Top Catholic Songs

Isaiah lived about seven hundred years before Christ. He gave the breathtaking prophecy that God would create a new heaven and earth and gave some details of what that would be like. There was nothing like this in the ancient world, no speculation or ideas. St. John the Apostle/prophet tells us in the book of Revelation (eight hundred years after Isaiah) that he actually SAU the new heavens and earth and gave some details of what he saw.

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NOTE: We originally published this post in May of 2017. We submitted this song to Oregon Catholic Press (ocp.org) but it was not accepted.

Our World So Beautiful is a Christmas song co-written by Dan vi Nguyen, Richard Schletty and André van Haren. Dan posted her lyrics here and asked if anyone could make a song out of her words. Richard Schletty rewrote the lyrics to give them a consistent rhyme, line length, metrical pattern and overall poetic structure. Then Richard came up with a melody. Next, André van Haren wrote a beautiful piano arrangement based on an a cappella recording of the melody by Richard. Using Sibelius, André engraved the sheet music not only for piano and voice, but developed the song fully by adding guitar chords and two additional instruments: flute and cello. He also engraved a version of the song with optional SATB harmonies in the refrain.

Antiphone
O sing to him, sing his praise;
tell all his wonderful works!           
Be proud of his holy name,
let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice - rejoice

 Psalm 89

Ant. Wherever you are, Lord, there is mercy, there is truth.

I will sing forever of your love, O Lord;
through all ages, my mouth will proclaim your truth.
Of this I am sure, that your love lasts forever,

re: Joy To The Humble (ronsue's blog) 

Thanks Ron for helping us look at the classic Christmas songs in new ways!

    
 1) 1 Joy to the humble and the meek
2 Who for peace and mercy seek
3 for all the poor in spirit and pure of heart
4 who long to be truly free
 5 and live life fully

Lyrics adapted from original lyrics of Simon Joseph Pellegrin (1663–1745) - an old French tune  

YouTube video: https://youtu.be/VMYxSkqCmXo

In many of my HYMN OF THE MONTH write-up’s, I have mentioned with much affection St. Mary’s Choir, of Akron, Ohio.

I have included bits and pieces about the organist and choir members from time to time. As I grow older, and Christmas or Easter comes around, I remember them even more and so I thought I would take the time to share a little history and a few anecdotes with you while I am still able.

Please take a moment to read about St. Mary’s Choir as I remember them and listen to some wonderful recordings.
​​​​​​​
https://www.motherofmercycatholichymns.com/st-marys-choir/

       REFRAIN
Come now fill us with your will divine
Consume our will by your Spirit refine
that we may live now as you will                  

 
On Dec 3, the first week of Advent, the Church gave us in the office of readings the reading from Isaiah 2: 6-22, 4: 2-6 to reflect on. Comparing it to our time in some ways,  the developed world
 is similar in the number of vehicles (horse-power), chariots -the number of weapons of all sorts (we can hardly keep up production to meet demands). We have scores of psychics and fortune tellers to say nothing of economic, political, and cultural forecasters both social and personal(economic advisers). All large cities around the world are noted by tower skylines. Idolatry in the form of materialism
  seems to dominate - worshiping the works of our hands. 
                                       
Ant.  We have abandoned you O Lord - help us return to You
                           
 Lord, you have abandoned your people,
Because they are filled with fortune tellers
and soothsayers, like the Philistines
they covenant with strangers.

Their land is full of silver and gold,
   and there is no end to their treasures;
Their land is full of horses,
   and there is no end to their chariots.

Their land is full of idols;
   they worship the works of their hands,
   that which their fingers have made.

The haughty eyes of man will be lowered,
   the arrogance of men will be abased,
   and the Lord alone will be exalted, on that day.
For the Lord of hosts will have his day
 
 against all that is proud and arrogant,
   all that is high, and it will be brought low;
Against every lofty tower
   and every fortified wall,
Against all the ships of Tarshish
   and all stately vessels.


Human pride will be abased,
   the arrogance of men brought low,
And the Lord alone will be exalted, on that day.
   The idols will perish forever.
From the terror of the Lord
   when he arises to overawe the earth.

ANT.  We have abandoned you O Lord - help us return to You

From the book of the prophet Isaiah   2:6-22; 4:2-6
 

HYMN OF THE MONTH – December: The City of David is Sleeping

As part of my series on Catholic hymns, I have chosen a Christmas song appropriate for the Christmas season. This Christmas song was composed by a religious Sister of Mercy who lived more than 30 years ago but the song itself is much older.  Please take a moment to read about this wonderful Christmas song.

Please visit my website Mother of Mercy Catholic Hymns and click on HYMN OF THE MONTH.

https://www.motherofmercycatholichymns.com/the-city-of-david-is-sleeping/

Be sure to read about these other fine hymns appropriate for the Christmas season.
Sleep Holy Babe
The New Born King

REFRAIN
In this time of Advent longing - to celebrate your first coming

The refrain of this chant is gleamed from the Divine Mercy and Divine Will devotions. It is a good ejaculatory prayer to recite during the day. Ejaculatory prayers are also known as aspirations.  At times ejaculatory prayers are more effective than long prayers because they are a concentration of many knocks into one. 

REFRAIN
Jesus, I trust in you - Your kingdom come
I give you my will - Please give me yours - to live in

In this psalm of lamentation, the person cries out to God from his heart for mercy and help in his time of inner darkness and the desolation all around him.  He asks God not to enter into judgment with him as he admits his sins and weakness.  We can hear a Palestinian Christian in Gaza today, whose wife and children have been killed in bombings and has lost his home, village, and livelihood, cry out to God for mercy as he wanders hungry and in danger with his fellow refugees. This psalm could be a cry to God for help from a poor and pregnant young woman who has been rejected by her parents and recently by her boyfriend and others.

HYMN OF THE MONTH – November: Let a Pious Prayer Be Said

As part of my series on Catholic hymns, I have chosen a hymn appropriate for the Feast of All Souls and appropriate to sing during the month of November as we remember to pray for the poor souls in purgatory. The hymn was written by one of America’s first Catholic authors who became the pastor of one of the largest Catholic parishes in New York City. A forgotten American Hymnodist says Monsignor Hugh Thomas Henry.

Please visit my website Mother of Mercy Catholic Hymns and click on HYMN OF THE MONTH.

https://www.motherofmercycatholichymns.com/let-a-pious-prayer-be-said/

Be sure to read about these other fine hymns appropriate for the Feast of All Souls
Help Lord the Souls Which Thou Hast Made
Sweet Name Which Makes the Dying Live

Father thank you for inspiring us
To sing with hearts full of praise and love
as  you delight in our songs of praise
As to you our hearts you raise

You’ve blessed us with the gift of song
 To  express our deepest  love for you

I took the Hip Hop lyrics by Alexander John and with his permission adapted them to create a Country-Folk ballad.

Love 101
Country-Folk version. Lyrics, music and performance by Richard Schletty.
 
There used to be a coldness all around
But something kept my soul from going down
I've come to know a man I call My Lord
Who's telling me to lay down my sword
 
Suddenly, my frown is down side up...

All creation groans in labor pains,
And longs to be set free
From its cycle of futility
By God’s promise, it will be

We also groan within ourselves
As we await that glorious day

An. O God you are my God, for you my soul is thirsting

O God, hear my cry!
Listen to my prayer!
From the end of the earth, I call my heart is faint.

On the rock too high for me to reach set me on high,
O you who have been my refuge,
my tower against the foe.

Let me dwell in your tent forever
and hide in the shelter of your wings.
For you, O God, hear my prayer,
grant me the heritage of those who fear you

O God, you are my God, for you I long; for you, my soul is thirsting
My body pines for you

like a dry, weary land without water. So I gaze on you in the sanctuary

to see your strength and your glory.