Hymnals
  • bkenney27bkenney27
    Posts: 444
    What hymnals are you currently using and what do you recommend?
    We currently use Breaking Bread and are subscribed for 2014, but I'm aiming to avoid a 2015 subscription. I'm leaning heavily toward the St. Michael Hymnal because it includes quite a bit of English, Latin, and Spanish (bilingual parish), has all our current and currently foreseen Mass Settings, includes a healthy mix of neumatic and modern notation, includes Introit settings, and also has some of the Catholic schmaltz.
    Additional suggestions?
  • OlbashOlbash
    Posts: 314
    I really like St Michael, but you should talk to DMB about her plans for SMMS - brilliant.
    Thanked by 1bkenney27
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    I don't know your situation completely, but if I was at a "typical" Spanish-Bilingual parish, I would give serious consideration to GIA's new hymnal Oramus Cantando.

    Fr. Ron Krisman, who participates here as @ronkrisman was heavily involved with it and can provide more details. He sent me a copy and (other than the cover color) I think it's a great resource.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,161
    DMB? SMMS? Do I need a glossary here? Oh, Olbash is referring to a local music director and a parish.
  • Musicteacher56
    Posts: 621
    We recently changed to St. Michael and I am very happy with it.
  • bkenney27bkenney27
    Posts: 444
    Oooo! I talked to her a while ago about choosing hymnals, but not in recent weeks. I'm excited to hear what she has to say, now.
    And yes, hahaha, local DM and Parish.

    Thanks, everyone! I have already pointed our Pastor toward the SMH and it seems like he is in favor of it. Just waiting to order a copy or two for perusal.
  • MarkThompson
    Posts: 768
    DMB? SMMS? Do I need a glossary here?

    Those who haven't sung from The Dave Matthews Band Hymnal don't know what they're missing. "Saints Marching," "Crash Into God," all the great hits are there.
    Thanked by 1SkirpR
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    We still use RitualSong where I teach, and it has a pretty good mix of stuff. When I want to do traditional hymnody (4-part hymns, etc), there are plenty of them in there to choose from, and also the "contemporary classics" (such as Eagle's Wings, Eye Has Not Seen, We Are Called, etc) are also in there for when I want to do those as well. Were I am the director for the parish, we use the OCP Music Issue, but that's only because up until relatively recently, they didn't do music at all at that church, and in order to get something going quickly, they turned to the Music Issue. I'm hoping to get a real hymnal there soon.
  • hcmusicguy
    Posts: 62
    We currently use Breaking Bread and did not renew our subscription for 2014. Last week I placed the order for Gather 3 (without readings), which we'll be supplementing with Celebrating the Eucharist Missalette for readings and additional music. I was hoping to go with something more along the lines of Ritual Song, but found that Worship 4 would not best meet our needs at this time. We currently do about a 50/50 mix of traditional and contemporary, with an increasing focus on traditional. So, then, why Gather? Because I felt it would be more economical to go with a more contemporary book, thereby maintaining most of our repertoire from that idiom, and then supplement it with all the traditional hymnody and chant that I want, most of which can be done sans reprint/copyright permissions. I had also used the original Gather Comprehensive in 2 previous parishes, and it met our needs very well. Although Gather's focus is more on the contemporary, its body of traditional has consistently remained solid.
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    I find that most English and American hymnals are unsuited for Australian Churches. There are many hymns which are virtually unknown here, and many local favourites which are nowhere to be seen. I've had a chance to take a closer look at the "Catholic Worship II" which is supposed to be an updated and expanded edition of "The Catholic Worship Book." The original was issued in the 1980s and was something of a mixed bag. Some very good stuff in there, a lot of great classics were left out and a lot of rubbish was included. Most of the Responsorial Psalms were useless. This new edition is more sensibly arranged and even has specific sections for the various commons and hymns for particular feast days.
  • hartleymartin
    Posts: 1,447
    My advice to a Parish is to print up the hymns as part of the weekly mass leaflet as it allows you infinite flexibility in choosing hymns, provided you stick with public domain or creative commons pieces.
    Thanked by 2JulieColl Gavin
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    My advice to a Parish is to print up the hymns as part of the weekly mass leaflet as it allows you infinite flexibility in choosing hymns, provided you stick with public domain or creative commons pieces.


    All the major publishers provide some easy-to-use way to pay for the use of their stuff in programs. So- while Public Domain and Creative Commons are both goods in and of themselves, they are not requirements when thinking about printing weekly worship aides and doing away with hymnals.
    Thanked by 1Gavin
  • bkenney27bkenney27
    Posts: 444
    Has anyone on here gone the way of worship aids replacing hymnals? Between the amount of paper, copies, and time put into designing and assembling them, are they cost-effective?
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    Has anyone on here gone the way of worship aids replacing hymnals? Between the amount of paper, copies, and time put into designing and assembling them, are they cost-effective?


    "Cost Effective" really depends on your time horizon, and your current situation. If you have no hymnals, and the choice is between programs and hymnals- programs will be cheaper THIS YEAR.

    "time put into designing and assembling them" varies on your skill and also how much you care about how nice they look. (I think a lot of worship programs would look better if LESS time were spent on it).

    The other concern is whether or not having a hymnal would even absolve you of printing worship aides altogether. For me personally- I have a hard time imagining that I could purchase ANY HYMNAL AT ALL and have everything I'd want the congregation to sing/see/read for the next 5-15 years. Even with a hymnal, I can't imagine not printing programs. For that reason (taking the time and money ANYWAY) I would rather not have a hymnal in the pew at all, and just have a complete Order of Worship, so everyone is (literally) on the same page.
    Thanked by 2Gavin bkenney27
  • Heath
    Posts: 934
    bkenney, I bought the St. Michael hymnal (excellent!) for its traditional content, and WLP's We Celebrate (3-year hymnal) for it's mix of trad./contemp. Both fine resources!

    My side gig (small, rural parish) is thinking of moving away from LP's Celebrating the Eucharist, and we'll probably either go with We Celebrate or with WLP's hardbound hymnal (name escapes me) which will be coming out in the Fall.
  • Heath
    Posts: 934
    I really like St Michael, but you should talk to DMB about her plans for SMMS - brilliant.


    Michael, care to share, assuming the person in question wouldn't mind?
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