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Music overview

Easter, Year C

20 April 2025
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Resources

  • As One Voice 12, and The Next Generation—AOV1, AOV2, AOVNG
  • Catholic Worship Book and Catholic Worship Book II—CWB, CWBII
  • Gather (3rd edition)—G
  • Gather Australia—GA
  • Psalms for Feasts and Seasons—PFS
  • Digital download—DD
  • Selected collection—SC

Easter Mass settings

A change in Mass setting from whatever is used in Lent highlights the change of liturgical season. The great fifty days from Easter to Pentecost form a season of sustained joy, and a Mass setting that reflects this joy may also be used at Pentecost. This again deepens the character of the season without there being too much new music for the people to learn. Instruments may now also be used freely in Masses to support the joy of the season. See the ‘Mass Settings’ section in CWBII, as well as the ‘Service Music’ section in CWBII for some seasonal responses. The Gloria and Alleluia gospel acclamations are both used in the season of Easter.

Some suggested settings are:

  • Mass of Christ the Redeemer (Kirkpatrick)—CWBII 24
  • Mass of Creation (Haugen)—AOV1 196 (3rd edn), CWBII 69 a, b, c, 74, G 192–204, DD (GIA)
  • Mass of Glory and Praise (Mason)—CWBII 25
  • Mass of a Joyful Heart (Angrisano)—DD (OCP)
  • Missa Magis (Willcock)—CWBII 26

Easter psalms 

  • Seasonal Psalm 117 (118): Alleluia (Mews)—CWB 295
  • Seasonal Psalm 117 (118): Alleluia (Twynham)—CWB 289b
  • Seasonal Psalm 117 (118): Alleluia (Willcock)—CWB 293
  • Seasonal Psalm 117 (118): Alleluia (Willcock)—CWB 294
  • Seasonal Psalm 117 (118): Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia (Willcock)—PFS 70
  • Seasonal Psalm 117 (118): Let us rejoice (Haugen)—G 81, GA 71
  • Seasonal Psalm 117 (118): This is the day (Joncas)—G 82
  • Common Psalm 117 (118): This is the day (Willcock)—CWB 289a, GA 70, PFS 26

Seasonal psalms can be used at any liturgy during the season of Easter.

Suggested Gospel acclamations 

  • Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia (chant)—CWB 277, CWBII 43, GA 142
  • Celtic Alleluia—AOV1 13, CWBII 48, GA 141
  • Mawby Alleluia—CWBII 51
  • Murray Alleluia—CWBII 52
  • Taizé Alleluia—CWBII 53

See also CWBII 43–53.

Solo singing or instrumentals

The procession of the gifts or offertory is an appropriate time for a suitable piece from a solo singer, an instrumentalist or the choir. This piece may replace a communal hymn or song at this time.

After Communion

The GIRM (§88) instructs that when the distribution of Communion is finished, there is a time of silence and prayer. This period of silence may then be followed by a thanksgiving hymn, psalm or canticle that is to be sung by all.

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