Saint Who?
Saints Who Wrote Hymns
A song can express any number of thoughts or emotions. But the purpose of a hymn is more specific: to praise, petition, and honor God. It’s important for the lyrics of a Catholic hymn to accurately reflect Church teaching. Hymn texts used in our liturgy are often based on passages from Scripture or classic expressions of mysteries of the faith.
The Church’s musical tradition, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “is a treasure of inestimable value, greater than that of any other art.” Many gifted Catholics have built up this treasure over the centuries, and some of them have been saints. Those with musical talents, like Saint Hildegard of Bingen, have written both words and music, creating hymns that are both pleasing to the ear and faithful to Church doctrine. Others, like Saint Thomas Aquinas, wrote theologically rich texts set to melodies by others. The lyrics of Catholic chants and hymns have been used to combat heresies, teach the faith to converts, encourage devotion to God and his saints, and move our hearts to love God.
The prayers accompanying each entry this month incorporate words and themes taken from the hymns written by that saint.
