People have different ideas about what "Catholic music" is. This is a working list compiled by my friend Nick Alexander, a co-member of Catholic Music Ministries and Top Catholic Songs. Are there any categories that we’ve missed?  Please share your comments below.  

Catholic Music categories

1) Traditional Gregorian chant.

2) Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque sacred music.

3) Hymnody: liturgical music for congregational singing, usually following a form of stanza-stanza-stanza or stanza-chorus-stanza-chorus-stanza-chorus.

4) Contemporary Liturgical (Stage 1): Liturgical music for congregation singing, post Vatican II up to around 1990. A heavy Folk/Broadway influence, as defined by the St. Louis Jesuits, North American Liturgy Resources (NALR),  Schutte, Haugen, Haas, Joncas, Foley, Farrell, Dufford, O’Connor and others.  This seems to be the predominant form today.

5) Contemporary Liturgical (stage 2): Liturgical music for congregational singing, post 1990s, after the first style has taken root, and are not as dated-sounding as... 

Jack Miller, Roxylee Smith and Richard Schletty sing this classic Gospel song.

Lead Me to Calvary

King of my life, I crown Thee now,
Thine shall the glory be;
Lest I forget Thy thorn crowned brow,
Lead me to Calvary.

Refrain

Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

Show me the tomb where Thou wast laid,
Tenderly mourned and wept;
Angels in robes of light arrayed
Guarded Thee whilst Thou slept.

Refrain

Let me like Mary, through the gloom,
Come with a gift to Thee;
Show to me now the empty tomb,
Lead me to Calvary.

Refrain

May I be willing, Lord, to bear
Daily my cross for Thee;
Even Thy cup of grief to share,
Thou hast borne all for me.

Refrain

Artist: J. Miller, Roxylee, R. Schletty
Title: Lead Me to Calvary
Album: Postludes Trio
Genre: Religious
Year: 2009
Composer: Text: Jen­nie E. Huss­ey; Music: Wil­liam J. Kirk­pat­rick

Dear Friends,

I would like to share with you my Easter song called Alleluia, Alleluia. Please visit my website and click on the music player in the middle of the page that I have posted for you. You can share it with your family and friends on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest by clicking the arrow on the lower right-side of the music player. Together, let us sing and spread the Good News about Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and glory to God who loves us so very much!

Love in Christ,

Margo
www.MargoBSmith.com

Leaving Flesh

Leaving flesh ungates the soul,
like a bird that soars with grace,
like a worm that leaves the hole,
taken to an extraordinary place.

Give your all until the dawn.
Take what little stuff you need.
Smile until the shades are drawn,
knowing well that you’ve planted the seed.

Gift of knowing, gift of feeling.
Golden orb, precious sight.
Life’s abrasions the sun is healing
for those who simply step out into the light.

What is money? What is power?
Lust and vengeance, blood and bile?
Selfless motives don’t devour.
Look for treasure in a neighbor’s smile.

"The Everlasting" is part of an artful and articulate album created via an Internet collaboration. Hendrik Steiner and Karl Anselm (both from Germany) recorded each music soundtrack without any preconceived notion of theme or storyline. Richard Schletty (Minnesota, USA) wrote and sang lyrics for each soundtrack. The album was mastered by Richard using Apple Logic Pro. Music styling ranges from classical to folk-rock to progressive rock. It’s nourishment for the mind and soul.

You may purchase or stream this song at schlettysound.com/cant-let-go

The Everlasting

God is shrouded in history, in mystery.
Prior knowledge infuses me, confuses me.

[refrain]
The Everlasting ever casting
mystic shapes on humanscapes.
Love poured down on every frown.
Take me to a place of wonder,
free of all disgrace and blunder,
where the truth is in the here and now.

Sundogs dancing, blinding youth, refracting truth.
Search for pathways to heaven's door, to evermore.

[refrain]

You cannot believe how deep I've dug,
how high I've climbed to catch the waves
of timeless droning,
present, past and future owning.

All of our senses, hard tempest rain, 
deep needle pain. When will it end?
All our senses!

Witness freedom.
A Spirit grows. A Mother knows.
God holds you so tenderly, eternally.

Music (c)2007 Hendrik Steiner and Karl Anselm. Lyrics (c)2007 Richard C. Schletty.

Originally published April 1, 2015

Milton Delgado was inspired to write, record, and create this song with the hope and prayer that it will change a woman's mind from going through an abortion. Life is a precious gift from God and only God has the right to decide who lives and who does not. Do you believe this? If so, act upon your belief through loving affirmation and gentle persuasion!

Click to full story for lyrics. 

Here is Milton's bio from http://www.showcaseyourmusic.com/tarbox7

My name is Milton Lopez Delgado. I live in a little town called: Moscow, about 12 miles East of Scranton, Pa. with my wonderful wife, Wanda, and our two year old' Black Lab "Smoky Bear". I was born in Da Bronx New York on East 99Th street where the old' tenement apartments once stood until...

My rendition with voice and guitar. Recorded "Bella in lapus."
Text: Venantius Fortunatus. Music: Angelo Natalie.
Copyright © 2005 Buon Natalie Music
P.O. Box 4368, Stamford, CT 06907 USA

The royal banners forward go,
The cross shines forth in mystic glow;
Where He through whom our flesh was made
In that same flesh our ransom paid.

Fulfilled is now... 

3/26/2015. Fetal Records presents its second full album release since its revival under the Subsidiarity project. A mixed styles CD, Home highlights Berklee School of Music graduate and blues guitarist Tony Fazio with special appearances by contributing artists, including two new singles by the hardcore punk band Law and Order, the original Fetal Records band, noted blues vocalist Charlie Sayles, drummer Greg Phillips of Starpoint fame, singer/sonwriter Ken Francis Wenzel, and Scott Taylor, singer for the blues band Electrofied. The album also introduces Run Little Elephant, featuring Chris Watling of the Grandsons. Recorded, engineered and mastered at the Fetal Records and Tony Fazio studios with some mixing and mastering by Richard Schletty.

The album includes several songs that have been featured on Top Catholic Songs and Catholic Music Express: Icon, The Call, Snowy Christmas, and All this Happened on Christmas Day.

The new release is available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/subsidiaritytonyfazio10

Sample track:

An announcement from TCS core member Patrice Egging:

I have a dream to record the music that God generously gives to me.....and you can help! Please take a look at my Kickstarter project:

Kickstarter project: Holy Spirit-inspired piano and songs of life, love and faith

The Songs are there...waiting...waiting. This project of music does not have a title yet. I’m leaning towards the words from one of the songs, "Seeking the truth is not always easy," shortened to "Seeking the Truth."

I'm so excited to be working with David Smith from Icon Studios.

• Check out the link to the project.
• Watch the video...

This YouTube video presentation is about Annette Hills who is a Catholic / Christian inspirational speaker, recording artist and songwriter who gives talks and sings for the glory of God. More details about Annette's ministry may be found at her website (www.annettehills.com) where her albums may be purchased as well as at iTunes, AmazonMP3, CDBaby and other sites. She is also listed with Catholic Music Ministries (formerly the Catholic Association of Music), CMG Booking, ReverbNation, and you may follow and "like" her on Facebook and Twitter.

Annette won the Album of the Year Award from Catholic Music Express and was nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year. Her song "The Prayer" was also nominated for Song of the Year.

Go ahead and jot a note to Annette at her website "Your Notes" page (www.annettehills.com). She is available to give motivational talks, inspirational concerts, sing at weddings and other events.

Check out her other pages at: 
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/annettehills
Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/annettehills...
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Annette.Hills
Catholic Speakers Bureau: http://www.cmgbooking.com

Heal the Night

Is there no one to heal the night,
dark night of the soul,
to bring to me a...

Number 131 from the St. Gregory Hymnal and Catholic Choir Book, 1920. Organist: Chuck Lenz. Soloist: Richard Schletty.

Jesus, Jesus, Come To Me

1. Jesus, Jesus, come to me,
All my longing is for Thee,
Of all friends the best Thou art... 

I found a used copy of Hymnal For Young Christians on Amazon and recorded the refrain and all 5 verses of "Magnificat" by Robert Blue. I also located online and ordered an original vinyl copy of the album "Run, Come, See" by Robert Blue which has "Magnificat" on it. My interpretation of the hymnal sheet music may be different than the recorded version. We will see! Comments welcome. More about this song here.

MAGNIFICAT (Luke 1:46-55)

REFRAIN
       E           C#m
As the rain rushes down
        F#m            B
And the earth blossoms forth
        E             C#m   F#m  B
And the wind caresses every tree... 

Lillian wrote:

I am looking for lyrics and music for a song with the words "Mary my mother my queen my love". It was written by a brother or Jesuit from Rochester, NY, who was a guest at our church many years ago. He wrote and sang this song and I fell in love with it right away.  I wish I could remember the exact title.

Can you help Lillian identify the song? I asked her if this is the song but she said it is not:

My Queen, My Mother (Consecration to Mary)

Please comment here or send an email to info@topcatholicsongs.com

Edit 1: We have located the composer of the song. Fr. Warren (Barry) Smithbower was a Capuchin Franciscan with the Province of St. Mary. He passed away in 2005. Now we need to contact the Capuchin Franciscan order (Province of St. Mary, Northeast United States) to see  

"These are some of Tony's most beloved pieces—songs that reflect most deeply his spirituality and his voice as a songwriter."

In Endless Song

by Tony Alonso 

Tony Alonso has been a part of the GIA family of sacred music for nearly 15 years. In this time he has compiled an impressive array of titles for liturgy, prayer, and contemplation, many of which have become staples of contemporary worship.

In Endless Song is a compilation of some of Tony's finest works gathered into one collection for the express purpose of facilitating personal prayer and reflection. These are some of Tony's most beloved pieces—songs that reflect most deeply his spirituality and his voice as a songwriter. Songs like "What You Have Done for Me," "And Jesus Said," and "Here I Am" will inspire Christ-centered discipleship while "Fresh as the Morning," "I Will Lift My Eyes," and "In the Arms of God" will soothe and uplift your spirit. One of the many highlights of this recording is Tony's fresh and imaginative arrangement of "How Can I Keep from Singing." This tender song-prayer beautifully reflects the peace-filled confidence found in the knowledge that God is ever-present "through all the tumult and the strife..."

Hear song clips from Tony Alonso's Anthology.

• Artist: Richard Schletty
• Title: Somebody's Knocking at Your Door
• Genre: Gospel & Religious
• Year: 2010
• Composer: Robert Nathaniel Dett

A priest, a youth minister...and a rocker? Fr. Joseph Gill recently released his fourth CD of original Christian folk-rock-indie-acoustic music, which is available for download free online!