I know that most of you were near fainting awaiting the release of this list, so here it is, the result of a survey taken by NAPALM (that's the name which goes with their effect on Sacred Music.) Don't like the nickname? Read this list, purportedly 'Songs that made a difference' in the respondents' spiritual life:
The following are the top twenty-five songs identified by our respondents as making a difference in their own lives of faith.
On Eagle's Wings (242)
Here I Am, Lord (152)
Be Not Afraid (146)
You Are Mine (138)
How Great Thou Art (76)
Holy God, We Praise Thy Name (70)
Amazing Grace (69)
All Are Welcome (58)
Prayer of St. Francis (43)
Ave Maria (42)
We Are Called (38)
Let There Be Peace on Earth (36)
I Am the Bread of Life (30)
The Summons (30)
Panis Angelicus (29)
The Servant Song—Gillard (29)
Pescador de Hombres (28)
Servant Song—McCargill (28)
Shepherd Me, O God (27)
Ave Verum Corpus (26)
Lord of the Dance (24)
One Bread, One Body (24)
Tantum Ergo (24)
Hosea (23)
Pange Lingua (23)
Yeah, there are some goodies here-- Holy God and How Great Thou Art (a favorite of the late, great Mgr. Popek.) But the heresy songs, or border-heresy--such as "Amazing Grace," (questionable theology of grace,) "Let There Be Peace," (peace does NOT begin with people--it begins with God,) " "I Am the Bread.." (the congregation speaks in Vox Dei,), etc.
What is most interesting is that the majority of these works are less than 30 years old. This tells us that (for practical purposes) the majority of the voters are as clueless as those people who name "influential people" and place Abe Lincoln, George Washington, Shakespeare, DaVinci, Jesus Christ (and Mohammed) either low on the list--or don't mention them at all.
What is Western Civilization? History since 1960?
For what it's worth, Dad29's favorite, the Dies Irae, did not make the Top 25.
I was never a fan of "Eagles Wings."
ReplyDeleteDies Irea is also my favorite, tied for first place with Immaculate Mary, wich I believe has been phased out to make room for "Immaculate Marty" Haugen that is, since he seems to dominate the Mass.
ReplyDeleteIn the interest of dismissing a liturgical urban legend, and not to diminish the value of the actual prayer, The Prayer of St. Francis isn't by St. Francis.
ReplyDeleteScarlette, you have concluded something about my history which is not based on fact...I was never a "hippie," nor did I ever smoke dope.
ReplyDeleteBut you kids do have that 'jump-to-conclusions' problem...