This matter has been dealt with numerous times on other threads. However, I am just experiencing frustration at finding an Entrance, Offertory, and Dismissal hymn for next week at St Basil's Chapel, UST, where I'm playing for the summer whilst the choir and the magister chori are on summer recess. (Because of the heartfelt participation and singing [not to mention expressed gratitude] I am quite en-joyed to play there, even though I miss being at Walsingham where I'll play later when our choirmaster travels to Massachusetts to visit family.) Our hymnal at St Basil's is Worship IV, which we've had for about a year. It is so much better than the one that we had before. Marvelous tunes. Some very fine texts and all. But - this brings me to the topic of this thread: matching hymn (or 'hymn') texts to the lectionary. It was not too difficult this morning. We did Darwall, Wareham, (I sing Gregorian hymns during communion) and Duke Street. Next Sunday, though, is more challenging. God's forgiveness of sin is what the lectionary is all about. Well, there are quite a slew of songs with forgiveness as a theme in Worship IV and not a one of them is appropriate for mass. Usually the first stanza will be eye-catching. But then we look at the following stanzas and they leave off from any theology of forgiveness, or note God's compassion. They, every one of them begin singing about me, my faults, us, and our wickedness, and so on. These songs (not hymns!) might be appropriate for a bible study in the parish hall. They are utterly un-useful for mass. We do not go to mass to sing about ourselves and indulge in 'self-help' mottos. We sing of God's merciful acts in history, the world, and towards us - but, we do not sing about ourselves. I thought for a moment that 'Draw us in the Spirit's Tether' might work. But no. There's that unfortunate bit about us being sacraments. This is heresy, isn't it. We are not at any time in any fashion 'sacraments'. We may, at times, be' sacramentals'. But all good Catholics know the difference between the one and the other, don't they! For these reasons, not a single hymn in Worship IV's section on forgiveness or penitence is usable as a text at mass. I've settled on 'Praise, my soul...' for an offertory and am mulling over others that reference God's mercy and forgiveness, but it's difficult, isn't it. We deserve better from our what-would-be Catholic publishers - especially that big one that was embarrassed about and uninterested in being the Gregorian Institute of America, so, after true American big business paradigms, turned itself into GIA. Now, GIA really sounds like something an American would do business with, doesn't it. And that's what they are all about. (That goes for most of the others, too.)

This morning's offerings at St Basil's were -

(Ordinary - The Belmont Mass)

Voluntary - (in C, Paris MS 1122, pp. 98-100) - - - Thomas Tomkins
Entrance Hymn - 'Rejoice, the Lord is King' - - - Darwall's 148th
Psalm Responsory - - - mode III responsory and verses: improvised chant by Osborn (all a capella)
Alleluya and Verse - - - a 3-fold Alleluya in D, verse in improvised chant by Osborn (all a capella)
Offertory Hymn - 'O Jesus, Joy of Loving Hearts' - - - Wareham
Communion Hymn - 'Most High, Omnipotent Good Lord' - - - Assisi*
Dismissal Hymn - 'Jesus Shall Reign Where're the Sun' - - - Duke Street
Voluntary - Fantasia on Duke Street - - - Improvisation

*The communion hymn was sung solo by me. I always sing Gregorian hymns at this time. The people are very appreciative.
This particular hymn may be found at no. 307 in The Hymnal 1940, to the tune Assisi. This tune, sort of mode I, is very chant-like, and has always been beloved by children of all ages. I commend it to all for a variety of uses in and out of liturgy.

(Oh! And about that 3-fold alleluia - I'm only here on Sunday mornings during the summer, so I would not try to make any major changes in that short time. Otherwise I would have them singing a real mass alleluia, and I know that these people would rise to the challenge! I would also introduce more chant, which I know would be appreciated. Next week I think that I'll sing the Gregorian Communion Antiphon. I know that they will have nice things to say about it.)