Why are Catholic hymnals no longer approved by bishops, and how is Catholic hymnody evaluated today? In this article, I examine the historical role of episcopal approval, the gradual disappearance of imprimaturs after the Second Vatican Council, and how responsibility for hymn selection now functions within the Church.

Drawing on Catholic Hymnody at the Service of the Church (USCCB, 2020), the Church’s liturgical and doctrinal documents, and What Is a Catholic Hymn?, this study seeks not to be polemical, but ecclesial: to clarify what the Church means by Catholic hymnody and how modern hymnals measure up to those standards.

Please visit Mother of Mercy Catholic Hymns and read Catholic Hymnody, Authority, and Modern Hymnals

I’m grateful for any thoughtful engagement, correction, or clarification from those more learned in these matters.