Music for my sister's Wedding

[yelak12]

does all the music for the ceremony have to be from the hymn books or can they include other Christian Worship music from artist like Chris Tomlin, Rebecca St. James or Michael W. Smith? The ceremony is being held in the Catholic Church

Thanks and God Bless

 

[benedictgal]

does all the music for the ceremony have to be from the hymn books or can they include other Christian Worship music from artist like Chris Tomlin, Rebecca St. James or Michael W. Smith? The ceremony is being held in the Catholic Church

Thanks and God Bless

The music for a Catholic wedding must be sacred, Catholic music that is appropriate for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. These songs must reflect Catholic teaching. The artists that you listed do not fall under that category.

This is what Pope Benedict has noted regarding music for the Mass (quoted from Sacramentum Caritatis):

Liturgical song

1. In the ars celebrandi, liturgical song has a pre-eminent place. (126) Saint Augustine rightly says in a famous sermon that “the new man sings a new song. Singing is an expression of joy and, if we consider the matter, an expression of love” (127). The People of God assembled for the liturgy sings the praises of God. In the course of her two-thousand-year history, the Church has created, and still creates, music and songs which represent a rich patrimony of faith and love. This heritage must not be lost. Certainly as far as the liturgy is concerned, we cannot say that one song is as good as another. Generic improvisation or the introduction of musical genres which fail to respect the meaning of the liturgy should be avoided. As an element of the liturgy, song should be well integrated into the overall celebration (128). Consequently everything – texts, music, execution – ought to correspond to the meaning of the mystery being celebrated, the structure of the rite and the liturgical seasons (129). Finally, while respecting various styles and different and highly praiseworthy traditions, I desire, in accordance with the request advanced by the Synod Fathers, that Gregorian chant be suitably esteemed and employed (130) as the chant proper to the Roman liturgy (131).

Because the nuptials are celebrated in a liturgical setting, the music must comform to what the Church requires.

 

[aloysiusg]

does all the music for the ceremony have to be from the hymn books or can they include other Christian Worship music from artist like Chris Tomlin, Rebecca St. James or Michael W. Smith? The ceremony is being held in the Catholic Church

Thanks and God Bless

If you’re really attached to one of those songs, maybe you could use it as prelude music? But they really shouldn’t be sung within the context of the mass, if you’re having a mass.

 

[benedictgal]

If you’re really attached to one of those songs, maybe you could use it as prelude music? But they really shouldn’t be sung within the context of the mass, if you’re having a mass.

Nor should they be performed during the Nuptial liturgy (outside of the Mass) because it is, after all, a liturgy, as well, only without the Eucharist. NOte this reference from Musicam Sacram (which is still in effect):

1. Certain celebrations of the Sacraments and Sacramentals, which have a special importance in the life of the whole parish community, such as confirmation, sacred ordinations, matrimony, the consecration of a church or altar funerals, etc., should be performed in sung form as far as possible, so that even the solemnity of the rite will contribute to its greater pastoral effectiveness. Nevertheless, the introduction into the celebration of anything which is merely secular, or which is hardly compatible with divine worship, under the guise of solemnity should be carefully avoided: this applies particularly to the celebration of marriages.

If the couple has an attachment to a particular song that is not suited for the Nuptial liturgy, then they could have it performed at the reception.

 

[aloysiusg]

Certainly at the reception they can do whatever they want, but if they wanted a piece like this in the church, all i was saying was that it needed to be before, it could not be during the mass - I think even you and I can agree on that one bg.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

does all the music for the ceremony have to be from the hymn books or can they include other Christian Worship music from artist like Chris Tomlin, Rebecca St. James or Michael W. Smith? The ceremony is being held in the Catholic Church

Thanks and God Bless

What ought to be done (all the things benedictgal wrote) and what is actually done sadly varies from diocese to diocese, and even parish to parish. If you are the one performing the music, you need to talk with your sister’s parish priest, liturgist, or music director. If you are not, then your sister and her fiance need to talk with the priest, liturgist, or music director.