Music is integral to the funeral rites. It allows the community to express convictions and feelings that words alone may fail to convey. It has power to console and uplift the mourners and to strengthen the unity of the assembly in faith and love. The texts of songs chosen for a particular celebration should express the paschal mystery of the Lord’s suffering, death, and triumph over death and should be related to the readings from Scripture.

Since music can evoke strong feelings, the music for the celebration rites will be chosen with great care. The music at funerals should support, console, and uplift the participants and should help to create in them a spirit of hope in Christ’s victory over death and in the Christian’s share in the victory.

At Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, our Music Director, John Zisa, will serve as principal musician and vocalist at each funeral.  He will be responsible for the proper timing and performance of musical selections and has the right and responsibility of judging the artistry of any music suggested for worship.

Guest musicians or vocalists will be considered at the family’s request, and can be incorporated into the funeral liturgy according to specific abilities and preferences of each musician or vocalist. If the family chooses to use an outside musician and/or an outside singer instead, the church music fee still applies.  If a rehearsal is needed with an outside singer or musician, other than directly before the funeral, a fee will apply.  

The following is a list of suggested music suitable for Catholic Funeral Liturgies, which can either be found in our Glory and Praise Hymnal, or from other outside sources.  Music not appearing on this list will be considered on an individual basis.  However, any music that is not sacred in nature will respectfully not be accommodated during the funeral liturgy or memorial.  

You are not required to make any music selections on your own, unless the family has an interest or connection to any of the music on this list.  However, if you’d like to select music, you may choose up to four (4) selections.  

The Music Director will then decide where to use each selection in the mass- either for the 
Opening Song (Processional), Preparation of the Gifts, Communion, and the Closing (Recessional). If the family doesn’t choose all four songs, the Music Director will select the remaining pieces. 
 

Funeral Music Suggestions