ROACTIVE. It’s a sad fact that some Catholic choirmasters—attempting with all their heart to follow Vatican II, which said the thesaurus musicae sacrae must be “preserved and fostered with great care”—ultimately fail because they aren’t proactive. For example, when it comes to hymns they try to implement, congregations reject them as drab, boring, and “horse-and-buggy.” In some ways, they’re not wrong! Indeed, one reason the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal took five long years to produce was because lyrics needed adjusting. Certain words no longer carry the same meaning they did in the 19th century and as a result cannot be sung by congregations in 2023.1
Adjusting Lyrics? • Some people claim they only sing the “original language” to hymns—but that’s an ignorant statement. Even the greatest poets, such as Father Robert Southwell, adjusted their lyrics. Nobody sings “Draw nigh, draw nigh Emmanuel” (the original lyrics). Rather, they sing: “O come, O come Emmanuel.” Nobody sings “Hark how all the welkin rings” (the original lyrics). Rather, they sing: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Many people erroneously believe they are singing words written by John Mason Neale. As a matter of fact, many of Neale’s lyrics have undergone enormous transformations over the years. What’s crucial is that lyrics are not changed in an effort bowdlerize or “water down” orthodox theology—and the Brébeuf Hymnal never does that.
To Jesus Christ, Our Sovereign King • Consider the following hymn, by Monsignor Martin B. Hellriegel:
But those weren’t the original lyrics!
Mr. Timothy H. sent us the original version by Monsignor Hellriegel, published in 1963:
* PDF • “To Jesus Christ, Our Sovereign King” (1963 Version)
—The Latin word “ímperat” is translated as “Commander” instead of “Redeemer.”
Does anyone have the complete hymnal? Its details:
Holy Cross Parish Hymnal
Saint Louis, Missouri
Miss Marie Kremer, Organist
Martin B. Hellriegel, Pastor
Nihil obstat:
Reverend David T. Thomas
3 September 1963
Imprimatur:
Joseph Cardinal Ritter
13 September 1963
Article Summary • Set yourself up for success! If you need hymn for Christ the King that will received well by your congregation, just type “CHRIST THE KING” into the hymn portal
1 You wouldn’t believe how long it took to have poets and priests adjust the lyrics for the 800+ hymns in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal. If this topic interests you, feel free to explore this article, which is called Should Hymn Lyrics Be Inordinately Archaic?
