"On Eagle's Wings," the musical reworking of the 91st Psalm by Father Michael Joncas, topped all other songs in an online poll asking which liturgical song most fostered and nourished the respondent's life.
Two songs made popular by the St. Louis Jesuits --- "Here I Am, Lord," by Dan Schutte, and "Be Not Afraid," by Father Bob Dufford --- came in second and third. Fourth was "You Are Mine," by David Haas, a 1991 song dedicated by the Minnesota composer to Frank Brownstead, music director at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
The online poll was sponsored by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians. The poll was featured last year in an issue of its membership magazine, Pastoral Music, and announcements about the poll were distributed to diocesan newspapers in an effort to get the input of "rank-and-file Catholics," said J. Michael McMahon, the association's president.
In the poll, respondents could vote for only one song. No songs were listed on the Web site to give them suggestions. About 3,000 people took part in the poll.
Of the 25 liturgical music songs mentioned most, songs written after the Second Vatican Council took not only the top four positions, but six of the top nine, and 12 of the top 25. The fourth-ranked song, "You Are Mine," received 138 votes, 81 percent more votes than the fifth-ranked song, "How Great Thou Art," which got 76.
McMahon, in a telephone interview with Catholic News Service, cautioned against the notion that post-Vatican II music has dominance over all other liturgical music. "We got 670 different songs mentioned," he said. "Even the top choice is only 8 percent of the total" (242 votes).
The poll results didn't surprise McMahon. "It panned out pretty much like the way I expected," he said, adding that The Tablet, a British Catholic newspaper, conducted a similar survey, which found "Here I Am, Lord" to be the top choice of its readers.
Rounding out the pastoral musicians association's top 10 was, in sixth place, the traditional Catholic hymn "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name," whose lyrics are ascribed to Ignaz Franz; John Newton's "Amazing Grace"; Marty Haugen's "All Are Welcome"; Sebastian Temple's "Prayer of St. Francis"; and "Ave Maria."
Those who voted for "Ave Maria" and "Panis Angelicus," which finished 15th, probably meant the versions by Franz Schubert and Cesar Franck, respectively, "but we don't know for sure," McMahon said. "Since many of them (voters) were not professionals, they probably didn't realize there was more than one version."
Currently filling in as a parish choir director, McMahon said, "I'm always surprised how many young people ask for 'Ave Maria' or 'Panis Angelicus' at weddings and funerals."
One Spanish-language song, "Pescador de Hombres," made the list (17th). Many hymnals print English-language companion lyrics, calling the song "Lord, When You Came to the Seashore." In his current interim job, McMahon said, he asked who had heard this song. "Only one did, and she came from Latin America."
McMahon said this points to "the divergence of American Catholic churches," including "the hymnals they use," since songs published by one copyright holder don't always find their way into the hymnals of their competitors.
Other contemporary Catholic songs in the top 25 were "We Are Called" (11th), "I Am the Bread of Life" (13th), "The Summons" (14th), "Shepherd Me, O God" (19th), "One Bread, One Body" (22nd) and "Hosea," (tied for 24th with the traditional Catholic hymn "Pange Lingua").
Other traditional Catholic hymns on the list were "Ave Verum Corpus" (20th) and "Tantum Ergo" (23rd).
Songs on the list with roots in Protestant or evangelical hymnody included Richard Gillard's "The Servant Song" (16th) and Donna Marie McCargill's "Servant Song" (18th).
Also making the list were "Let There Be Peace on Earth" (12th), and "Lord of the Dance" (21st). "Both found their way into liturgical use, but came from outside the (liturgical music) culture," McMahon said.
---CNS
Favorite songs: Patterns and implications
In an article published in the February-March issue of Pastoral Music, the National Pastoral Musicians Association's magazine, the NPM staff noted that the comments from survey respondents revealed several patterns --- notably, a wide variety of songs and musical styles, and an association with specific events or childhood experiences.
"These findings suggest several practical consequences for the ministry of pastoral musicians," the magazine noted. "Because the survey revealed such a wide variety of songs that make a difference, musicians and other pastoral leaders should be attentive to the many different musical styles that nourish and support the faith of American Catholics, taking care not merely to choose music from our own personal taste but to make selections out of a pastoral concern for the members of our communities.
"We need to take a critical look at the musical selections commonly used for major celebrations --- especially funerals --- through the lens of the Church's evangelizing role. We should ask ourselves if these songs are able to bear the weight of inspiring and sustaining faith.
"Finally, pastoral musicians and other leaders should take very seriously the impact that our music making has on the children in our midst. Are we introducing our children to repertoire that can last a lifetime?"
The List (composer and votes in parentheses):
1. On Eagle's Wings (Michael Joncas, 242)
2. Here I Am, Lord (Dan Schutte, 152)
3. Be Not Afraid (Bob Dufford, 146)
4. You Are Mine (David Haas, 138)
5. How Great Thou Art (Stuart Hine, 76)
6. Holy God, We Praise Thy Name (Ignaz Franz, 70)
7. Amazing Grace (John Newton, 69)
8. All Are Welcome (Marty Haugen, 58)
9. Prayer of St. Francis (Sebastian Temple, 43)
10. Ave Maria (42)
11. We Are Called (David Haas, 38)
12. Let There Be Peace on Earth (Miller-Jackson, 36)
13. I Am the Bread of Life (Suzanne Toolan, 30)
14. The Summons (trad./John Bell, 30)
15. Panis Angelicus (29)
16. The Servant Song (Richard Gillard, 29)
17. Pescador de Hombres (Cesareo Gabarain, 28)
18. Servant Song (Donna McCargill, 28)
19. Shepherd Me, O God (Marty Haugen, 27)
20. Ave Verum Corpus (26)
21. Lord of the Dance (trad./Carter, 24)
22. One Bread, One Body (John Foley, 24)
23. Tantum Ergo (24)
24. Hosea (Gregory Norbet, 23)
25. Pange Lingua (23) Source: National Pastoral Musicians Association |