Are there any hymns suitable for celebrating ordained ministry, particularly the Episcopate? We want to honor a retired bishop on his anniversary but he wants just a simple Mass. That sort of excludes any Ecce Sacerdos/Saverdos et Pontifex - and besides it is beyond the capacity of the daily Mass "choir" who will be singing for the occasion. But I was wondering if there might be any suitable and more specific hymns beyond general Thanksgiving hymns, or hymns around the Psalm 23 theme.......
There are definitely office hymns for bishops who are saints, but I would hesitate to adapt and use them for a living bishop. (St Therese used to unpetal flowers before images of saints as a sign of reverence, but would never do so for anyone on this side of the veil.)
Would other hymns about shepherds work? One of my favorites is in the St Gregory Hymnal, Loving Shepherd of Thy Sheep. The harmonization is quite lovely imho.
We use to sing "Juravit" by Cardinal O'Connell but I really think that's for a first time priest so it might not be suitable. Check with forum member oldHymns he has a pretty good collection of music and might have something he would recommend.
Ecce Sacerdos by Stadler (recording, can't find the score at the moment, but I've sung the Stadler for Cardinal Burke once and it is very lovely and accessible if you can track down the score) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnT-t94ZOeM. It's basically an SATB hymn. Was in the St. Gregory hymnal I believe.
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