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Tag Archives: Music

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And So This is Christmas: Music and the Christmas Liturgy

By | December 19, 2012
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My advice is this: During the Christmas Season, sing the Christmas songs that people really know well.

Sure it’s okay to add in a few new songs that can deepen the experience and the meaning of Christmas, but be careful not to sing too many new or unfamiliar songs at Christmas. Instead of doing a lot of new Christmas songs, maybe rearrange a few of the carols to make them sound a little different, but be sure not to change the melody around so that people don’t even recognize the song they are singing. Add in some different grooves or instrumentation and maybe take out some chords to make the tune feel more contemporary.

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Music From the Life Teen Fall Training in Boston

By | October 30, 2012

Many conference participants asked for a list of the music used at the daily Liturgies and it has become our custom to list them after our major conferences and convention each year. Below you will find the songs listed out from each daily Liturgy, as well as a link to a page where you can find the sheet music and/or a recorded sample.

In this Year of Faith, may we continue to deepen our faith through the Sacramental life of the Church and may we continue to worship him with songs of praise and thanksgiving.

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5 Tips for Great Music at an XLT

By | September 18, 2012
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In the past few weeks I have had the pleasure to be a part of two XLT worship events. The first was at my own parish as we kicked off a new Semester, and the other was hosted by the Diocese of Phoenix and Life Teen International. If you are not familiar with XLT, it is a Praise and Worship event that begins with high-energy music followed by a powerful talk and concluding with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. It’s amazing to see young people drawn to the Eucharist through this powerful means of fellowship, prayer and thanksgiving.

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Music From the 2012 Winter Training Conference

By | February 27, 2012

The 2012 Life Teen Training Conference just wrapped up in Indialantic, Florida at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. What an amazing group of Priests, Youth Ministers, CORE Members and Musicians who came from all over the United States and Canada to go deeper into their understanding of Youth Ministry and our Lord. The view from the parish and the hotel was truly inspiring, seeing God’s wonderful beauty each morning as the sun rose over the crashing waves. I really like my job! I had the privilege

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These 40 Days of Lenten Music

By | February 14, 2012

In just over a week we enter into the sacred season of Lent. Forty days of fasting, prayer, almsgiving, and a call in this “Year of Faith” proclaimed by the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, to strengthen our faith and to help strengthen the faith of others. So what will change? In our own lives, will we just give up the same thing we gave up last year again or will we really take the time to reflect upon those things that lead us away from Christ? Will we truly seek to put those things aside and

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How to Get Your Teens to Sing at Mass

By | January 23, 2012
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One of the keys to inviting people to sing is simply that – to invite. Don’t scold the congregation and don’t show your frustration and start saying how you come here week after week to lead them in song and no one sings! This is the wrong approach! Simply invite and affirm them. Remind them that our role at the Liturgy is to practice full, active, conscious, participation as Vatican II tells us. Tell them that it sounds so beautiful to hear their voices singing God’s praise together.

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How Can I Be a Better Music Minister in 2012?

By | January 5, 2012
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2012 is here! If we look back on 2011 I think we can all say it was a busy year. Most of us spent this last year preparing for the implementation of the New Roman Missal that we received on November 27th of 2011. Now that the Missal has been implemented and our Christmas preparation has come to an end, we can focus on the things that we may need to change in our personal lives or our ministries.

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The Final Countdown to the Roman Missal

By | November 7, 2011

Well there is a countdown going on today and it has nothing to do with 80’s rock bands, but everything to do with the third edition of the Roman Missal. We are only 19 days away from this new translation of the current Sacramentary we use at Mass. So here’s the question … are you ready?! I hope the answer is: “Yes!” If you are worried that you may have forgotten something, let’s start with the obvious.

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Is the Catholic Church changing what songs are sung at Mass?

By | September 14, 2011

Although I’ve only been alive a short period of time compared to how long the Church has existed, it is clear to me through studying history that the debate over what music is suitable for Liturgy has been going on for a long, long time. In recent years this musical debate has taken to a new highway, the Internet.

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5 Reasons to Attend the Life Teen Musician’s Retreat (Sep 21-23)

By | August 22, 2011

One of the more defining aspects of the Life Teen movement is our reverence for music. We believe that music can be divinely inspired and thus turn our hearts and souls to God. Music has the power to attract teens to Mass in ways that we can’t even understand. Music matters to our Church! This is why we look for every opportunity to support music ministers who serve in our parishes. This is why we’re hosting the Life Teen Musician’s Retreat in one month. It’s going to be an awesome three days! If