When a similarly-titled thread was opened this past Saturday, it was Worship IV being scrutinized. The author referred to many of the non-Catholic hymn contributors to Worship IV, and closed with these questions:
I would never dream that the Vatican II Hymnal [hereafter V2H] is consciously ecumenical. Perhaps unconsciously Anglican, but not consciously ecumenical.
Reading through the texts of the 163 hymns contained in the V2H, I found that at least 97 of them were written by or translated by non-Catholics. I was not able to track down the provenance of the texts for an additional 12 hymns. (It would be helpful if the V2H’s online accompaniments would consistently identify text authors and translators. As I do not own a copy of the pew edition of the V2H, I don’t know if this important information is given there.) I could only verify that 54 texts were authored by or translated by Catholics. Below is a listing of the 97 texts authored by or translated by non-Catholics, followed by the 12 hymns whose provenance I was unable to determine. My reflections follow in the next combox.
All of the above leads me to ask: is this really a Catholic hymnal? If so, in what sense?
Or maybe this question could be asked the other way: Is Worship IV consciously ecumenical?
I would never dream that the Vatican II Hymnal [hereafter V2H] is consciously ecumenical. Perhaps unconsciously Anglican, but not consciously ecumenical.
Reading through the texts of the 163 hymns contained in the V2H, I found that at least 97 of them were written by or translated by non-Catholics. I was not able to track down the provenance of the texts for an additional 12 hymns. (It would be helpful if the V2H’s online accompaniments would consistently identify text authors and translators. As I do not own a copy of the pew edition of the V2H, I don’t know if this important information is given there.) I could only verify that 54 texts were authored by or translated by Catholics. Below is a listing of the 97 texts authored by or translated by non-Catholics, followed by the 12 hymns whose provenance I was unable to determine. My reflections follow in the next combox.
346 Ah, Holy Jesus (Heermann; tr. Robert Bridges)
359 A Hymn Of Glory Let Us Sing [Bede; tr. B. Webb (Anglican)]
206 All Creatures Of Our God And King (Draper)
277 Alleluia, Sing To Jesus (Dix)
242 All Glory, Laud, And Honor (tr. Neale)
225 All Hail The Power Of Jesus’ Name (Perronet)
204 All People That On Earth Do Dwell (Kethe)
281 And Now, O Father, Mindful Of The Love (William Bright)
236 As With Gladness Men Of Old (Dix)
310 At The Name Of Jesus (Caroline Noel)
308 Blessed Jesus, At Thy Word (Clausnitzer; tr. Winkworth)
320 Blest Are The Pure In Heart (Neale)
337 Brightest And Best (Heber)
306 Christ Is Made The Sure Foundation (Neale)
364 Come Down, O Love Divine (tr. Littledale)
254 Come, Holy Ghost (Neale?)
361 Come, Holy Ghost, Our Souls Inspire (Rabanus Maurus; tr. John Cosin)
312 Come, Labor On (Borthwick)
329 Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus (C. Wesley)
247 Come, Ye Faithful, Raise The Strain (tr. Neale)
327 Creator Of The Stars Of Night (tr. Neale?)
316 Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness (tr. Winkworth)
278 Draw Nigh, And Take (Version I) (tr. Neale)
279 Draw Nigh, And Take (Version II) (tr. Neale)
360 Eternal Monarch, King Most High (Neale)
321 Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler Of All Nature (tr. Joseph Seiss, Lutheran)
208 Faith Of Our Fathers
322 Father, We Thank Thee Who Hast Planted
263 For All The Saints
207 For The Beauty Of The Earth (Pierpoint, Anglican)
241 Forty Days And Forty Nights (Smyttan, Anglican)
262 From All Thy Saints In Warfare (Neale)
335 From East To West, From Shore To Shore (Sedulius; tr. Allerton)
328 Gabriel’s Message Does Away (Piae Cantiones; tr. Neale)
325 God, My King, Thy Might Confessing (Richard Mant)
212 God Of Mercy, God Of Grace (Lyte)
366 Hail, O Star That Pointest (A. Riley)
252 Hail The Day That Sees Him Rise (C. Wesley)
230 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (C. Wesley)
264 Hearken, Shepherd Of The Sheep (tr. Littledale)
314 Here, O My Lord, I See Thee (Bonar)
251 He, Who Gave For Us His Life (Michael Weisse, ordained Catholic priest; left and became Bohemian Brethren)
209 Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty (Heber)
238 “I Come,” The Great Redeemer Cries (Thomas Gibbons)
355 I Know That My Redeemer Lives (Medley, Baptist)
315 In Heavenly Love Abiding (Anna Waring, Anglican)
218 I Sing The Mighty Power Of God (Watts)
319 I Sought The Lord, And Afterward I Knew (anon.)
249 Jesus Christ Is Risen Today (tr., st. 1-3 Compleat Psalmodist; st. 4 C. Wesley)
373 Jesus, Son Of Mary (Adoro Te?) (tr. Edmund Stuart Palmer)
232 Joy To The World (Watts)
286 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (tr. G. Moultrie, Anglican)
313 Let Thy Blood In Mercy Poured (tr. Brownlie)
299 Let Thy People Praise Thee, Lord (Lyte)
244 Lift High The Cross
211 Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates (tr. Winkworth)
301 Lord, Enthroned In Heavenly Splendor (Bourne, Anglican)
240 Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days (Hernaman, Anglican)
276 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (C. Wesley)
356 Love’s Redeeming Work Is Done (C. Wesley)
300 May The Grace Of Christ Our Savior (Newton)
285 My Faith Looks Up To Thee (Ray Palmer, Congregationalist, USA)
221 Now Thank We All Our God (tr. Winkworth)
226 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (tr. Neale)
282 O Food Of Men Wayfaring (Version I) (tr. A. Riley)
283 O Food Of Men Wayfaring (Version II) (tr. A. Riley)
332 Of The Father’s Love Begotten (tr. Neale and Baker)
307 O God Of Earth And Altar (Chesterton wrote this while he was an Anglican)
203 O God, Our Help In Ages Past (Watts)
352 O Kind Creator, Bow Thine Ear (tr. Thomas A. Lacey, Anglican)
223 O Lord Of Heaven, Whose Love Profound (Edward Cooper, Anglican)
348 O Love, How Deep, How Broad (Webb, Anglican)
336 Once In Royal David’s City (Cecil Alexander)
229 On Jordan’s Bank The Baptist’s Cry (Coffin; tr. Chandler; Does Coffin “count” as Catholic in view of the fact that he was refused last rites and Christian burial? Whatever, Chandler was Anglican.)
330 O Quickly Come, Dread Judge Of All (Lawrence Tuttiett)
245 O Sacred Head, Surrounded (tr. Henry W. Baker)
280 O Thou, Who At Thy Eucharist Didst Pray (Turton)
257 O Trinity Of Blessed Light (St. Ambrose; tr. Neale)
288 O With Thy Benediction (Vincent Coles, Anglican)
216 Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven (Lyte)
205 Praise To The Lord, The Almighty
296 Sanctify Me Wholly (tr. Thomas I. Ball, Anglican)
228 Savior Of The Nations Come (tr. by William M. Reynolds, Episcopal priest, USA)
219 Sing Praise To God, Who Reigns Above (tr. Frances Cox)
237 Songs Of Thankfulness And Praise (Wordsworth)
351 Sweet The Moments, Rich In Blessing (Allen; tr. Shirley)
358 The Eternal Gates Lift Up Their Heads (Cecil Alexander)
243 The Glory Of These Forty Days (tr. M. Bell)
368 The God Whom Earth And Sea and Sky (tr. Neale)
253 The Head Once Crowned With Thorns (Kelly)
294 The Heavenly Word, Proceeding Forth (Verbum Supernum Prodiens; tr. by Neale, final 2 stanzas, Caswall)
255 The Holy Spirit Was Outpoured (Hilary of Poitier; tr. Neale)
269 The King Of Love My Shepherd Is (Henry W. Baker)
213 Thy Hand, O God, Has Guided (Plumptre, Anglican)
338 What Child Is This? (Dix)
341 When I Survey The Wondrous Cross (Watts)
354 Ye Sons And Daughters Of The King (tr. Neale)
239 Blest Author Of This Earthly Frame (Sedulius; tr. by ?)
246 Christ, The Lord, Is Risen Today (tr. Jane Leeson; was she Catholic?)
295 Christ The Word To Earth Descended (Verbum Supernum Prodiens; tr. by ?)
370 Concordi Laetitia / Sounds Of Joy (Is this from the New Saint Basil Hymnal?)
367 Maiden, Yet A Mother (Dante; tr. by ?)
334 O Christ, The Ransomer Of Man (?)
258 O Glorious Maid, Exalted Far (?)
357 O Thou, The Heavens’ Eternal King (tr. by Neale?)
274 Sing, My Tongue, The Mystery Holy (tr. by ?)
210 Sing Praise To God In Heaven Above (?)
222 Triumphantly Doth Christ Unfurl (Is this from the New Saint Basil Hymnal?)
250 Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem (?)