“Music is integral to the funeral rites. It allows the community to express convictions and feelings that words alone may fail to convey. It has the power to console and uplift the mourners and to strengthen the unity of the assembly in faith and love. The texts of the songs chosen for a particular celebration should express the paschal mystery of the Lord’s suffering death and triumph over death and should be related to the readings from Scripture.”

“Since music can evoke strong feelings, the music for the celebration of the funeral rites should be chosen with great care. The 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 in the Christian’s share in that victory.”

         (Order of Christian Funerals, General Introduction, paragraphs 30 and 31)

To assist you, some of the most frequently selected songs are listed below. Or, if you wish, you may leave the choice of hymns up to the musician. Sacred music appropriate to Catholic funerals is to be used. Any favorite songs of the deceased are best played at the reception following the funeral. Recorded or taped music and recorded or taped singing can be played at the Vigil, at the graveside or at the reception following the funeral.

For music please contact Steve Park at Greatorg@aol.com. Steve is our church organist. If you wish to have a singer/cantor at the funeral Steve will arrange for a singer. The fee for the organist is $200.00 and the fee for the singer is $200.00. Please give the fee to Steve or to the priest before the funeral begins.

Frequently Selected Songs Include:

All Creatures of our God and King
Amazing Grace
All I Ask of You
Ave Maria
Be Not Afraid
Blest Are They
Be With Me
Let There Be Peace on Earth
Like a Shepherd
Now Thank We All our God
On Eagle’s Wings
Center of My Life
City of God
Come to Me
Eat This Bread
Eye Has Not Seen
For All the Saints
Here I Am Lord
Hosea
How Great Thou Art
I Am the Bread of Life
I Heard the Voice of Jesus
I, the Lord
Panis Angelicus
Prayer of St. Francis
Resucito
Song of Farewell
The Lord is My Shepherd
We Will Rise Again
You are Mine
You are Near