work in progress

Hymns/songs not to be sung at my parish. The list as worked on by my pastor and I--still in progress!
There are many things that must be evaluated in choosing music for the liturgy, including its musical quality and singabilty, its sacred character, and its theological correctness. Then, of course, there is the liturgical suitability: is this song appropriate for today’s scriptural texts, the season we are in, and the particular part of the Mass.

In the degrees of importance, we want to give first place to singing the parts of the Mass and the responses of the faithful. This should eventually include our learning to occasionally sign the proper Introit antiphon (entrance chant) and Communion antiphon.

Although newer songs are welcome and can be enriching, pride and place should be given to Gregorian chant, and then to hymns that form an important heritage of Catholic music.

The following points are in no particular order…

• Overplayed, stale, banal or uninspiring, and not sacred music

• Uses term “Yahweh”

• Refers to the Eucharist as only a symbol/sign

• Attempts to speak for God

• Focus is on us (the congregation) instead of God.

• Songs which should not be done from Heritage Missal or Music Issue because they have changed the traditional text.

• Finally there are probably others that are not mentioned, simply because they are not common / familiar, but would also be evaluated as unsuitable.


For hymns/songs that fall under these categories, please contact me.