Music for Funerals

These hymns can be used at the entrance,
the presentation of gifts or at communion.
The hymns chosen should always contain
a clear message of hope. All music and hymns
chosen ought to be appropriate to a religious
ceremony reflecting our faith and the belief in
the person of Jesus who walks with us on
every step of life’s journey.
Most are on YouTube if you would like to
remind yourself what they sound like
and which verses you would like sung in particular.

Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace ! How sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found
was blind but now I see.

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear,
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come.
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.


Abide with me
John Lyte was inspired to write this hymn as he was dying of tuberculosis; he finished it the Sunday he gave his farewell sermon in the parish he served so many years.

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings,
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea—
Come, Friend of sinners, and thus bide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.


Hail Queen of Heaven
Hail Queen of Heaven, the ocean star,
guide of the wanderer here below.
Thrown on life’s surge, we claim thy care,
save us from Herod and from woe.
Mother of Christ, star of the sea, 
pray for the wanderer, pray for me.

O gentle, chaste and spotless maid,
we sinners make our prayers through thee
remind thy son that he has paid
the price of our iniquity.
Virgin most pure, star of the sea,
pray for the sinner, pray for me.


Lourdes Ave
When creation was begun, God had chosen you to be.
Mother of his blesed son, Holy Mary, full of grace.
AVE, AVE, AVE MARIA
When creation was restored, you were there beside the Lord,
whom you cherished and adored, Holy Mary, full of grace.

You are with us day by day, In our joys and our dismay
Make us joyful as we say, Holy Mary, full of grace.

Lead us to your child above, Haddathah will teach us how to love,
How to pity and forgive, Holy Mary, full of grace.

In the vision which transcends, All our dreams and never ends,
God will gather all his friends, Holy Mary, full of grace.

Praise the Father and the Son, and the Spirit, three in one,
as it was when time began, Holy Mary, full of grace.


The bells of the Angelus
The bells of the angelus are calling to pray
In sweet tones announcing, the sacred Ave
Ave. Ave, Ave Maria
Ave, Ave, Ave Maria

An angel of mercy led Bernadette’s feet
where flows the deep torrent Our Lady to greet.

She prayed to our mother that God’s will be done
she prayed for his glory that his kingdom come.

Immaculate Mary your praise we sing,
who reign now with Christ our redeemer and king.

In heaven the blessed your glory proclaim
on earth now your children invoke your fair name.



Holy God
Holy God we Praise thy Name
Holy God, we praise Thy Name;
Lord of all, we bow before Thee!
All on earth Thy scepter claim,
All in Heaven above adore Thee;
Infinite Thy vast domain, Everlasting is Thy reign.
Hark! the loud celestial hymn. Angel choirs above are raising,
Cherubim and seraphim, In unceasing chorus praising;
Fill the heavens with sweet accord: Holy, holy, holy, Lord.
Holy Father, Holy Son, Holy Spirit, Three we name Thee;
While in essence only One, Undivided God we claim Thee;
And adoring bend the knee, While we own the mystery.
Therefore do we pray Thee, Lord: Help Thy servants whom, redeeming
By Thy precious blood out-poured, Thou hast saved from Satan’s scheming.
Give to them eternal rest In the glory of the blest.


Sweet Heart of Jesus
Sweet Heart of Jesus, font of love and mercy
Today we come, Thy blessing to implore.
Oh touch our hearts, so cold and so ungrateful
And make them Lord, Thine own for evermore.

Sweet Heart of Jesus we implore,
Oh make us love Thee more and more.

Sweet Heart of Jesus, make us pure and gentle
And teach us how to do Thy blessed will;
To follow close the print of Thy dear footsteps
And when we fall, Sweet Heart, oh love us still.


Christ be beside me, Christ be before me,
Christ be behind me, King of my heart.
Christ be within me, Christ be below me, Christ be above me, never to part.
Christ on my right hand, Christ on my left hand,
Christ all around me, shield in the strife. Christ in my sleeping,
Christ in my sitting, Christ in my rising, light of my heart.
Christ be in all hearts thinking about me, Christ be on all tongues telling of me. Christ be the vision in eyes that see me, In ears that hear me Christ ever be.


Here I am Lord
Here I am Lord.  It is I Lord.
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go Lord if you lead me,
I will hold your people in my heart.

I the Lord of sea,and sky
I have beard my people cry. 
All who dwell in dark and sin, my hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright. 
Who will bear my light to them? 
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord.........

I the Lord of snow and rain
I have borne my peoples pain.
I have wept for love of them, they turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak my word to them. 
Whom shall I send?

Psalms (sung after the first reading)

Be not afraid
On Eagles Wings
You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord,
And abide in his shadow for life
Say to the Lord, ‘My refuge, my rock in whom I trust.’

And he will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of his hand.

The snare of the fowler will never capture you,
And famine will bring you no fear,
Under his wings your refuge, his faithfulness your shield.

You need not fear the terror of the night,
Nor the arrow that flies by day,
Though thousands fall about you, near you it shall not come.

To you O Lord I Lift my Soul
Shepherd me O God
The Lord Hears the Cry of the Poor

Communion

I am the Bread of Life
I am the bread of life
He who comes to me shall not hunger
He who believes in me shall not thirst
No one can come to me
Unless the father beckons
And I will raise you up(3) On the last day.
The bread that I will give
Is my flesh for the life of the world
And if you eat of this bread
You shall live forever(2)

Unless you eat
Of the flesh of the Son of Man
And drink of his blood,
And drink of his blood,
You shall not have life within you.

I am the resurrection, I am the life
If you believe in me
Even though you die
You shall live forever.

Yes, lord I believe
That you are the Christ
The son of God
Who has come into the world.


Panis angélicus
Panis angélicus
Fit panis hóminum,
Dat panis coélicus
Figúris términum.
O res mirábilis:
Mandúcat Dóminum
Pauper, servus
et húmilis.
Farewell to types! henceforth
We feed on angel's food:
The slave, O wonder! eats the flesh
Of his Incarnate God.
Te, trina Déitas
Unaque, póscimus,
Sic nos tu vísita,
Sicut te cólimus,
Per Tuas sémitas
Duc nos quo téndimus,
Ad lucem quam inhábitas.
O blessed Three in One!
Visit our hearts, we pray,
And lead us on through Thine own paths
To Thy eternal day.


Soul Of My Saviour
Soul of my Savior, sanctify my breast,
Body of Christ, be Thou my saving Guest!
Blood of my Savior, bathe me in Thy tide,
Wash me ye waters, flowing from His side!

Stregth and protection may His Passion be;
O blessed Jesus, hear and answer me!
Deep in Thy wounds, Lord, hide and shelter me,
So shall I never, never part from Thee.

Guard, and defend me from the foe malign,
In death's drear moments make me only Thine;
Call me and bid me come to Thee on high,
Where I may praise Thee with Thy saints for aye!

Recessional

May Songs of the Angels Welcome You
May songs of the angels welcome you and guide you along your way.
May the smiles of the martyrs greet you now as darkness turns into day.
Every fear will be undone and death will be no more,
As songs of the angels bring you home before the face of God.


Jesus Remember Me (Taize)
Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom.
How great Thou Art
O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!


When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!


Nearer my God to Thee
Sarah F.Adams,1805-1848 was a classically-trained actress for a brief while in London before she developed an illness--I believe it was tuberculosis--and had to retire from the stage. She took to writing devotional poetry as a means of making sense of her own pains.

Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
E'en tho' it be a cross
That raiseth me;
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

If, like the wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I'd be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

There let the way appear,
Steps unto heav'n;
All that Thou sendest me,
In mercy giv'n;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

Then with my waking tho'ts
Bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I'll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

Or if, on joyful wing
Cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot,
Upward I fly,
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

Other parts of the mass such as the Gospel Acclamation, the Holy Holy, the Lamb of God and the Final Commendation may also be sung.