Your Wedding Music: Ceremony Options

- Gloria (new in 2010, within Mass only)
  
  A musical setting of the Gloria that is locally familiar, and that invites all gathered to sing a short repetitive refrain and the cantor singing the verses, is the most hospitable and effective for weddings.
  
  Responsorial Psalm
  
  A responsorial psalm is sung by the cantor after the First Reading, with the congregation singing a brief response. Please choose a psalm from among those listed in the scripture section of your marriage preparation planning guide (33, 34, 103, 112, 128, 145, or 148); the music director will choose an appropriate musical setting.
  
  Alleluia and Verse
  
  The Alleluia and Verse (familiar parish setting) are sung by the cantor and the congregation before the Gospel reading.
  
  Celebrating Matrimony: Acclamation after the Reception of Consent
  
  " After the priest receives the couples’ consent, he invites a response from the congregation'" (OCM 65), saying, “Let us bless the Lord.” All may say “Thanks be to God” or sing a short acclamation of praise and thanksgiving to God (examples below). A simple, direct option is simply to repeat the same "Alleluia" used before the Gospel.
  
  Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices.
  
  Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord, alleluia, alleluia, give praise to his Name.
  
  Al-le-luia, a--lleluia (end of ‘For All the Saints’).
  
  Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, allelu--ia (end of ‘All Creatures of Our God and King’)
  
  Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation
  
  Glory and praise to our God, who alone gives light to our days; many are the blessings he bears to those who trust in his ways.
  
  You are all we have. You give us what we need. Our lives are in your hands, O Lord, our lives are in your hands.
  
  Lord of all, to you we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise. (end of ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’)
  
  Blessed be the Name of the Lord, blessed be Your Name; blessed be the Name of the Lord, blessed be Your glorious Name. (CCLI Song #3798438, “Blessed Be Your Name”)
  
  Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul; worship (God’s) holy name. Sing like never before, O my soul; I’ll worship Your holy name. (CCLI Song #6016351, “10,000 Reasons”)
  
  Celebrating Matrimony: Hymn/Canticle of Praise after the Giving of Rings (optional)
  
  After the exchange of rings, “a hymn or canticle of praise may be sung by the whole community”. (OCM 68)
  
  God, in the Planning, Bell/SLANE - verses 1 and 4
  
  Hear Us Now, Our God and Father Huxold, Newton verses 1 and 3 (HYFRYDOL; words also fit HYMN TO JOY)
  
  God of Love, Embrace Your People, Chepponis/HYMN TO JOY (words also fit HYFRYDOL) - all verses
  
  Alternatively, this may also be an appropriate time for couples to present flowers in honor of and in prayer to the Blessed Mother and/or the Holy Family, accompanied by a hymn or canticle of praise sung by the whole community.
  
  Holy Is Your Name, Haugen (Canticle of Mary)
  
  Ave Maria, Kantor
  
  Mary, First Among Believers, Delores Dufner, OSB (1, 3, 5)
  
  My Soul Proclaims Your Greatness (Canticle of Mary)
  
  Hail Mary, Gentle Woman
  
  Salve Regina
  
  Sing of Mary, Pure and Lowly
  
  Immaculate Mary
  
  Presentation/Preparation of Gifts (Mass only - congregational songs)
  
  Love Is the Sunlight, Borghild Jacobson/BUNESSAN
  
  Lord of All Hopefulness, Struther/SLANE
  
  God, in the Planning, Bell/SLANE
  
  The Servant Song, Gillard
  
  When Love Is Found, Wren/O WALY WALY
  
  Hear Us Now, Our God and Father/HYFRYDOL (words also fit HYMN TO JOY)
  
  Presentation/Preparation of Gifts (Mass only - vocal solos)
  
  “Vocalists may sing alone during the Preparation of the Gifts or after Communion.” (STL 221)
  
  When Love Is Found (Brian Wren)
  
  Wherever You Go (David Haas)
  
  God, in the Planning, Bell/ SLANE
  
  Not for Tongues of Heaven’s Angels (Smith/Joncas)
  
  Love Is the Sunlight, Borghild Jacobson/ BUNESSAN
  
  Set Me As a Seal, Paul Melley (scroll down songlist; based on Song of Songs scripture)
  
  The Gift of Love (Hal H. Hopson)
  
  Walk with Them, Lord (Don Besig)
  
  Presentation/Preparation of Gifts (Mass only - instrumental music)
  
  Instrumental music may also be appropriate in order to balance the amount and use of sung music elsewhere in the liturgy.
  
  Holy, Mystery of Faith, Amen, Lamb of God (Mass only)
  
  A musically unified, locally known Mass setting in English (e.g., the same setting as the Gloria) is the most conducive to “full, conscious, active” congregational participation.
  
  Distribution of Holy Communion (Mass only)
  
  The purpose of the Communion chant is “to express the spiritual union of the communicants by means of the unity of their voices . . . and to bring out more clearly the ‘communitarian’ character of the procession to receive the Eucharist.” (GIRM 86) “Because the Communion chant expresses the unity of those processing and receiving the Holy Sacrament, communal singing is commendable. The singing of the people should be preeminent.” (STL 189) “Vocalists may sing alone . . . after Communion. Soloists should not usurp parts of the Mass designated for congregational participation.” (STL 221)
  
  Live in Charity and Steadfast Love, Berthier (sung in Latin: "Ubi caritas")
  
  Eat This Bread, Berthier
  
  One Bread, One Body, Foley
  
  Taste and See, Moore
  
  We Have Been Told, Haas
  
  Gift of Finest Wheat, Kreutz
  
  Table of Plenty, Schutte