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Funeral Music

- Music at funerals should support, console, and uplift the participants and should help to create in them a spirit of hope in Christ's victory over death and our share in in that victory. Each hymn has a purpose, and music offerings have been carefully selected and categorized by the music director to ensure that they are appropriate for the hymn selection. Some songs can work in multiple categories, but not all. As such, please only choose music for the selections from their corresponding category.
  Music selections are not limited to those listed here but must be sacred music appropriate for liturgy. We have offered this to help you remember pieces that are appropriate for a funeral liturgy. If you have a favorite piece from the secular world, you may consider having it played at the funeral home before you leave for the church. There are four selections for a funeral mass. For questions about music selections please contact Oksana Berezkina (508-660-4700)
  Hymns marked with an asterisk * are NOT allowed during Lenten season (Lenten season begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Thursday).
  The lyrics and sheet music for most of the following selections can be found in the Journey Songs hymnal.
  Gathering/Recessional Hymns
  (The purpose of the Processional hymn is to open the funeral service, foster the unity of those who have been gathered, and the start of the liturgical celebration of the deceased's life and resurrection in Christ. The Recessional hymn affirms hope in God’s mercy and faith in the resurrection of the dead.)
  Alleluia! Sing to Jesus (R. Prichard) 458 *
  Amazing Grace (NEW BRITAIN) 680
  Be Not Afraid (B. Dufford) 673
  Blest Be the Lord (D. Schutte) 677
  By All Your Saints Still Striving (ST. THEODULPH) 748
  Come to Me (G. Norbet) 695
  For All the Saints (SINE NOMINE) 504 *
  Here I Am, Lord (D. Schutte) 818
  Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord, God Almighty (J. Dykes) 448
  How Great Thou Art (S. Hine) 614
  I Know that My Redeemer Lives (DUKE STREET) 129
  Jerusalem, My Happy Home (LAND OF REST) 758
  Lead Me, Guide Me (D. Akers) 654
  Let There Be Peace on Earth (S. Miller) 703
  Lift High the Cross (CRUCIFER, S. Nicholson) 500
  Morning Has Broken (BUNESSAN) 851
  O God, Our Help in Ages Past 672
  On Eagle’s Wings (M. Joncas) 671
  Shall We Gather at the River (R. Lowry) 756
  Sing a New Song (D. Schutte) 598 **
  Sing with All the Saints in Glory (Beethoven, ODE TO JOY) 759
  The Strife Is O’er (VICTORY, G. Palestrina) 408 *
  We Are the Light of the World (J. Grief) 629
  We Shall Rise Again (J. Young) GC 762
  We Walk by Faith 669 (ST. ANNE)
  Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones (LASST UNS ERFREUEN) 505 *
  
  Suggested Psalms
  #16 Center of My Life (P. Inwood) 665, “O Lord, you are the center of my life: I will always praise you; I will always serve you; I will always keep you in my sight.”
  #16 Shelter Me, O God (B. Hurd) 689, “Shelter me, O God; hide me in the shadow of your wings. You alone are my hope.”
  # 23 The Lord Is My Shepherd (J. Gelineau) GC 24, “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want”
  or “My shepherd is the Lord; nothing, indeed, shall I want.”
  #23 Shepherd me, O God (M. Haugen) GC 23, “Shepherd me, O God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life.”
  #24 I Have Loved You (M. Joncas) 623, “I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have called you and you are mine.”
  #25 To You, O Lord (M. Haugen) GC 26, “To you, O Lord, I lift my soul, to you, I lift my soul.”
  #34 The Cry of the Poor (J. Foley) 829, “The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Blessed be the Lord.”
  #43 As the Deer Longs for Flowing Streams (O WALY, WALY) 663, “As the deer longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for you, O Go.’
  #91 On Eagle’s Wings (M. Joncas) 671, “And he will raise you up on eagle’s wings, bear you on the breath of dawn, make you to shine like the sun and hold you in the palm of his hand.”
  #91 Be with Me, Lord (M. Haugen) GC 50, “Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble, be with me, Lord, I pray.”
  #103 The Lord Is Kind and Merciful (M. Haugen), GC 59, “The Lord is kind and merciful, the Lord is kind and merciful.”
  #130 My Soul Is Longing for Your Peace, Near to You, My God (L. Deiss)
  #139 You Are Near (D. Schutte) 667, “O Lord, I know you are near, standing always at my side…”
  
  Offertory Hymns
  (The Offertory hymn fits with the purpose of the ritual itself; by offering ourselves (symbolized in the bread and wine) and surrendering ourselves to God's will, we are able to enter the sacrificial death of Christ.)
  
  Abide with Me (EVENTIDE) 856
  Alleluia #1 (D. Fishel) 413 **
  All Is Well with My Soul (P. Bliss)
  At the Name of Jesus (KING’S WESTON) 465
  Ave Maria (Schubert)
  Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod)
  Ave Maria (G. Norbet) 483
  Beautiful Savior (ST. ELIZABETH) 841
  Be Still and Know that I Am God (C. Walker) 694
  Be Still, My Soul (J. Sibelius, FINLANDIA) 547
  Hail Mary: Gentle Woman (C. Landry) 481
  Hosea (G. Norbet) 529
  I Heard the Voice of Jesus (KINGSFOLD) 692
  I Know that My Redeemer Lives (DUKE STREET) 129
  In the Garden (C. Miles)
  Only This I Want (D. Schutte) 732
  Prayer of St. Francis (S. Temple) 702
  Precious Lord, Take My Hand (Dorsey) 548
  Shepherd of Souls (ST. AGNES) 808
  Softly and Tenderly (W. Thompson) 530
  This Alone (T. Manion) 652
  We Remember (M. Haugen) GC 578
  
  Communion Hymns
  (The Communion hymn helps to express the spiritual union of the communicants by means of the unity of their voices, to show gladness of heart, and to bring out more clearly the 'communitarian' character of the procession to receive the Eucharist.)
  
  All I Ask of You (G. Norbet) 713
  At the Lamb’s High Feast (SALZBURG) 407
  Ave Verum (Mozart)
  Behold the Lamb (M. Willett) 785
  Bread of Life (B. Farrell) 788
  Bread of Life (B. Fisher) 805
  Eat This Bread (J. Berthier) GC 806
  Gift of Finest Wheat (R. Kreutz) 791
  I Am the Bread of Life (S. Toolan) GC 822
  I Received the Living God (LIVING GOD) 786
  Lord, Who at Thy First Eucharist (W. Monk) 804
  Panis Angelicus (L. Lambillotte)
  Panis Angelicus (C. Franck)
  Shepherd of My Heart (F. O’Brien) GC 624
  Shepherd of Souls (ST. AGNES) 808
  Taste and See (J. Moore) GC 827
  The Clouds’ Veil (L. Lawton) GC 619
  These Alone Are Enough (D. Schutte) 655
  You Are Near (D. Schutte) 687
  
  Meditation Hymns
  (Meditation hymns allow for a moment of reflection as well as a prayer of praise and thanksgiving after receiving communion. This also serves as a time to dwell on the meaning of the Eucharist and express gratitude for the gift of Christ's sacrifice.)
  
  Coming Home (Rev. J. Genito), “Coming home to peace, coming home to love, coming home, coming home to you…
  Going Home (Dvorak)
  In Remembrance (R. Courtney/B. Red)
  Lady of Knock (D. Scallon)
  
  Final Commendation
  Celtic Song of Farewell (Air from Country Derry), “May choirs of angels lead you into paradise…”
  I Know that My Redeemer Lives (S. Soper) 556
  In Paradisum (Chant, Mode VII and Mode VIII) 136, “In paradisum deducant te angeli…”
  Irish Blessing (B. Fabing), “May the road rise up to meet you…”
  Jesus, Remember Me (Taizé) GC 422, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom…” (“May angels guide you and bring you into paradise”)
  Nearer, My God, to Thee (L. Mason)
  O Loving God (Air from Country Derry) 550 “O loving God, we send your daughter/son home to you…” (to the tune of “Danny Boy”)
  Song of Farewell (OLD HUNDRETH) 134, “Come to his/her aid, o Saints of God…”
  Song of Farewell (E. Sands) 553, “May the choirs of angels come to greet you…”
  Songs of the Angels (B. Dufford), “May songs of the angels welcome you and guide you along your way…”
  
  Other appropriate Liturgical music may be used upon approval of the pastor and the music director.