Music Suggestions for Funerals

The sacred and communal nature of our Catholic Funeral Celebrations requires careful planning in the selection of music.  This planning will ensure the ability of all those gathered to actively participate in the celebration.  Because of the sacredness of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, secular instrumental or vocal music, or the use of recorded music of any kind may not be used. This music listed below is acceptable for Catholic funerals.  Please consult with the musician who will be doing your funeral if you have any questions.  Besides the service music which is standard for all Masses, we have options for the following parts of the Mass:

  • Prelude (choices are optional)
  • Processional
  • Responsorial Psalm
  • Offertory
  • Communion
  • Meditation
  • Recessional

The following is a list of songs that are customarily sung at funerals. They may be used as part of the prelude, the processional or gathering song, the offertory/presentation of gifts, communion song, meditation, or as the recessional. Please work with the musician for the funeral for the proper location for each song in the funeral. If there is a song or hymn not on the list, feel free to ask the musician if it is appropriate for a Catholic Mass and if it is possible to be sung. 

  • Amazing Grace-Newton
  • Be Not Afraid-Dufford
  • Because He Lives (Amen)-Maher, et al
  • Come to Jesus (Untitled Hymn)
  • Covenant Hymn-Cooney, Daigle
  • Doxology (Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow)
  • Eternal Father Strong To Save (Navy hymn)
  • Eye Has Not Seen-Haugen
  • Give Me Jesus-Traditional/arr. Ortega
  • Go Light Your World-Rice
  • He Is Exalted-Paris
  • Here I Am, Lord-Schutte
  • Holy God, We Praise Thy Name
  • Holy Is His Name-Talbot
  • Holy, Holy, Holy-Heber/Dykes
  • How Great Thou Art-Hine, et al
  • I Can Only Imagine (Offertory)-Millard
  • I’ll Fly Away-Brumley
  • In Christ Alone-Townend
  • Indescribable
  • Lord of All Hopefulness
  • Make Me Channel Of Your Peace-Temple
  • My Song of Today (St Therese of Lisieux)
  • O Breathe On Me, O Breath Of God
  • O God Beyond All Praising-Holst
  • On Eagle’s Wings-Joncas
  • Only In God-Talbot
  • Rise Up In Splendor-Booth
  • Shepherd Me, O God (Psalm 23)-Haugen
  • Sometimes by Step (“O God, you are my God”)
  • Strength For the Journey-Poirier
  • The King of Love My Shepherd Is

Psalms

Below is a list of options for psalms. To see a complete listing of psalm texts, please go to the website for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/bereavement-and-funerals/responsorial-psalms.cfm.

  • Psalm 23 – The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want
  • Psalm 25 -To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
  • Psalm 27 – The Lord is my light and my salvation.
  • Psalm 42 – My soul is thirsting for the living God: when shall I see him face to face?
  • Psalm 63 – My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
  • Psalm 103 – The Lord is kind and merciful
  • Psalm 116 – I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
  • Psalm 122 – I rejoiced when I heard them say: let us go to the house of the Lord.
  • Psalm 130 -Out of the depths, I cry to you, Lord.
  • Psalm 143 – O Lord, hear my prayer.

Communion Songs (with Eucharistic Texts)

  • Alleluia, Sing To Jesus
  • Blessed Are You, Lord-Francois
  • Bread of Life-Poirier
  • Hungry-Scott
  • I Am the Bread of Life-Ambrosetti
  • I Am the Bread of Life-Talbot
  • I Am The Bread of Life-Toolan (“ . . . and I will raise you up on the last day.”)
  • I Am The Vine-Townsend
  • I Love You, Lord – Maher
  • Make Us A Eucharistic People-Pachelbel, Smith
  • Miracle of Grace-Stephan
  • O Sacrament Most Holy
  • One Bread, One Body-Foley
  • Sacred Heart Song-Poirier
  • Taste and See-Moore

 

Meditation (Songs that are generally only sung as a meditation song after communion.)

  • Ave Maria-Schubert
  • Be Not Afraid-Dufford
  • Come to Jesus (Untitled Hymn)-Rice
  • Covenant Hymn – Cooney, Daigle
  • Give Me Jesus – Traditional/Arr. Ortega
  • Holy Is His Name-Talbot
  • In Christ Alone-Townend
  • Lord of All Hopefulness
  • Make Me Channel Of Your Peace-Temple
  • My Song of Today (St Therese of Lisieux)
  • O Breathe On Me, O Breath Of God
  • On Eagle’s Wings-Joncas
  • Only In God-Talbot
  • Shepherd Me, O God-Haugen
  • Strength For the Journey-Poirier
  • Well Done-Ingraham, Fuqua, Havens