Top Catholic Songs – share, learn, promote

The principal leader of The Society of St. Gregory of America was Nicola Montani (aka M. Colas), a well known Catholic author, publisher, composer, and organist. The justification of the Black List and the White List that followed was the 1903 Moto Proprio of Pope Pius X. 

Marian hymns were the main target of the harsh and cart blanch attacks by the Society of St. Gregory as well as many hymns to the Sacred Heart, hymns for May processions, novena prayer hymns and hymns used by Holy Name Society, as well as other non-liturgical services. Infact, several Catholic Dioceses in the United States jumped on the "band wagon" and began to enforce the Black List. From a period beginning in the 1920s through the 1960s, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Chicago, Fort Wayne, Cleveland and perhaps others all participated in banning hymns. 

The hymns were mostly criticized for thier strong emotions, sentimentality, and for using folk melodies, opera tunes, and repetitious words in the verses. These were all deemed bad and taught people to "pray badly." As an example, Schubert's and Bach/Gounod Ave Maria's were banned from any liturgical services. Other hymns like Mother Dear O Pray for Me, Mother Dearest Mother Fairest, Mother at Your Feet is Kneeling, Rose of the Cross, Daughter of a Mighty Father, O Purest of Creatures, Good Night Sweet Jesus, O Sacred Heart O Love Divine, Jesus the only Thought of Thee, Jesus Teach Me How to Pray, and many others were all banned. 

By the 1960s, 90 percent of devotional hymns had been removed from Catholic hymnals and were replaced by Protestant sources. As a result, a very slow and methodical erosion of Catholic beliefs ensued.  If you follow this link https://churchmusicassociation.org/journal/the-catholic-choirmaster-archives/  and open the October 1918 edition, page 96, you can see the "Black List."  

There are so many beautiful Catholic hymns that have been lost to us and are remembered by only a few vintage organist and hymnologist. This is the one of the reasons I am writing about these hymns because at their core, they teach us about our Catholic faith.