During the 1930s, at the chapel of the Convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at Krakow, Poland, Saint Faustina received apparitions from Jesus and Mary that would form the basis of the Divine Mercy movement. Not long after Faustina’s death in 1938, a young Karol Wojtyla – the future Saint John Paul II – would sometimes stop and pray in the same chapel after ending his day working at a nearby quarry. After surviving both the Nazi occupation and Communist control, Wojtyla became pope, and canonized Faustina in 2000.
In that quiet place, she would pray
Just before things erupted again.
St. Blandine (162-177) was a fifteen-year-old slave who was arrested by Roman authorities for following Christ. When she refused to give up her faith, she was sentenced to death in an arena. When lions refused to attack her, the soldiers inflicted burns on her then allowed her to be trampled to death by bulls. Blandine’s place of martyrdom, the Amphithéâtre des Trois Gaules, still stands in Lyon, France – the spot where she died is marked by a simple pillar. Her feast day is June 2.
Bartolomé de las Casas (1484-1566) was a Spanish Dominican friar who, shocked by human rights violations he saw in Central and South America, spent most of his life in an unpopular fight for better conditions for indigenous and enslaved people in the New World. One of his major works, A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, helped lead to reform in how these people were treated. His life still provides an example of Catholic social teaching in action, and shows the need for us to stand up today for defenseless victims at all stages of life.
The Martyrs of Compiègne were sixteen French Catholic women who refused to give up the faith despite being imprisoned by the anti-Christian government in 1794 France. Sentenced to death by the revolutionary tribunal during the Reign of Terror, they sang hymns on their way to the guillotine. The remaining women continued to sing as they were executed one by one, until the last sang by herself before dying. Their feast day is July 17, the date they were martyred.
St. Mark Ji Tianxang (1834-1900) was a lay Catholic doctor in China. Becoming addicted to opium after an injury, he was denied communion for 30 years but persevered in going to church, finally being allowed to resume receiving the Eucharist. During the Boxer Rebellion, he chose martyrdom rather than renounce his faith. His feast day is July 7.
In honor of Pope Leo’s birthday, “Litany of the Popes” lists all the names used by the popes since the foundation of the Church. Each bracketed note is meant to be determined by the syllables in each pope’s name. For example, Julius would be two C notes as a duplet followed by a D; Anacletus would be three C notes as a triplet followed by a D, etc. It’s a great way for CCD students to learn the history of the Church.
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648-95) was a Mexican nun, poet, dramatist and scholar. Her “Villancico VI” was a 1676 poem celebrating the Assumption and is used as the lyrical basis for “Arrival.”
Instrumentation: SATB chorus with concert band.
Duration: 2’
Engagée dans la diffusion de la musique catholique, je cherche à partager des chants pour contribuer à l’œuvre d’évangélisation selon mes humbles moyens. Que Dieu veille sur chacun de nous !
I've written a Mass setting, got it approved by the USCCB, several psalm settings, and a couple years of gospel acclamation verses. Looking for a place to publish my works.
As a Catholic songwriter and singer myself, I want to contribute to the community and receive info on how to promote good Catholic songs to a wide audiences.
I am Catholic and a piano teacher. The Catholic Church has the most beautiful treasury of hymns.
I want my students to study hymns. Also, I want to memorize the words of some of the hymns that are in Latin and having access to the sheet music will help with that. Thank you.
I'm a music director at a Cathedral and a composer. I would love to hear other composers, music, ideas, etc. Additionally, I'd like to share my own music.
I am searching for a hymn sung on line in Canada - when I am confined to home and watch mass. I am a piano player for many years and would like to find the musical score.
I have written and recorded about 70 songs over the last two decades. I would like to share them with a larger audience. Thank you and God bless your work Ron St Martin