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Comparison of OCP Hymnals and Missals

September 8, 2026 - 6:31pm — Richard Schletty

OCP Hymnals

With the recent publication of Glory & Praise, Fourth Edition, we should take a look at the four major hymnals published by Oregon Catholic Press (OCP) to see how they stack up against each other.

Glory & Praise serves as a contemporary-leaning, cross-generational collection. In contrast, other flagship OCP hymnals favor heavy traditional repertoires or exclusively modern styles.

Core Structural Differences
The table below details how Glory & Praise, Fourth Edition matches up against Journeysongs, Third Edition and other core OCP options:

Hymnal Musical Focus / Style Approximate Track Count Target Community
Glory & Praise (4th Edition) Cross-generational 50/50 mix; leans heavily into guitar/piano-driven Catholic folk, pop, and modern worship classics. ~800 titles Parishes seeking a vibrant, accessible assembly style with strong roots in the post-Vatican II folk movement.
Journeysongs (3rd Edition) Balanced traditional-leaning; incorporates extensive Latin chant, historic hymns, and classical organ-driven liturgies alongside essential contemporary titles. Over 850 titles Standard, multi-generational parishes that prioritize choral, organ, and classic cantor-driven music.
Spirit & Song 100% Contemporary; modern praise & worship driven by full bands (electric guitars, drums, keyboards). ~360 titles Youth ministries, Newman centers, or specialized contemporary parish Masses.
Flor y Canto (4th Edition) Multicultural/Spanish focus; features diverse rhythmic styles from varying Spanish-speaking cultures alongside bilingual arrangements. ~740 titles Parishes supporting active Hispanic ministries or looking to build fully integrated, bilingual liturgies.

Repertoire Crossover & Liturgical Fit
  • The "Vibe" Shift: Think of Journeysongs as OCP's answer to traditional organ-and-choir hymnals, structurally comparable to GIA's RitualSong. Glory & Praise functions as a direct counterpart to GIA's Gather Comprehensive series, focusing heavily on joyful, communal singing with simpler melodic lines.
  • Repertoire Crossover: There is roughly a 30% to 40% overlap in standard titles across both books. You will find standard masterworks from composers like Dan Schutte, Bob Hurd, and Bernadette Farrell in both hymnals. However, Journeysongs replaces lighter modern folk with formal hymnody and Gregorian chant settings.
  • Mass Settings Accompaniment: Journeysongs, Third Edition contains 9 Mass settings, whereas the new Glory & Praise, Fourth Edition narrows its layout down to 8 heavily adopted settings tailored specifically for smaller, agile guitar and keyboard ensembles.

OCP Missals

OCP's extensive selection of missals gives you a variety of options, so you can provide your Roman Catholic community with the ideal resource to support the needs of their spiritual life.

Missals include official Mass propers, readings (Lectionary citations or texts), prayers, and a changing selection of music that aligns with the specific liturgical year.

Choose a Hymnal or a Missal?

OCP missals are softcover, annually replaced books containing seasonal readings and shifting music selections, while hymnals are permanent, hardbound books with a fixed collection of songs. 

See testimonials for hymnals and missals: https://www.ocp.org/en-us/missal-hymnal-journey

With so many resources available, it can be difficult to know what makes one missal or hymnal different than all the others. The missal-hymnal comparison chart below aims to highlight the main differences between OCP’s missals and hymnals so that you can be sure to have the right Catholic resource for your parish’s liturgy and worship. Find out how many Mass settings are included, if a resource contains readings and more to ensure you select the right resource for your community.

https://www.ocp.org/en-us/product-comparison-table

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