Music Selections and Considerations
The dignity of the marriage ceremony requires music that is sacred and ritually appropriate.
Many different forms of music and musical accompaniment can be worthy of this task. The parish employs several liturgical musicians & cantors; therefore, ordinarily, no outside musicians are permitted to play during weddings unless approved by parish priest. Contact the Parish Music Director, Mary Kate Newell to plan the music for your wedding: [email protected]
The Church offers three criteria for liturgical music that can be applied to your choice of wedding music.
The purpose of any Catholic liturgy, including a wedding liturgy, is to give glory to God and to sanctify (make holy) the worshipers. Your wedding music should reflect that purpose; in other words, it should help the assembly to pray and to give thanks to God for your marriage.
Is it accessible?
In other words, will the assembly be able to sing along? In Catholic worship, the assembly (everyone attending the wedding) is not an audience, passively watching events unfold at the altar. Catholic liturgy calls on the assembly to actively
participate in the prayer of the Church, including its sung prayer. Doing so is one of the most powerful ways your friends and family can express their love and support for youand your spouse.
Is it beautiful?
Beauty is a window onto the divine (Catechism#32), so it is not surprising that the Church calls for the music used in its worship to be beautiful. This criterion is obviously somewhat subjective, depending on personal tastes and local culture. Whether your music is beautiful or not may depend less on the particular
selection than on the skill of the musicians who sing or play it. A hymn that seemed ho-hum the first time you heard it in church might have great potential in the right hands.
Below is a list of suggested hymns that our parish community knows and frequently sings at weddings.
You may use this list as a guide. If you care to make other selections, if there is a
specific song you would like included, or if you need other help with the music selections, please discuss this with the music ministry.
The Mass Acclamations:
Alleluia, Holy, Great Amen and Lamb of God are chosen by the
musician assigned to your wedding ceremony.
Prelude - Select One
Bridal Prayer, Copeland
God is Love, Leigh
How Beautiful, Paris
Love Goes On, Farrell
Love has Come, Maher
The Prayer, Bocelli
The Mothers Prayer, Dion
Where there is Love, Haas
When Love is Found, Waly
Where Love is Found, Schutte
With This Ring, Copeland
Entrance Processionals - Select One
Air, Handel
Air on the G String, Bach
Canon in D, Pachelbel
Hymne, Vangelis
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, Bach
Ode to Joy Beethhoven
Spring from “Water Music,” Handel
Te Deum by Carpentier
Trumpet Voluntary Purcell
Responsorial Psalms - Select One
All I Ask, Norbet
Psalm 19 The Heavens Declare the Glory of God
Psalm 24 I Have Loved You
Psalm 33 The Lord Fills the Earth with His Love
Psalm 34 Taste & See
Psalm 103 The Lord is Kind & Merciful
Psalm 118 This is the Day the Lord Has Made
Psalm 128 Blest are Those Who Love You
Psalm 128 O Blessed are Those
Psalm 128
May Your Lives Be Blest
Preparation of the Gifts Hymn - Select One if Rite of Marriage takes place within Mass
Hold on to Love, Jesse Manibusan
Lord of All Hopefulness, Slane
Love One Another, Dufford
Morning has Broken, Bunessan
Prayer of St Francis, Temple
Servant Song, McGargill
The Gift of Love, Hopson
Communion Hymns - Select One if Rite of Marriage takes place within Mass
Behold the Lamb, Willett
Come Share the Lord, Leech
God’s Holy Gifts, Schutte
I am the Bread of Life, Toolan
I Received the Living God, anon
One Bread One Body, Foley
One Love Released, Frenzel/Keil
Panis Angelicus, Franck
Spirit and Grace, Manalo
Taste and See, Moore
The Supper of the Lord, Rosania
Where True Love Abides, Norbet
Presentation to the Blessed Mother (optional)
Ave Maria, Bach/Gounod
Ave Maria, Schubert
Hail Mary Gentle Women, Landry
Lady of Knock, Stovall
Recessionals - Select One
Hornpipe, Handel
Ode to Joy, Beethoven
Rondeau, Mouret
Trumpet Tune, Purcell
Trumpet Voluntary, Clarke