Catholic Music Videos

We need to stand up against the dark winds of Euthanasia.  The institutionalization of Euthanasia is the result of a society which values quality of life over that of sanctity of life.  During the end of our lives, we approach a time when our spirit gets stronger than our physical bodies and Jesus gets us ready to go home.  Suffering is salvific and in suffering there is purification for the soul.  Euthanasia places man's decision for death above that of our Lord's timing to bring us home.  It is part of the false prophecy that we are seeing which can trick us into thinking that we are being compassionate by instituting Euthanasia.

St Thomas Aguinas said "all have to wage spiritual combat with our invisible enemies."  Being prayerful helps us to become prayer warriors.  We need more prayer warriors in the world today.  I remember when I would visit a doctor's office as a child.  Immmigrant women who spoke very little English sat in the waiting room and all would be saying their rosaries while they waited.  What an incredible sight!  We need more prayer warriors in the world today to offset the evil that is in the world.

In our hearts we live in the Kingdom of God, but we can be affected by the chaos, ill will and deception of the enemy.  Prayer is our best weapon and especially the rosary to maintain that our hearts continue to sing in God's Kingdom and that we stay the course and do His will.

Gregorian Chants

Gregorian Chants are love songs for our hearts and souls. When we listen to them, the Latin words and the melodies unite our hearts with God and the presence of the Holy Spirit can be felt within.

The Gregorian Chants are sung prayers which grew out of Jewish and Byzantine religious chants. The chants originated as aural music. The tones were taught by ear and were memorized and handed down. The early Christian church used psalm verses and scripture as the textural contents of the chants. The Gregorian Chant took its name from Pope Gregory 1, also known as Saint Gregory the Great, who ruled from 590 to 604. Pope Gregory was the first pope to have a monastic background. He codified the chants and created a uniformity of them throughout the Roman Catholic Church during the 6th century. He was canonized and is the patron saint of musicians, singers, students and teachers.

The Gregorian Chant is also known as the "Grandfather of all Western music." Today we are familiar with music which has accompaniment by many different types of instruments, has harmony, has a time signature and tempo and, in North America, is generally sung in English. The Gregorian Chant is sung in Latin which I find to be a beautiful language. It is a monophony(which means that each syllable is sung to a single tone), is free rhythm without meter or time signature and is not in a major or minor key. The chants are floating melodies. They move melodically within the Latin texts to which they are set. They are Liturgical; they are used in the religious ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church.

Today, the Gregorian Chant is the official music of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church and is used in the Mass. There are four chants that are used in the "Ordinary of the Mass." The "Ordinary of the Mass" refers to the sections that maintain the same text for every Mass. This differs from the "Proper of the Mass" which includes scriptural texts that change according to the feast day or season such as Advent or Lent.

The French poet and composer, Guillaume de Machant (c 1300-1377) wrote La Messe de Notre Dame for the Cathedral at Reims. His composition included 5 movements (Kyrie eleison, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei). These songs were already being used by the Church. His composition was the earliest complete setting of the "Ordinary of the Mass." He wrote La Messe de Notre Dame polyphonically (with accompanying harmony or accompaniment) rather than monophonically.

Today, Catholics are familiar with the 5 chants. Four of the chants Kyrie eleison, Gloria, Sanctus and Agnus Dei are generally sung in English or in Latin during the celebration of the Mass. There are melodies for the Credo, but is is generallly said as a prayer at Mass. The 4 chants are referred to as Gregorian chants or post-Gregorain chants because there have been changes and additions made to them over the centuries. The 4 chants are an integral part of the Mass and add to its beauty and holiness. Descriptions of the 4 songs are as follows.

Kyrie eleison

Kyrie eleison is originally a Greek song. It is a song of petition and thanksgiving and asks Christ to have mercy on us. It is sung at the beginning of the Mass.

The Gloria

The Gloria, or also known as the Gloria in excelsis Deo, is a hymn which originated with the angels song announcing the birth of Christ to the shepherds, Luke 2:14. The Gloria gives glory to God the father, Jesus his son and the Holy Spirit.

The Sanctus

The Sanctus gives glory to God in Heaven and on earth. It became a part of the Eucharistic Prayer before 400 AD. The text was inspired by Isaiah 6:3 "Holy, holy, holy Lord."

Agnus Dei

Agnus Dei is sung after the consecreation of the bread and before communion. The congregation sings this song contemplating the mystery of the bread becoming our Lord or also known as transubstantiation. The song Agnus Dei gives glory to Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and then asks for his mercy.

The words of Gregorian Chants are words of praise, worship and thanksgiving to our Lord. When we listen or sing the songs, the Holy Spirit fills us and brings love and peace to our hearts and souls. This type of music is also healing.

Pam has written a modern day Gregorian Chant, "Jesu Christe". Cecilia Waggoner sings it beautifully. See the Jesu Christe video in Music Videos on this website.