hear.

SONG LYRIC:  I Go To Sow The Seed
VERSE
I go to sow the seed
The seed land on rough land
I hope my prayer on land of dragon
Will someday springkle with hope
For humanity of God loves
To open up their will
To accept the truth of Christ for justice.

VERSE
I go to sow the seed
The seed land on a narrow path
The land of Buddism fields
I hope my prayer on the land of Budda
Will someday hear the truth of Christ
When the generation has pass
The truth of Christ will crack open
Through the narrow path.

VERSE
On the land that mother born my life
Where my life began with cry
And the land my father call his homeland
Is the land that I walk my life with dignity
With hope and desire to serve
With love and compassion for humanity
The land where fathers defend for freedom
I call the land my father's land.

CHORUS
The sower goes to sow the seed
The birds came and ate it up
Some seed land on rocky ground
Some seed feel among thorns
Some seed feel on rich soil
Until the day of gather fruits
The fruits produced hundred of sixty or thirtyfold.

maddenmargie is working on a day retreat for a parish Seniors group and is looking for some upbeat songs to use. Do you have any suggestions?

1st Verse:
The misunderstood man of redemption
I wish-I-could have had this plan back when I was getting detention
But now I have stopped letting the mess in
Still like hip-hop at the same time learning some lessons
Pulled up to a spiritual pit-stop said some rhymes and out came blessings...
The moment I found GOD
Was like the omen was potent to the point I would almost nod off...
For good... 
 

1st Verse:
They say love hurts well hate kills
I've been on this earth long enough to know that pain is real
But it can be healed...
I'm just a guy talking
Who one day said I might try to get my life in working...
Order
I had two options either be saved or continue my spiritual slaughter
So I picked up the pen again and this time out came... 
 

A beautiful hymn of rest and healing by Fr. Michael Joncas. © 1989, GIA Publications. Sung at the Church of St. Mary on 7-9-2017 by Anne, Derek, Kristin and Richard. Mary Joy at piano. Richard on guitar. More info here:

hymnary.org/text/all_who_labor_and_are_burdened

hymnary.org/hymn/GC2/page/484 
 

From Jeff Ostrowski at Corpus Christi Watershed:

THE FRATERNITY of Saint Peter put on a fantastic church music conference last week, and eighty people came from all over North America to attend:

Sacred Music Symposium • Spectacular Success!

"I challenge anyone to read those beautiful testimonies and then say there's no hope for church music in the United States!" – Jeff Ostrowski

Profile submitted by TCS member Maria7Steps

We are a Catholic family band called Simply4Him who believes that music was created to glorify God and to sanctify His people.  We serve in our parish and we are a part of a Catholic Charismatic Community called Couples for Christ. Our children are members of its ministries.  We cannot think of another place to be in order to learn and share not just God's music but everything about our faith. This is home for us!  
We would like to share with you the first album God worked on through our family. It's called 7 Steps (for the seven sacraments in contemporary style of music).  Available in digital stores.  God bless!  

Website:  SIMPLY4HIM.COM
Instagram:  SIMPLY4_HIM
Twitter:  SIMPLY4_HIM

 

By Jean Hopfensperger, Star Tribune staff, June 23, 2017​

Gregorian Chant, best known as the solemn music sung by robed monks of old, is enjoying a 21st-century revival — and the Twin Cities are at the heart of it this week.

Experts and students of the ancient sacred music from across the globe have gathered for what is billed as “the most in-depth teaching conference ... on sacred music in the world.” They’re honing their musical skills and bringing the solemn choral notes to several St. Paul churches... 

 

See why people have joined topcatholicsongs.com. Register as a member to send private messages to other members.

pws
I am in 2 choirs and I pull together all of the music.  Most of the other choir members need help getting music together so I scan in hard copies, and enlarge the music so that they can see it.  Instead of scanning the books if I can find it online it will be a big help.

hzaglul
I am Catholic and sing in my church choir. Love this form of prayer!
Horacio

Maria7Steps
We are a Catholic family band called Simply4Him who believes that music was created to glorify God and to sanctify His people.  We serve in our parish and we are a part of a Catholic Charismatic Community called Couples for Christ. Our children are members of its ministries.  We cannot think of another place to be in order to learn and share not just God's music but everything about our faith. This is home for us!  
We would like to share with you the first album God worked on through our family. It's called 7 Steps (for the seven sacraments in contemporary style of music).  Available in digital stores.  God bless!  
Website:  SIMPLY4HIM.COM
Instagram:  SIMPLY4_HIM
Twitter:  SIMPLY4_HIM

Bob H
I am a singer in my choir and sometimes am asked to select songs for Mass. I could use help at times.

Song Lyric:  TAKE ME IN WHEN I AM HOMELESS
By:  Dan Vi Nguyen
06/13/2017

CHORUS
On the pilgrimate to the house of the Lord, take me into your house, 
When I am sick and weavy, you come to restore my health.

VERSE
My walk on earthly life on journey of pilgrimate
I am homeless and you take me into your home
When I am in prison and you visit me
I am hungry and you feed me with bread and wine.

BRIDGE
Praise the Lord, Jesus Christ,
All the things you do for us is all good.

VERSE
Gather together in bread and wine
In the house of the Lord I praise you, Christ,
All day long I sing the song of praising
On earth I hear the man comes for our salvation.

VERSE
Be joyful when we all in the house of the Lord
There is no more pain and suffering 
So praise the Lord and glorify him in heaven
With his Father Son and Holy Spirit.

Hallelua, Hallelua, Hallelua!

I found this helpful summary of music planning guides at the Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana. I updated some outdated links. Also see our TCS resources page here: topcatholicsongs.com/Resources

Music planning links by publisher

Publisher	Link	Fee
Liturgical Press	Free Downloadable Music Planner – updated quarterly Liturgical Psalter Index by Psalm Number	free
GIA	GIAplanner.net - weekly suggestions Note 3 options at right	$129/yr $39/yr free
	Quarterly Planning Pages	free
	Choral music weekly suggestions	free
	GIA Quarterly - planning magazine	see site for details
Liturgy Help	Liturgyhelp.com - comprehensive liturgical planning site – Available in Australia. No longer available in the United States through GIA.	see site for details
OCP	Support materials for your missal program Accompaniment books, resources for music and prayer, quarterly planning tools and more	see site for details
	Today's Liturgy - planning magazine (paper and electronic)	see site for details
	Liturgy.com - comprehensive liturgical planning site Free online planning guide: Liturgy.com Planner	$129/year free
WLP	AIM - planning magazine (paper or electronic)	see site for details