On a positive note, what is your FAVORITE hymn?

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These aren’t always appropriate for use at Mass… but many of the Taizé chants are really beautiful, and a nice change of pace from other contemporary music. People may be most familiar with “Jesus, Remember Me” or “Nada te turbe” or some of the other common ones, and there are some really beautiful ones in Latin and other languages. For the most part, they are focused on praise of God, often using verses from the Psalms, Gospels, and other scripture. And if you have enough people who can sing well, the 4-part harmonies are really nice! They are by nature repetitive, which some people will like and some won’t.

Meanwhile, for the Body and Blood of Christ yesterday, we had 2 communion songs that began with the phrases “We are…”, and then a closing song that began with “We gather…”
 
I would say “faith of our fathers " and Holy God we praise thy name”. Or any of the older Marian hynms
 
One of my favorites for Easter is “Ye Sons and Daughters”. Except when I heard it as the closing hymn for EWTN’s televised mass. They did it at about half the tempo that I’m used to hearing… so suddenly it became a dirge!
 
We are One Body
City of God
On Eagle’s Wings

I especially like songs that are in my small octave range of singing talent!

Kris
 
You Are Mine- this one really helps me when I’m struggling

Lord, You Are the Center of my Life

And lots of others that have already been said, but those two are my favorites. Not to mention all the good Latin ones (and some praise and worship music…ducks the flying insults) Nearer than Before, Breath of God, those are two other really good ones. And Let the Fire Fall.

jp2fan
 
Servant Song - “What do you want of me, Lord? Where do you want me to serve you?”
You Are Mine
City Of God (we sang this on Sunday)
The Magnificat
Hail Mary, Gentle Woman (I put together our Liturgy of the Hours services both for our parish and the diaconate, and we will sing this one on Saturday, The Immaculate Heart of Mary).
 
“To Jesus Christ, Our Sovereign King” (which is sung about once a month at my parish)–I hope that’s familiar to everyone.

“Stainless the Maiden”
  1. Stainless the maiden whom he chose for mother;
    Nine months she waited, bearing Christ our brother;
    Think of her gladness when at last she saw him
    God in a manger, Bethlehem a heaven!
  2. Lantern in darkness, when the sick are sighing,
    Threshold of brightness comfort for the dying,
    High she is holding for a world adoring,
    Hope of the nations, Jesus Christ our brother.
3.Jesus has conquered; to his side he raised her;
Queen of the angels, every saint has praised her.
Yet, in her splendor, Mary goes on drawing
Sinners and exiles to their promised glory.
  1. Sons, come and daughters, through the ages singing,
    Praising the Virgin, joys and sorrows bringing.
    Clothed with the sunshine, Sion’s fairest flower,
    Spouse of the Spirit, be to us a mother.
I’ve never heard this one outside my parish (it’s a traditional Polish one, which may be the reason), and it’s sung for any Marian feast through the year. I especially like the first & second verses.
 
What a great topic! I love sacred music of all kinds- I’ll add a few favorites of my own.

I love the Latin hymns associated with the liturgical seasons esp:

Veni, veni Emmanuel
Ubi caritas et amor (from Holy Thursday)
Veni Creator Spiritus

Also

For All the Saints
Now Thank We All Our God
Come Holy Ghost
All Glory Laud and Honor

Of the newer hymns I really like

Seek Ye First
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bquinnan:
I remember the pieces written by composer William Byrd really struck me.
Click to expand...
Yes! 👍 William Byrd is awesome. My favorite setting of the Ave Maria is also from the renaissance- Josquin des Prez’s paraphrase is the most beautiful Marian hymn I’ve ever heard.
 
PNewton, “ANgus Dei”, that was funny.:rotfl:

Is “O Sacred Head Surrounded” the same as “O Sacred Head Now Wounded”? That is my most favorite hymn. Makes me cry almost every time I hear it.

I also love the St. Louis Jesuits hymns…

Yaweh, You Are Near
City Of God
Here I am, Lord
Be Not Afraid
Earthen Vessels
 
I absolutely love the “As I Kneel” version of Ave Maria. I also am a big fan of “Ashes”, “You Are Mine” and “Servant Song”.
 
I just remembered a beautiful experience with a piece of music I hesitate to call a hymn - it’s a praise kind of song - “Refiner’s Fire.” My daughter was graduating from a wonderful Catholic high school, and at the Baccalaureate Mass, the girls sang this song, which has the lyrics, “I want to be holy, set apart for You, Lord, ready to do Your will.” I got the impression that they all really meant it, and they sang it with such love, it was just a beautiful thing. I’ve loved this song ever since.

Betsy
 
I’m brand new to this forum. Hello everyone!

I’ve read through all the previous posts, and so many of my favorites are listed, all the old Latin hymns such as Tantum Ergo, O Salutaris Hostia, O Sanctissima (we still sing these in our Parish at Benediction during Lent).
Last Sunday, the Feast of Corpus Christi, we sang “Taste and See (The Goodness of the Lord)”, and I’ve been singing it ever since.

My brother and his wife recently renewed their marriage vows for their 25th anniversary, and they chose as their songs for the ceremony “Ave Maria” and “I Have Loved You With An Everlasting Love”, which were both sung beautifully and brought tears to my eyes.
I have a version of “Panis Angelicus” sung by Charlotte Church which give me chills every time I hear it.
Was it St. Augustine who said “he who sings, prays twice”? I can’t carry a tune, but I love to sing to the Lord!
 
Panis Angelicus

Pange Lingua (My parish does it in English on Holy Thursday, but sing it in Latin.)
 
This may get be banned 😃 but I love “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” which I think Martin Luther penned and “How Can I Keep From Singing” which I believe is an old Quaker hymn (which I must say Enya turned me onto).
 
“A Might Fortress” is indeed written by Luther, and it’s also the basis for Mendelssohns’ “Reformation Symphony”.

But…I like it, too.😉
 
Ave Christi, by Josquin De Prez, because it embodies the theology of the Eucharist, speaking of the “Altar of the Cross” and “O Saving Victim”, just to name a few points.
 
I LOVE the Great Hymns –

How Great Thou Art

It is Well With My Soul – and SUCH a testimony comes with this hymn.

Crown Him with Many Crowns

There is a Fountain Filled With Blood

Beautiful Savior

Battle Hymn of the Republic

PS – and does anyone remember a song from ‘long ago’ – “Follow the Gleam” – “to the Knights in the days of old” (who were searching for the Holy Grail). I think we requested that EVERY Sunday, much to the chagrin of the Sunday School teacher.
 
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