Bishops want Catholics singing from the same hymn book

The Catholic Worship Book II hits all the right notes.
At the launch were (from left): Very Rev Peter Williams, Archbishop Denis Hart, Bishop Pat O'Regan and Bishop Peter Elliott. Photo: Casamentos, Melbourne.

Posted on 12 April 2016

The Bishops of Australia launched a new liturgical worship book at the Catholic Leadership Centre in Melbourne on 8 April 2016, 30 years since the last edition was published.

The Catholic Worship Book II hits all the right notes with a broad range of liturgical music, including the chants for the revised Order of Mass (2010), new and revised Mass settings and service music, plus music for the Sunday Eucharist, the various rites of the Church and Morning and Evening Prayer.

Speaking at the launch, Archbishop Denis Hart, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said the new Catholic Worship Book II would be the official liturgical music resource for the Catholic Church in Australia.

Prepared by the National Liturgical Music Board, an advisory board of the Bishops Commission for Liturgy, the worship book reflects the Catholic Church’s rich heritage of chant – in Latin and English – and traditional hymns and contemporary liturgical songs from local and international sources.

Very Rev Peter G Williams.

Very Rev Peter G Williams.

The Catholic Worship Book II was developed with the contribution and collaboration of two key people in the Diocese of Parramatta: the Diocesan Administrator, Very Rev G Peter Williams, and the Director of Music at St Patrick’s Cathedral, organist, conductor and composer, Bernard Kirkpatrick.

Music featured includes old favourites like Praise to the holiest (Cardinal Newman) and Christ be our light (Bernadette Farrell) as well as contemporary Australian music such as If I could tell the love of God (Chris Willcock SJ) and Lord, to whom shall we go? (Michael Herry).

Chair of the Bishops Commission for Liturgy, Bishop Patrick O’Regan, sang the praises of the new publication as “an essential resource for every parish, school, choir and chaplain in celebrating the liturgy”.

Catholic Worship Book II hits all the right notes. Photo: Casamentos, Melbourne.

The book is available in two versions, a full music edition with two volumes, hard case, in a slip case and the people’s edition, also known as the pew edition, available in hardback for long life and durability in parishes.

Morning Star Publishing representative Hugh McGinlay said the original Catholic Worship Book was published in 1985. “Since that time, there have been dramatic changes in available liturgical resources both at a local and international level,” he said.

“The new edition has been in the planning phase for almost 10 years. From the beginning, the National Liturgical Music Board wanted to provide resources for Australian Catholics from the richness of the Catholic tradition as well as a range of sound, contemporary compositions.

“A special feature of the planning has been to promote the work of Australian writers and composers and they are well represented among the texts and music.”

For more information, including costs and availability, contact Morning Star Publishing:cwb@morningstarpublishing.net.au

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