SONGS & HYMNS FOR
FUNERAL & MEMORIAL
MASSES
In a funeral liturgy, there are many opportunities for hymns to be played. The following hymns are be sung during the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Opening Hymn
Responsorial Psalm
Offertory Hymn
Communion Hymn
Closing Hymn
PRELUDE
instrumental or vocal music (classical, contemporary,...)
any of the songs listed below (sung or instrumental, sacred or secular)
OPENING OR CLOSING SONG
This is a song that should be sung by the entire congregation.
All Is Well with My Soul
"Alleluia, Alleluia" or "Joyful, Joyful" (HYMN TO JOY, Beethoven)
Amazing Grace
Be Not Afraid
Be Thou My Vision (Irish tune SLANE)
Be With Me, Lord (by Tom Booth)
Blest Are They
Christ Be Beside Me (Gaelic/Scottish tune BUNESSAN)
Christ In Me Arise (based on St. Patrick's Breastplate)
City of God
Come to the Water
Come to the Water/I Will Run to You (arr. Maher)
For the Beauty of the Earth
Go In Peace (Hart, Liles)
God of Day and God of Darkness (Beach Spring hymn)
Here I Am, Lord (Schutte)
How Can I Keep from Singing
How Great Thou Art
I Know That My Redeemer Lives (Duke Street hymn)
I Know That My Redeemer Lives (S. Soper)
Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
The King of Love My Shepherd Is (Irish tune ST. COLUMBA)
Let All Things Now Living (Welsh tune THE ASH GROVE)
Lord of All Hopefulness (Irish tune SLANE)
Morning Has Broken (Gaelic/Scottish tune BUNESSAN)
On Eagle's Wings
Sing with All the Saints in Glory (HYMN TO JOY, Beethoven)
Soon and Very Soon
When the Saints Go Marching In
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Oft-used psalms are listed. Other psalms can be used.
Songs based on Psalm 23
Psalm 23 (by Sarah Hart) sung here by Ann Sager
Shepherd Me, O God (familiar call-and-response song)
I Shall Not Want (by Tom Booth)
Psalm 23 (Conry)
The Lord Is My Shepherd (Crandal)
The Lord Is My Shepherd (Blakesley)
Songs based on Psalm 25
I Lift Up My Soul (T. Manion)
Remember Your Mercies, O Lord (Craig & Kristen Colsen)
To You, O Lord (T.R. Smith)
To You, O Lord (Owen Alstott)
To You, O Lord (M. Joncas)
To You, O Lord (S. Soper)
Songs based on Psalm 27
The Goodness of the Lord (S. Soper)
The Lord Is My Light (C. Walker)
The Lord Is My Light (R. DeBruyn)
The Lord Is My Light (J. Manibusan)
The Lord Is My Light (Angus McDonnell)
The Lord Is My Light (Haas)
The Lord Is Near/May the Angels (Joncas, Michael)
Songs based on Psalm 34
Taste and See (Angrisano)
Taste and See (John Michael Talbot)
Taste and See (Whitaker)
Taste and See (Hurd)
Taste and See (Dean)
Taste and See (Willcock)
Songs based on Psalm 63
My Soul is Thirsting (Angrisano)
My Soul is Thirsting (Joncas)
Songs based on Psalm 91
Be With Me, Lord (Haugen)
Be With Me, Lord (Tom Booth)
Be With Me, Lord (Sarah Hart)
Be With Me, Lord (Joncas)
Be With Me, Lord (Fisher)
Be With Me, Lord (Canedo)
Songs based on Psalm 116
In the Presence of God (Kendzia)
Songs based on Psalm 118
This is the Day (K. Keil)
Songs based on Psalm 126
God Has Done Great Things For Us (Haugen)
ALLELUIA
The "Celtic Alleluia" is well-known
Alstott's Alleluia from Respond & Acclaim is a simple refrain and verse
PRESENTATION OF GIFTS (used only in a Funeral Mass)
A short instrumental song is usually best at this point.
MASS ACCLAMATIONS (used only in a Funeral Mass)
Mass of Creation is well-known
Holy, Holy, Holy
all the acclamations
Mass of Renewal has gained popularity in the U.S.
LORD'S PRAYER
Spoken, together with the congregation or
"The Lord's Prayer" by Malotte
COMMUNION (used only in a Funeral Mass)
(also see opening/closing or other lists)
Behold the Lamb (Willett)
Behold the Lamb of God (Dufford)
Bread for the World (Farrell)
Bread of Angels (C. Stephan)
Bread of Life (Fisher)
Bread of Life/Pan de Vida (Cortez)
Gift of Finest Wheat
God Will Wipe Away Every Tear (M. D. Ridge)
Here At This Table
I Am the Bread of Life (JM Talbot)
I Am the Bread of Life (Toolan)
In This Place (Thomson)
It Is Well with My Soul
Look Beyond
My Soul Is Thirsting (Angrisano)
O Sanctissima
O Taste and See (Haugen)
One Bread, One Body (Foley)
Our Blessing Cup (Joncas)
Prayer of St. Francis
Pan de Vida (Hurd/Moriarty)
Panis Angelicus (Franck)
Psalm 23 (Conry)
Song of the Body of Christ (Haugen/Haas)
Table of Plenty
Taste and See (many settings)
Taste and See (Angrisano)
Taste and See (Hurd)
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
Ubi Caritas
Unless a Grain of Wheat (Hurd)
Vine and Branches (Thomson)
We Are Many Parts
We Are One Body (Scallon) (contemporary)
We Come Today (contemporary)
We Praise You
We Remember
You Are Our Living Bread
COMMENDATION OF THE SOUL
Traditional (with the ritual words, "May the choirs of angels...")
In Paradisum (Chant, Mode VII and Mode VIII)
Song of Farewell (Sands)
Song of Farewell (OLD HUNDREDTH)
Less Traditional
Carry Me Home (Modlin)
Irish Blessing (Fabing)
Go In Peace (Hart, Liles)
Give Us Your Peace (Manibusan/Hart)
Go Forth, Christian Soul (T. Thomson)
Hosea (Norbet, Gregory; Weston Priory)
May the Road Rise Up (Kendzia)
May You Walk with Christ (Dean, Stephen)
O Loving God (to the tune of Danny Boy)
Song of Farewell (Schutte, Dan)
CLOSING SONG
This is a song that should be sung by the entire congregation.
(see opening/closing list above)
Here are some other popular suggestions for hymns for a funeral or memorial Mass:
Alleluia, Sing to Jesus
Beautiful Savior
Behold the Lamb
Be Still My Soul
Be Thou My Vision
Bread of Angels
For the Beauty of the Earth
Gift of Finest Wheat
Holy God We Praise Thy Name
Holy, Holy, Holy
How Great Thou Art
I Am the Living Bread
I Sing the Mighty Power of God
In Paradisum (chant for Commendation)
Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee
Lift High the Cross
O God Beyond all Praising
O God Our Help in Ages Past
O Sacrament Most Holy
One Bread, One Body
One Love Released
Panis Angelicus
Praise My Soul, The King of Heaven
Precious Lord, Take My Hand
Seed, Scattered and Sown
Shepherd of Souls ST AGNES C
Softly and Tenderly
Take and Eat (M. Joncas)
Taste and See (J. Moore )
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
The Supper of the Lord
The Strife Is O’er
You Are Mine