Ceremony - need help with hymns!

Heineken Helen

Ok, I'm not the best Catholic in the bunch and we've picked our readings and prayers of the faithful but now I'm stuck on the hymns

My niece is singing for us and we've chosen three contemporary songs for her to sing. There are three hymns that I also really like: here I am Lord, amazing grace and be not afraid. I sang them in the choir when I was a kid but now I wouldn't have a clue where to put any of them into the ceremony, also leaving space for the three contemporary songs

Does anybody have a clue? I know I could ask the priest and he's lovely, I really could, but he already knows we're clueless and I don't want him to think I'm not putting any effort into it at all.

Cellygirl

Hi there,

Generally for a Catholic ceremony you need music/a song for the following parts of the Mass. This is only general though, but it'll give you an idea.

Walking up the aisle
Lighting the two single candles to represent both you and your hubby's single selves
The psalm
Lighting of the middle larger candle representing you're both now married
The offertory procession (both mothers bringing up the gifts)
During Communion
Signing of the register
Walking back down the aisle

Usually more contemporary songs are reserved for the signing of the register bit, as at that point the Mass/religious bit is over and it moves on to the legal part of the ceremony. Most priests will allow some contemporary music at that point, within reason. Generally for the rest of the Mass though, they prefer hymns/religious music. All depends on your priest though.

I think Here I am Lord for the lighting of the candles (first verse lighting the single candles and second verse for lighting the main unity candle maybe) would be nice as it's a short-ish song.

Amazing Grace would be LOVELY for Communion and maybe Be Not Afraid for the Mams bringing up the gifts?

I have my church music sorted, so if you'd like to see my list, then just ask! HTH!

Heineken Helen

Hey Cellygirl, thanks so much. I should have said that we're just having the ceremony, no mass. I think this means no communion and no gifts?

I'd love to see your list if you wouldn't mind? Our priest has said we can do whatever we want regarding music, he's incredibly laid back about everything! Obviously we're not going to take the piss. The songs are all completely inoffensive and, if they were written much earlier could almost be hymns themselves anyway!

For walking up the aisle I will probably just use a recording of an instrumental, something more traditional.

Cellygirl

Hey there,

You're welcome!

Yes, if you're not having the Eucharist then that cuts out Communion and the gifts.

Ah yeah, they're usually grand about the contemporary music once it's not like Smack my Bi*ch Up or anything!!

Here's my list so, I'll leave in everything even the Communion songs in case you like them for elsewhere in the ceremony:


Entrance song - Prince of Denmark March/Trumpet Voluntary on the organ

Lighting the candles - The Light of Christ

Offertry - Ag Chriost an Siol

Sign of the Peace - Make me a Channel of your Peace

Communion - Ave Maria and Panis Angelicus

Signing of the Register - All I Ask of You, The Voyage and No Frontiers

Leaving the church - Mendellsohn's Wedding March on the organ

Heineken Helen

Some great choices there (I love all I ask of you especially, will have a listen to the others tomorrow as I've to go to bed ) so this would work?

Walking up the aisle - undecided

Lighting the two single candles to represent both you and your hubby's single selves - here I am Lord

The psalm - be not afraid

Lighting of the middle larger candle representing you're both now married - maybe Amazing Grace

Signing of the register - 2 of the 3 songs (if I should fall behind by Bruce Springsteen, first day of my life by Bright Eyes or Moving on up by Primal Scream)

Walking back down the aisle - undecided

smelltheglove

My favourite has got to be On Eagles Wings

Cellygirl

Yup, they sound great! Good choices there!

We're actually having a friend read a psalm (trying to include everyone!) so we're not having a song there.

I'd say your priest couldn't have a problem with any of that, all sounds lovely!

The walking up and down the aisle are the hardest parts, I deliberated for ages on those!

When we met with the singer woman, she gave me a list of sample songs for the various parts of the Mass and I was just like 'Yeah, that one will do, and that one, and that, tha'ts great all sorted now'. But for the walking up and down the aisle I had myself and Himself driven demented with 'Trumpet Voluntary or Canon in D?! TRUMPET VOLUNTARY OR CANON IN D!?!?'

I'm surprised he's marrying me at all!!

Cellygirl

Oh meant to say, we're having Bruce Springsteen If I Should Fall Behind as our first dance!

Great taste there!!

Heineken Helen

Cellygirl wrote: »

Oh meant to say, we're having Bruce Springsteen If I Should Fall Behind as our first dance!

Great taste there!!

Ah wow small world eh? I've had that song since I was a kid... it's the only part of the wedding I've know I'd have since then.

As for up and down the aisle, really really really not a clue but it will just be something classical. Will a recording be ok or does that sound really bad?

Lol, I haven't even talked to him about ceremony music, it's the only bit I haven't included him in... as it is, we're struggling to agree on a first dance (don't get me started lol).

smelltheglove, I love that one too and how great thou art. It's all too difficult

wicklori

Sorry to put a cat amonst the pigeons but!! I have sung for years and years and go out of my way to find different stuff...

The Clouds Veil (Liam Lawton) is really lovely, especially if you make sure your singer sticks to the original version as written... (even though the rain hides the stars, even when the mist swirls the hills, even when the dark clouds veil the sky, you are by my side........)

Let there be love is an old Protestant hymn, although regularly sung in Catholic churches at weddings. (Let there be love shared among us, let there be love in our eyes, may now your love sweep this nation, cause us Oh Lord, to arise.....)

Set your Heart on the Higher Gifts is a beautiful psalm.... (Set your heart on the higher gifts, on the things that come from your maker in Heaven, these three gifts, are all that remain, Faith, Hope and Love, and the greatest is love....)

As a secular song (ie not religious) often used for the signing of the register... Perhaps Love, John Denver.

Have loads of ideas if you need more

Heineken Helen

wicklori wrote: »

Sorry to put a cat amonst the pigeons but!! I have sung for years and years and go out of my way to find different stuff...

The Clouds Veil (Liam Lawton) is really lovely, especially if you make sure your singer sticks to the original version as written... (even though the rain hides the stars, even when the mist swirls the hills, even when the dark clouds veil the sky, you are by my side........)

Let there be love is an old Protestant hymn, although regularly sung in Catholic churches at weddings. (Let there be love shared among us, let there be love in our eyes, may now your love sweep this nation, cause us Oh Lord, to arise.....)

Set your Heart on the Higher Gifts is a beautiful psalm.... (Set your heart on the higher gifts, on the things that come from your maker in Heaven, these three gifts, are all that remain, Faith, Hope and Love, and the greatest is love....)

As a secular song (ie not religious) often used for the signing of the register... Perhaps Love, John Denver.

Have loads of ideas if you need more

That's ok, I like cats . Thanks for your suggestions, I think we might go with what we've got but I still have to run them by my niece and see what she's comfortable with or what she wants to sing. Definitely all suggestions still welcome though!

deelite

I've always thought the hymn (okay it might not be technically a hymn - but it's lovely) - I don't know what it's called but somebody here will know it ...it goes like this... "If the Stars Should Tumble from the Sky, if the sea should suddenly run dry, if you love me really love me......

Heineken Helen

deelite wrote: »

I've always thought the hymn (okay it might not be technically a hymn - but it's lovely) - I don't know what it's called but somebody here will know it ...it goes like this... "If the Stars Should Tumble from the Sky, if the sea should suddenly run dry, if you love me really love me......

Nana Mouskouri apparently - just googled it

If I'm just going with the wedding and not the mass, do we still have to choose a gospel??? I really need to start just turning up at weddings to take more notice

deelite

Heineken Helen wrote: »

Nana Mouskouri apparently - just googled it

If I'm just going with the wedding and not the mass, do we still have to choose a gospel??? I really need to start just turning up at weddings to take more notice

Not really sure - but I think if you are going to have "Communion" at the wedding - you need the Gospel.

Maybe you should just turn up at your local church when there's a wedding on and sit at the back (I've seen that a few times - and nobody bats an eyelid).

Good luck.:D

Heineken Helen

deelite wrote: »

Not really sure - but I think if you are going to have "Communion" at the wedding - you need the Gospel.

Maybe you should just turn up at your local church when there's a wedding on and sit at the back (I've seen that a few times - and nobody bats an eyelid).

Good luck.:D

and this must be the point in peoples lives when they start reading the births deaths & marriages section

Well it's confusing cos, on the sample order of services the priest crossed out the gospel but most websites seem to say we need the gospel so I dunno, I guess we'll just have to run this one by him again!