The Parish Music Library is a treasury of the Church's cultural artifacts: centuries of recorded musical art bearing witness to the faith of Jesus Christ in our Catholic Tradition. The library is comprised primarily of liturgical books and choral octavos.

The Parish Music Library represents a considerable investment by the parish over time and is a significant capital asset. Since it is an active, circulating library, it requires a good deal of time to manage.  Volunteers are always welcome to assist in this task. If you are able and willing to provide assistance with the music library or to provide other non-musical assistance to our music ministry, click HERE.
 

From June 13, 2009 (the dedication of our church) until December 2017, we were blessed to use the Catholic Community Hymnal in our parish worship. After the new translation of the Mass was promulgated in 2011, we knew we would eventually need to replace this hymnal to accommodate new musical settings of the revised Order of Mass.  

After much study, prayer, and discernment, our pastoral team selected Ritual Song, 2nd Edition to replace the Catholic Community Hymnal. This beautiful book, which we began using in January 2018, contains several hundred hymns and songs. Many of these are already known and sung by our community. It also contains many "new" songs in a variety of genres that will enrich and expand our musical and spiritual horizons in the years to come.  

Since Ritual Song, 2nd Edition is as much a devotional resource as it is a book for public worship, individuals and families may want to own a personal copy for use in their household. Copies of the pew edition, choir edition (with vocal harmonies), or keyboard accompaniment may be ordered directly from the publisher, GIA Publications, Inc.
 

The Mundelein Psalter is book we use for sung celebrations of the Liturgy of the Hours (or Divine Office). This noble book contains the services of Morning, Evening and Night Prayer for every day and liturgical occasion of the Church Year. Psalms and Canticles are accompanied by simple melodies or tones for chanting composed by Fr. Samuel Weber, OSB. While several editions of the official Liturgy of the Hours available, as well as many resources adapted for private use, some individuals and families may wish to own one or more copies of The Mundelein Psalter for use at home for prayer alone or with others. The psalter may be purchased from its publisher, Liturgical Training Publications.

Gregorian Chant is the native song of the Roman Catholic Church, much of it composed in the early Middle Ages, some of it coming down to us from the earliest days of Christianity.  This music has enjoyed great popularity in the world of secular music during recent decades, but many Catholics are unfamiliar with it in its liturgical context.

While Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have all encouraged the use of Gregorian Chant in the liturgy, the Latin texts remain a stumbling block for many, either because of difficulty approaching that which is unfamiliar, or because of perceived political polarization within the Church. This sacred musical repertory is nonetheless a gift of faith to the modern Church from generations past and deserving of our embrace and best efforts to learn it.

Our congregation currently sings the Kyrie from Masses XII and XVI, the Sanctus from Mass XVIII, and the Agnus Dei from Masses XVII and XVIII. The parish choirs are currently focusing on the basic repertory of hymns found in The Parish Book of Chant. This book also contains the most commonly sung chant Masses, as well as the complete Latin text and translation of both the Ordinary (Novus Ordo) and Extraordinary (1962 Missal) Forms of the Mass.

Those who wish to have their own copy of The Parish Book of Chant may purchase one from Amazon.
 

Click HERE to peruse the catalogue of our Parish Music Library.