Hymns for Funeral Mass?

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STSUSANNAMUSIC said:
I play about 30 funerals a year, and I would say I play “On Eagles Wings” for 28 of them! Sorry, Michael Joncas, I wish I wouldn’t have to play it ever again! Some of my favs are “Lord of all Hopefulness”
“How can I keep from singing” “The King of love my shepherd is”
“Shepherd Me O God” is almost as popular, but it hasn’t gotten on my nerves yet!
There is a setting of the song of farewell that is set to the “Danny boy” tune,(Londonderry air) that really helps when people want that. It is called “Celtic song of farewell”
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LOL. The other funeral sacristan in my parish and I have made a pact concerning our funerals. The second the surviving one hears the first chord of “On Eagles Wings”, we will throw ourselves across the piano to stop it. (We have warned the music director. We don’t want anyone to get hurt) She understands. 🙂
 
I have told my nearest and dearest that if they play How Great Thou Art or Eagle’s Wings at my funeral, I will burst out of the coffin, and haunt them for the rest of their lives:D
 
I have heard some really bad requests.
  1. prop me up beside the jukebox when I die (country song)
  2. Oh lord its hard to be humble.
  3. Going on a sentemental journey (recessional song)
 
Biblioassistant said:
I have told my nearest and dearest that if they play How Great Thou Art or Eagle’s Wings at my funeral, I will burst out of the coffin, and haunt them for the rest of their lives:D
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Wow - I’ve used almost the exact words with my family! Except the two forbidden pieces are “Eagles’ Wings” and “Be Not Afraid.”

Betsy
 
baltobetsy said:
Wow - I’ve used almost the exact words with my family! Except the two forbidden pieces are “Eagles’ Wings” and “Be Not Afraid.”

Betsy
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Me three but add Amazing Grace to the list.

I’ve already told the choir what I want:

Entrance Hymn – All Creatures of Our God and King – all the verses.
Offertory – O Jesus, Lord, Increase Our Faith – to O WALY, WALY
Communion – Gift of Finest Wheat
Final Commendation – Songs of the Angels (Dufford)
Recessional – Psalm 16
 
What is the hymn that has the words “…thine vast domain, …is thine reign”? And when would that be used during a funeral Mass? Thanks, Tim
 
TOP said:
What is the hymn that has the words “…thine vast domain, …is thine reign”? And when would that be used during a funeral Mass? Thanks, Tim
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Holy God We Praise Thy Name

Entrance, Offertory, Recessional.
 
TOP said:
Very informative, thanks. I’m leaving a to do list in case of my own demise and don’t want to roll over in my casket because of some hymn ;). I’m looking for something traditional, but I don’t know the names of the hymns. I’ll check for an index in the hymnal. Tim
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"I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say, “Come Unto Me and Rest.”

“Come, Ye Thankful People, Come.”

"Dies Irae" (but they probably won’t allow it).
 
May I add a further question? What music would you do for the funeral of a small child/infant? I have been asked to sing at a number of funerals lately, and I’m not sure how I would handle that one. (Songs with a theme of repentance wouldn’t work.)
 
PhilotheaZ said:
May I add a further question? What music would you do for the funeral of a small child/infant? I have been asked to sing at a number of funerals lately, and I’m not sure how I would handle that one. (Songs with a theme of repentance wouldn’t work.)
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My daughter was 13 days old, so that would qualify. The songs I had listed above (in my prior post) worked well, I would recommend those.

Andy
 
It’s always amazing to me the hold “On Eagles Wings” seems to have on people…but alas, it brings solace to the weary at most funerals that I’m at.

I do think it is funny when some of us (and I’ve done this) say specifically what we do or do not want played at our funerals.

I’ve started thinking that maybe a gentle reminder or two is helpful…but that ultimately the mourners need to choose these things, simply because they really need the music to help them pray for the deceased.
 
The usual ones are lovely like the Ave Maria, Panis, Abide with Me, the Lord’s My Shepherd etc. Also Going Home is beautiful especially when the coffin is being taken out of the Church at the end of the Mass. It is very moving.
 
catherine_m said:
The usual ones are lovely like the Ave Maria, Panis, Abide with Me, the Lord’s My Shepherd etc. Also Going Home is beautiful especially when the coffin is being taken out of the Church at the end of the Mass. It is very moving.
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Nobody mentioned “For All the Saints” yet. Or did I miss it.

I second, “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.”
 
I told my wife that I would try to make a list of songs to be played at my funeral, probably some of my favorites. Such as—Hold God We Praise Thy Name, Abide With Me, Panis Angelicus, Beyond the Sunset, and God of our Fathers. Quite a variety, right? When my mom died in the early 90’s, they sang a lot of the songs she sang when she was in the choir back in the pre Vatican two days. It was really very nice.
 
AHapka said:
My daughter was 13 days old, so that would qualify. The songs I had listed above (in my prior post) worked well, I would recommend those.

Andy
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I know this was an old thread, but I could not help but comment.

If your daughter was only 13 days old, and was baptised before she died, then you had the option for a very special Mass. When a child who has been baptised, but has not yet reached the age of reason, dies the Church teaches definitively that she when straight to heaven. She did not have any time to commit ANY earthly sin and died in the state of grace. She is a true saint!

Traditionally your daughter would have had the same Mass as a saint. With all glory and pomp! I know you were very sad at the time, but what a great honor to have a known saint in heaven from your own family!
 
With regard to the original posters question. I have been very fond of this hymn as a recessional “Sweet Name Which Makes The Dying Live” This is an older hymn that was used for my grandfathers funeral. It was used when they roll the casket out of the church. It is very appropriate and more so if you are a Holy Name member. I don’t think there are any copyrights on this piece anymore so I am posting it here. 🙂
 
You should consult with your parish organist i am an organist and just played a funeral mass you will need an Entrance, Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation/mass parts organist will usally pick these. Preparation fo the gifts. Communion Song, Meditation Song, and Recessional. it is also nice to have music 10 minitues to service.
i usually use the following:

Entrance: Be Not Afraid
Responsorial: Shepherd me o God
Offertory: On Eagles Wings
Communion: You are Mine & Prayer of St. Francis
Meditation: Hail Mary: Gentle Woman or I Sing a Maid
Recessional: Here I Am, Lord

There are Many Others to pick from also i am a fan of One Bread One Body and Blest are They
 
organist15 said:
You should consult with your parish organist i am an organist and just played a funeral mass you will need an Entrance, Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation/mass parts organist will usally pick these. Preparation fo the gifts. Communion Song, Meditation Song, and Recessional. it is also nice to have music 10 minitues to service.
i usually use the following:

Entrance: Be Not Afraid
Responsorial: Shepherd me o God
Offertory: On Eagles Wings
Communion: You are Mine & Prayer of St. Francis
Meditation: Hail Mary: Gentle Woman or I Sing a Maid
Recessional: Here I Am, Lord

There are Many Others to pick from also i am a fan of One Bread One Body and Blest are They
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But, more important than the offertory, you should also have the parts of the Mass sung, those that belong to the first order. Along with the Gospel Acclamation, you should also have the Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation and the Great Amen sung. That was one of the glaring mistakes in Senator Kennedy’s funeral. The parts of the Mass should be sung first and foremost. I would ask the organist just which parts of the Mass he knows. Personally, I would rather go with A Community Mass setting by Proulx over Mass of Creaton any day.

The organist at my late grandmother’s parish wnated to use most of your repertoire. With all due respect, I told her that I did not want any of that used for my grandmother’s funeral. Somehow the OCP stuff, as I see it, fails to do justice to the liturgy.

I know that I said this earlier, but, this is what I would use when planning funerals, including that of my late mother, my late paternal grandmother and my former pastor:

Attende Domine (Lent, Ordinary Time and maybe Advent)
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (Ordinary Time and Easter)
We Have Been Told
Salve Regina (chanted–used a lot for priests’ funerals)
In Paradisium
Shepherd of Souls
Lord, Bid Your Servant Go In Peace
I Know that My Redeemer Lives (Easter)
Panis Angelicus (a lot of people request that)
Ave Verum (again, a lot of people request that)
Ave Maria (different versions)
Jerusalem, My Happy Home
I Come with Joy to Meet My Lord
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Alleluia, Sing to Jesus (Easter)
The Strife is O’er (Easter)
Jesus Christ is Ris’n Today (Easter)
O Sun of Justice (Lent)

What we also should remember is that at the funeral Mass, we are praying for the repose of the soul of the deceased and imploring God’s mercy on him (of course, in the case of infants and small children, it’s an entirely different matter). It’s not a canonization (which is why, as I see it, “For all the Saints” would not be a good option here) nor is it some sort of celebration of the deceased’s life. That is why violet and black remain valid options for vestments for funeral Masses.

You also need to bear in mind that some of the songs may not necessarily be suitable for different liturgical seasons. Nothing with “Alleluia” should be used during Lent, especially the Gospel Acclamation I like the Kyrie setting that D. Hurd uses for his Lenten Gospel, Acclamation. It is beautiful and certanly fits a funeral Mass when this is celebrated during Lent.
 
I can’t believe nobody mentioned “I Am The Bread of Life.” It’s the Number 1 song on the Catholic funeral hit parade in my experience 😉

I have heard it at nearly every single Catholic funeral I have attended in the past 25 + years – from a high school classmate who died in a car wreck, to the funerals of my own father and father-in-law.

But even though I associate it very strongly with funerals, I still like the song, and yes, I would want it played at my own funeral too 🙂 I also realize that some liturgically correct types disapprove of it on the grounds that it’s a “self-worshipping congregation” song (where the singer is speaking in the voice of Christ) but I don’t care, I still like it 😛

For my father’s funeral, since he was a World War II Army veteran, my mom asked that “The Caissons Go Rolling Along” (or whatever the exact title is, of the song that goes “Over hill, over dale, we will hit the dusty trail…”) be played as we were leaving the church.

My husband is a Navy veteran (first Gulf War) and he actually asked to have the Navy Hymn (“Eternal Father Strong to Save”) played at our wedding 🙂 I would consider it appropriate for his funeral as well.
 
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