Songs for This Time of Pain and Darkness

Artwork by Bro. Mickey McGrath (used with permission)

As with all of you, things at Open Your Hymnal have been different the last several weeks. So, we’re behind with our new episodes. We promise we’ll get back to them very soon. 

In the meantime, though, we can’t ignore the things that are happening in our communities. We’re feeling the pile up of grief, sadness, anger, and hopelessness. So, we offer these songs to you, hoping they meet you wherever you are, that they accompany you, speak to you. At a time when, on the one hand we’ve lost our ability to sing together and, on the other hand, we’re made speechless by so much pain and injustice, we hope that we can still be fed, lead, and joined together by a power that can only come through music. 

There won’t be any conversation in this episode, just the music. Thank you for spending this time with us in prayer and reflection. May we be healed, but never the same. May we all respond to the call, accept the commission, for real work, real action, real justice. 

Episode links

You can purchase the song recordings you heard in this episode: piano instrumental of “The Cloud’s Veil” (arr. Paul Tate), “The Cloud’s Veil” (Liam Lawton), “Christ Be Our Light” (Bernadette Farrell), “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” (Tony Alonso), “How Long, O Lord” (John L. Bell), “There is a Longing” (Anne Quigley), “Have Mercy on Us for We Have Sinned” (W. Clifford Petty), “What You Have Done” (Ed Eicker), “Hold on To Love” (Jesse Manibusan), “Day of Peace” (Janet Sullivan Whitaker), “Love Burn Bright” (Chris de Silva), “Koinonia” (arr. James Abbington), “When One Among Us” (Lori True), and “We Shall Overcome” (arr. Robert T. Gibson).

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OYH Prayer Series: Evening Prayer

Take twenty minutes out of your day to pause, reflect, and pray. Following a basic evening prayer structure, this prayer experience includes Psalmody, Psalm prayers, readings from Scripture, time for reflection, intercessions, and a blessing.

Pray and sing along! Download the Worship Aid.

Notes and resources

The script for this prayer is a modified version of a prayer script found in A Future With Hope, a prayer resource written by co-hosts Zack Stachowski and Matt Reichert. A leader guide and participant guides are available from 23rd Publications.

You can find the music you heard via the following links: “Healing River of the Spirit” (text by Duck), “Psalm 16: Keep Me Safe, O God” (Alonso), "Psalm 131: In You, O Lord, I Have Found My Peace” (Guimont), “Healing River of the Spirit (Heart of Hope)” (arr. Briare), “My Soul Proclaims” (Toolan), “Oracion De Los Fieles” (Kolar), the Lord’s Prayer from “Communion Rite - May We Be One” (arr. Daigle), and “Dios Nos Bendiga” (Manibusan).

Pray and sing along! Download the Worship Aid.

All content of this podcast is property of Look Up Here Productions or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws. For information about the podcast and its use, please contact us.

"When You Come"

Matt Reichert, Zack Stachowski, and Tony Alonso (December, 2019)

OYH is shaking things up and turning our microphone around! Today, our co-host Zack Stachowski serves as our interview guest, speaking about his Advent piece, “When You Come.” Since the co-host is becoming the guest, it only makes sense to have one of our past guests serve as co-host. We’re glad to be joined by Tony Alonso, who serves as co-host and helped interview Zack. As a special surprise, you’ll also hear from a host of other guests from past episodes, all sharing their insights into Zack’s piece.

So, please open your hymnals to “When You Come.”

Episode links

For more information about Zack Stachowski and his other compositions, visit his composer page at GIA Publications.

Thanks to all of our guest co-hosts for today’s episode! For more information about the work of composers Tony Alonso, Dan Kantor, Lori True, Carol Browning, Michael Joncas, and David Haas, visit GIA Publications. For more information about the work of Jesse Manibusan and Paul Inwood, visit OCP. For more information about the work of Lorraine Hess, Craig Colson, and Alan Hommerding, visit World Library Publications. [NOTE: Composers are listed by primary publisher. Many composers have pieces published by more than one publishing company].

You can purchase a copy of the score and a copy of the song recording for "When You Come” from GIA Publications.

You can also purchase the other song recordings you heard in this episode: “Glory to God” (David Haas), “Advent Suite” (arr. Paul Tate), “This is Your Justice” (Colson), “Within Our Hearts Be Born” (Joncas), “A Weary Couple” (arr. Alonso, text by Adam M. L. Tice), and “Panis Angelicus” (Stachowski).

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In Review: One Call Institute, 2019

OCI 2019 participants in rehearsal at Saint John’s University, Collegeville, MN

It’s our first audio “yearbook”! In this episode, co-hosts Zack Stachowski and Matt Reichert bring you musical highlights from the 2019 One Call Institute. One Call exists to help support, empower, and engage young pastoral musicians and their advocates. This year, participants gathered from across the country to learn, pray, and make music together. Most importantly, the participants were sent out to continue using their skills and talents in their home communities. Today’s episode explores a selection of the music used by OCI participants during prayer, the end-of-week concert, and final Mass.

So, please open your hymnals!

Episode links

For more information about the One Call Institute, visit the program website at www.onecallinstitute.org.

You can help support this podcast by supporting our sponsors. For more information about the sponsors of this episode - Ministry Scheduler Pro software, the Ministry Monday podcast, and Great Catholic Music - visit their links.

You can purchase a copy of the song recordings you heard in this episode: “Nzamuranza” (tr. Mozabique/Cameroon), “Canticle of the Turning” (Cooney), “Take, O Take Me As I Am” (Bell), “Take This Moment” (Bell), “Psalm 63: My Soul is Thirsting” (Angrisano), “Psalm 19: Words of Everlasting Life” (Alonso), “Psalm 25: I Lift My Soul” (True), “Ubi Caritas” (tr. chant), “Table Prayer: God of Life and of the Living” (Joncas), “Psalm 91: Be With Me, Lord” (Hart/Stephan), “Psalm 51: Have Mercy On Us for We Have Sinned” (Petty), “Belong” (de Silva), “10,000 Reasons” (Myrin/Redman), “Salve Regina” (tr. chant), “Da Pacem, Domine” (Franck), “This is Your Justice” (Colson), “In the Morning, In the Evening” (Gaunt), “In the Breaking of the Bread” (Ward), “Dame Tu Paz” (Betancourt), “Soli Deo Gloria” (Haugen), “From the Many, Make Us One” (Alonso), “With Rejoicing Hearts” (Cortez), “Jerusalem, My Destiny” (Cooney), “Dios Nos Bendiga” (Manibusan), and “Go Out” (Petty) .

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Songs of Mary II: "The Memorare"

Matt Reichert, Lorraine Hess, and Zack Stachowski at the Mid-Atlantic Congress in Baltimore, Maryland (2019).

It’s our “May Crowning” episode! We’re continuing our celebration of the treasury of devotional songs written in honor of the Blessed Mother with a hybrid show: part interview, part special feature. To help us out, we’re speaking with composer Lorraine Hess about her setting of the “Memorare” prayer. In addition to featuring her song, you’ll hear a wide range of musical selections covering styles from chant to hymnody, from folk songs to contemporary pieces.

 So, please open your hymnals!

Episode links

For more information about Lorraine Hess, visit her composer page at World Library Publications and her personal website: www.lorrainehess.com.

You can help support this podcast by supporting our sponsors. For more information about the sponsors of this episode - Ministry Scheduler Pro and the “Ministry Monday” podcast - visit their links.

You can purchase a copy of the score and a copy of the song recording for "The Memorare” from World Library Publications. You can watch a video of the live performance of “The Memorare” at St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, Louisiana, on YouTube.

You can also purchase the other song recordings you heard in this episode: “O Queen of the Holy Rosary” (ELLACOMBE, text by Emily Shepcote), “Regina Coeli” (Giuseppo Bernabei), “Ave Maria Litany” (Tom Booth and Jesse Manibusan), “Bring Flowers of the Rarest” (Mary Walsh), “O Maria, Madre Mia” (traditional), “As I Kneel Before You” (Maria Parkinson), “Prayer of Fatima” (Laurence Rosania), “Adios, O Virgen de Guadalupe” (traditional), “O Mary of Graces” (Douglas Hyde), “Mater Ecclesia” (Ricky Manalo), “Woman of God” (Jesse Manibusan).

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All content of this podcast is property of Look Up Here Productions or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws. For information about the podcast and its use, please contact us.

OYH Lessons & Carols, 2018

“The Nativity,” from The Saint John’s Bible

We are closing out Advent with our fourth release, our first ever “OYH Lessons & Carols.” You’ll hear a range of great music from a variety of composers. You’ll also hear readings woven throughout, read by friends of the podcast: David Haas, Jes Garceau, Audrey Reichert, Carol Browning, and Jesse Manibusan. Whether you listen while driving in the car, baking Christmas cookies, preparing for liturgy, or anyplace else, we hope that this celebration will serve as a moment of pause and reflection during this busy time of year.

So, please open your hymnals!

Episode links

You can purchase the song recordings you heard in this episode: Instrumental arrangement of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (arr. Petrunak), “Gaudete” (arr. Haas), piano instrumental “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” (arr. Tate), “Great Joy” (Haas), “Where the Promise Shines” (Moore), piano instrumental “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” (arr. Tate), “More Lovely Than the Rose” (Kreutz), “Christmas Love” (Ridge), “Ecce Novum” (Gjeilo), guitar instrumental “Silent Night” (arr. Petrunak), “Still, Still, Still” (arr. Eicker), “Nativity Carol” (O’Brien), “Infant Holy” (arr. Coman), guitar instrumental “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” (arr. Roth), “O Come, All Ye Faithful” (Angotti), “By Star and Candlelight” (Powell), “Wake from Your Sleep” (Schutte), guitar instrumental “I Wonder as I Wander” (arr. Roth), “Verbum Caro” (anon.), “We Do Not Know” (Bell, arr. Alonso), “Come Weal, Come Woe” (Foley), “For Unto Us a Child is Born” (Handel), organ arrangement of “Joy to the World” (arr. Newman).

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All content of this podcast is property of Look Up Here Productions or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws. For information about the podcast and its use, please contact us.

"Open My Eyes"

Jesse Manibusan wears many titles: "Ambassador of Joy," "Catholic Ninja," "Itinerant Witness," and more. In this episode, Zack Stachowski and Matt Reichert chat with Jesse about his journey to liturgical music, his work with - and advocacy for - young people in the Church, his experience with depression, and how he finds ways to radiate joy. If you work in ministry or work with young people, this is a conversation you will not want to miss.

So, please open your hymnal to "Open My Eyes."

Episode links

For more information about Jesse Manibusan and his other compositions, visit his composer page at OCP. You can also visit his website: www.jessemanibusan.com. 

You can purchase a copy of the score and a copy of the song recording from OCP. Here you can also purchase the other Jesse Manibusan song you heard in the episode, "Malo! Malo! Thanks Be to God." The recording of "Take All the Lost Home" by Joe Wise can be purchased from GIA Publications.

You can purchase a copy of the instrumental piano recording of "Open My Eyes" (arranged and performed by Jon Sarta) from iTunes. 

You can read the article about the Westminster study that Zack referenced at the University of Westminster's homepage.

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All content of this podcast is property of Open Your Hymnal or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws. For information about the podcast and its use, please contact us.