Top Catholic Songs

    We sing to you O Lord /  who reigns above
     By the power of / your divine love
    
     Keep me safe, O God ,
     for in you I take refuge.
  

Hymn of the Month - October: O Queen of the Holy Rosary

I have been very busy last month and this month doing woodworking projects. I now have four garden benches to make from trees (honey locust) that once grew in the courtyard of St. Mary's in Akron, Ohio. These garden benches will be placed in the Mary Garden.


As you might imagine, I have not had much time to do hymn research, and with October nearly upon us, I decided to share again one of my favorite hymns in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary. This hymn was written by a well-known hymn writer, the wife of a minister, and convert to the Church of Rome. Please take a few moments to read about this beloved Catholic hymn.

https://www.motherofmercycatholichymns.com/o-queen-of-the-holy-rosary/

If the hymn above is not to your liking check out these other favorite hymns that are very appropriate to honor the Mother of God during this month of October.

Mary, Dearest Mother
Mother Dearest, Mother Fairest
Mary, How Sweetly Falls that Word
Mother Dear, O Pray for Me
I’ll  Sing a Hymn to Mary
Mother of Mercy, Day by Day
Hail, Virgin of Virgins
Ave Maria Bright and Pure

REFRAIN
On the throne, with God our Father,
We have a pure and great high priest
His son divine and our holy brother

Whoever lives and for us interceeds
He knows each one of us and our needs

1 Our name is written on His heart
We know that while in heaven He reigns
We can praise Him with our humble song
Joining the angels in heavenly praise

2 Behold Him there, the risen Lamb
Our perfect, spotless righteousness
The Holy One the great I am
The King of glory and of all grace

RRFRAIN
3 Our life is hid with Christ on high

With Christ, our Savior, and our God behold he comes in all his glory
To bring us home to God our Father

REFRAIN
1 Author of holy desires,

who gives to all who live by faith the Spirit of your sevenfold grace, with kindness come to help us all

2 The spirit of fear of the Lord the filial fear of God our Father

reverence for his holy Will
& his love divine for each of us

3 Spirit of piety who inspires us to love to pray and worship God

Spirit of fortitude and of strength to persevere to the end REFRAIN

4 Spirit 0f knowledge to evaluate all things as gifts from God our Father

spirit of understanding truths of Faith revealed by God our Father

 

5 Spirit of counsel to act rightly Doing what must be done daiy The spirit of Wisdom that perfects

 
1 At the name of Jesus                                   4  Bore it up triumphant
 

1  You are our source and final end,
the font from which creation flows;
true peace dwells in you alone,
firm hope for all believing hearts

2 The time is growing short

As we travel through the desert
Storms beset us on our way
But beyond the River Jordan
Lies a field of endless days
Refrain 1

Proudly present the song, We Taste Heaven's Meal written by Dan Vi Nguyen and recorded at Diamond Garden Music.

To this timeless eighteenth hymn, various verses have been added.  I added two strophes that reflect the contemporary problems we face.
         
1 My life flows on in endless song,
All through Earth’s lamentation   
I catch his sweet, though far-off voice       
that hails the new creation.

2 When nations wage their high-tech wars

REFRAIN
O Christ, your friends humbly pray:
Increase your light/in these dark days
let not evil’s subtle ways
Deceive us or leed us a stray

RRFRAIN
MY loving king and shepherd
Your goodness fails me never
I nothing lack if I am yours
And you are mine forever.

Proud  and foolish I once strayed,
But you with love  sought me,
And on your shoulder gently laid,
And home rejoicing brought me.

Where streams of living water flow,        
To rest my soul you lead me;
Where fresh and fertile pastures grow,
With heav’nly food you feed me.
REFRAIN

In death’s dark vale I fear no ill,
With you, dear Lord, beside me;
Your rod and staff my comfort still,
Your cross will ever guide me.

You spread a banquet in my sight,
My head with oil anointing,
And let me taste the sweet delight
From your pure chalice flowing.
REFRAIN

Loving shepherd, ever near
Teach me now, thy voice to hear
Suffer not my steps to stray
From the straight and narrow way

And so through all my length of days
Your goodness fails me never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing your praise
Within your house forever.
REFRAIN

And so through all my length of days
Your goodness fails me never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing your praise
Within your house forever.

 adapted from Henry Williams Baker’s (1821-1877)
hymn: The King of Love My Sheperd Is
Music arrangement by Ronald St. Martin



 

HYMN OF THE MONTH – August: Immaculate Mary
As part of my series on Catholic hymns, I have chosen the hymn Immaculate Mary. This is a hymn that all Catholics should know but you may not be aware of the history and development of the hymn. Please take a moment to read about this beautiful Marian hymn.

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

https://www.motherofmercycatholichymns.com/immaculate-mary/

The Catechism of the Catholic Church proclaims that "from infancy to death human life is surrounded by their [angels'] watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life. Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God" (CCC, n. 336). Our dear guardian angels are a special gift to each one us  that  we should thank and pray for their protection and inspiration everyday

REFRAIN
My dear guardian angel -  helping me all these years,

REFRAIN
On the last day when you come
 In Glory brighter than the sun
With all the angels and the saints        
We’ll sing that new eternal song

Jesus tells us in many ways that we must remain in him and persevere till the end. 

 

REFRAIN
O Spirit of the Father and the Son
Unify us in love with them as one
One church, one Faith one Lord
One Father of us all

Lord, you are the way, truth, and life

St Peter tells us in the first century about the Lord's coming.  2Peter 3: 3-10 
3 Above all, you must understand that in the last days, scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

As part of my series on Catholic hymns, I have chosen a hymn that was very popular at St. Mary’s Parish in Akron, Ohio. It was sung on many occasions, especially for First Communion.  It is a good hymn and was written by a Sister of Mercy from the Charleville Convent in County Cork, Ireland around the 1850s. It has appeared in many Catholic hymnals over the years and multiple melodies have been composed for this one hymn. This hymn was originally written for children with a simple melody and may appeal to men and women of all ages.

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

https://www.motherofmercycatholichymns.com/jesus-teach-me-how-to-pray/

I thank you, Lord, with all my heart,
you have heard the words of my mouth.
In the presence of the angels, I will bless you.
I will adore before your holy temple.

I thank you for your faithfulness and love
which excels all we ever knew of you.

I thought some of you might like to know how I do research for my HYMN OF THE MONTH write-ups and so I thought I would take a moment to explain my methodology in hopes that it might inspire and help others. When doing my hymn research, the first step for me is the selection process. Several factors will affect my decision...

Please click on the link to read more.

https://www.motherofmercycatholichymns.com/conducting-hymn-research/​​​​​​​