Top Catholic Songs

Thanks for the questions and for raising the Brébeuf Hymnal.

The assessments in my article were my own, based on direct review of the hymnals themselves. I personally own all of the hymnals I mentioned, with the lone exception of the St. Michael’s Hymnal. I wasn’t aiming for a hymn‑by‑hymn critique, but looking at representative texts and editorial patterns to highlight broader trends.

The Saint John de Brébeuf Hymnal is an important and thoughtful contribution and, in many ways, aligns closely with the principles I outlined: strong use of historic Catholic sources, doctrinal clarity, and an orientation toward serving the liturgy. It is also intended for use with either form of the Roman Rite.

Where it differs pastorally is accessibility. It assumes a parish culture willing to be formed by older textual and musical idioms, which can be very fruitful but also takes time and leadership. One practical hurdle is the consistent use of Latin titles rather than familiar English incipits. Historically, Catholic parish hymnody has usually used vernacular titles, and many musicians and parishioners rely on that familiarity.

Personally, I think the hymnal would be more immediately accessible if English titles were primary, with the Latin incipits retained as subtitles.

Overall, the Brébeuf Hymnal doesn’t challenge the framework I laid out — if anything, it confirms that an alternative editorial model is already in use, though with a different pastoral strategy than the hymnals I examined.