A chant setting with an antiphon based on Dan 3:77 (tune Geoffrey Cox) and Psalm 118 set by Joseph Gelineau from The Grail. Since BIAB can’t do chant, I’ll skip to the next song.
Bernard Kirkpatrick wrote “Springs of Living Water” based on Ezekiel 47.
I have done volume two of Catholic Worship Book II, which is mainly hymns, but there are some great songs in amongst the specifically liturgical choices in volume one that I would like to look at.
CWB II starts with the sung order of the Mass in chant form, followed by the six recommended settings for Australia: Mass of St Francis (no chords!), Mass of Our Lady, Help of Christians (no chords), Mass of Christ the Redeemer (no chords), Mass of Glory and Praise (chords), Missa Magis (chords!!), and Mass Shalom (chords). Francis should have had chords but I’m startled that Magis has them.
That gets us to sprinkling rites:
29 I saw water flowing – ICEL chant.
This is pretty close:
30 If We Have Died to Ourselves
This is metrical song so worth doing on BIAB. It is by Marty Haugen and intended for the blessing and sprinkling of holy water ¬ in fact it is the sprinkling rite from his Mass of Creation. It has lots of verses that would suit other liturgical purposes outside of Lent.
The sheet music can be purchased at GIA, where the text is in their preview.
There are no chords in CWB II, but as is often the case Together in Song (475) comes to the rescue.
I’m continuing to work through Brian Boniwell’s collection, Spirit of Love, and have come to this joyous gathering song. It would work for communion as well and is easily singable.
Contact him on boniwell@aapt.net.au if you want a copy of the sheet music.
Entrance: Lord, The Light of Your Love (Kendrick) AOV 2/59
Psalm 111 (McKenna):
A light rises in the darkness
for the upright, for the upright.
Gifts: The Cry of the Poor (Foley) AOV 1/83
Communion: A Place at the Table (Shirley Erena Murray – Lori True) AOV NG 1
Thanksgiving: The Summons (Maule-Bell) AOV NG 149
Recessional: Bring Forth the Kingdom (Haugen) AOV 2/4
I don’t say often enough how useful the music selections posted here by correspondents are. They give an insight into the thinking of parishes across different countries and different styles of music, which become very useful for people looking for assistance in planning their liturgies. Thanks to all have contributed over the years.
You wouldn’t write a collection of liturgical songs without putting in a Christmas song, and neither would Brian Boniwell, in his collection, Spirit of Love. Joseph gets more verses than Mary in this lovely song, in a break with tradition.
1 Joseph you cared for the Mother of God,
not knowing the way that God would provide.
Believing and taking each step of the way,
walking by faith, trusting God’s love in your life.
2 Mary your road led to Bethlehem town,
though it was time for the child to be born.
In a stable you wrapped him and held him with love.
“Glory to God”, the angels did sing in your life.
3 Joseph you stood with both mother and child,
silent before this mystery of birth.
A king in a stable was born for us all,
And opened your heart to the wonder of God on that night.
4 Jesus be near to us, come teach us to pray,
Come open our lives to the mystery of God.
Give us courage to stand in the stillness of light,
Help us to know God’s hand is still holding us near.
Twice a year there is an enormous charity booksale at the Brisbane convention centre. I usually go to look for good books and especially hymn books.
I didn’t get to go until the last day this year, which meant I have may have missed the best selection, but they do drop the prices for the last day and that makes up for it somewhat.
I have had some wonderful finds over the years and was lucky to get some stand outs among the collections of praise and worship songs I seem to buy and then never look into much.
I found a well preserved melody line edition of GIA’s Gather from 1988. I have Gather Australia and Gather Comprehensive but it is good to have just plain Gather as well.
I also found a Graham Kendrick book called The Collection that might prove useful. I picked up Sing Alleluia, which is the supplement to the Australian Hymn Book, which has – ta da – chords! – how wonderful. There was also a Lucein Diess collection of prayers called Come Lord Jesus.
Not a hymn book, but found in the “fill a bag for $5” section was Schillebeeckx’s The Eucharist. It was sold by Pellegrini & Co in Brisbane for $1.50 to the Holy Spirit Convent at Carseldine where it no doubt corrupted the faith of the nuns with its modernist ways. I was delighted to come across it.
In the past you often found copies of As One Voice or Gather Australia but I think people are holding on to them these days.
This is another Brian Boniwell song from his collection Spirit of Love. It is suggested for a wedding. It would have to be a solo vehicle, but I don’t this one succeeds matching the liturgical act as well as the rest of the collection – the minor key is a bit grim and the text is a rather vague.
It is listed at 60 bpm but even at 70, as my backing is set, seems slow to me.
1 Walking in the silent forest, covered by your love,
I hear your spirit softly calling, gentle as a dove.
“Come to me, know the longing that I always have for you,
let my love fill you with my life.”
2 And there within the starlit heavens, twinkling in the night.
I know your graceful beauty calling, silent as the night.
Draw me near, let me share with you the treasures of my love.
Live with me, let us be as one.
3 From deep within eternity I feel you gently come.
Rising on the breath of morning, shining with the sun.
Take my life, let it be a vessel pouring out your love.
Shirley Erena Murray, the great writer of convicting hymn texts of social justice died recently. Known worldwide for such texts as “A Place at the Table” and “Star Child”, her song “Touch the Earth Lightly” is in CWB II. You might also know “When Human Voices Cannot Sing”, which is in Gather Australia.
I pass on some of the e-mail from her family.
Tena koutou
It is with much sadness that we note the passing of Shirley.
She died on Saturday afternoon New Zealand time, peacefully at Paraparaumu.
Mum had been in declining health for some months, and was accepting of the last passage of her life, so it was both a relief for her and the family, despite the obvious sadness.
Funeral arrangements – Friday 31 January, 11:00 am at Kapiti Uniting Church, 10 Weka Road, Raumati Beach.
We send aroha (love) to all her friends, relatives, and those in the music community.
I've worked my way through the As One Voice books and other collections making backings on Band in a Box to help me (& you if you're interested) learn new songs for church. This is aimed at churches and musicians that own the collections but haven't exploited them fully. If you don't have them they are certainly worth buying. This site is educational, nonprofit and designed to enhance the commercial prospects of songwriters. This site does not distribute copyrighted sheet music.
Disclaimer
Any opinions expressed here are personal views and not the responsibility of any Church.
All music backings posted are created by myself and the intention is for them to be used to learn the songs. If any copyright holder wishes me to cease publicising and promoting their wares and directing people to where sheet music can be legally purchased please let me know.
Mason’s “Mass of Glory and Praise”
To access my backings for Paul Mason's mass go to Feb 2011 in the archive.