Created for the working church musician, this is the PEW edition in a larger format for easier reading at the organ and music desk with the addition of the complete Index of Scriptural Passages Related to Hymns, available online for the other books.

"Music and silence-how I detest them both!" --Screwtape, under-secretary to the devil, The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis

It's easy to see why the enemies of mankind would hate and fear both sacred silence and sacred music. Both bring joy, spur contemplation, and draw the soul nearer to the Lord. Both have been part of our private prayer as well as our communal liturgy for thousands of years.

The Psalms--biblical songs of praise, supplication, and wonder--have been sung for three thousand years. Naturally, Jesus, His disciples, and later the early Christian community also sang hymns (from the Greek word meaning "songs of praise"), as The New Testament makes clear.

We sing because we love, and sung praise elevates our words, takes them out of the realm of the commonplace, and increases our joy. The holy pleasure of singing to God involves the entire person--spirit, heart, mind, and body--and unites us not only with the Divine but also with one another as a worshiping community.

This collection of hymns for the singing Catholic congregation exemplifies the best of the genre. These songs are religiously orthodox, beautiful, sacred, and--for the most part--familiar. But here you will also find worthy hymn tunes and texts that are new to you.

We present this book to propose not that hymns replace the proper chants for a particular day's Mass* but live happily alongside them. In most instances the proper chants for processions are the prerogative of cantors and choirs and, as the texts change with every Sunday and solemnity, it's not practical for the congregation to learn and sing them.

Hymns, on the other hand, belong to all the faithful and serve as a key means of the "active participation" spoken of in Vatican II's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. Moreover, sung hymns have been an important part of the Liturgy of the Hours for century upon century, so they are nothing new, although singing them at Mass is relatively recent.

"To promote active participation, the people should be encouraged to take part by means of acclamations, responses, psalmody, antiphons, and songs, as well as by actions, gestures, and bodily attitudes. And at the proper times all should observe a reverent silence." --Sacrosanctum Concilium (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Vatican II, 1963), Paragraph 30

In a parish where the Scriptures are sung, the introit will accompany the procession of the ministers and the cross. Clergy, choir, and people can then sing a congregational hymn if desired. The same is true at offertory and Communion: hymns can follow the proper chants, time permitting. The pastor and/or music director will make the decision whether and when to sing hymns.

And at the conclusion of Mass, a suitable hymn can send the people forth with the praise of Almighty God on their lips.

May this book bring joy to all who sing from it!