Funeral Songs of Farewell/Commendation
The Song of Farewell is sung as the priest incenses and blesses the casket at the end of Mass- before the Recessional Hymn.
This song “should affirm hope and trust in the Paschal Mystery, [and] is the climax of the Rite of Final Commendation. It should be sung to a melody simple enough for all to sing.”
This song “should affirm hope and trust in the Paschal Mystery, [and] is the climax of the Rite of Final Commendation. It should be sung to a melody simple enough for all to sing.”
**All songs and Responsorial Psalms must be approved by the soloist and musician**
note: I grouped the Irish songs of farewell together, but you certainly do not have to be Irish to use them ; )
Go in Peace (Sarah Hart and Dwight Liles)
There will be no more darkness. There is no more night.
There will be no more sadness, only joy and light, joy and light.
Lift your eyes beyond the hills and see the dawn.
There is beautiful mercy in the arms of the holy one.
Refrain: Go in peace, God be with you.
Go in peace, be at rest with the saints and the angels.
Now you are free. Go in peace.
See the Father is waiting with a robe of white, purest white.
Go and feast at his table with the bread of life, bread of life.
Lift your heart, rejoice and sing for you are home;
home at last and forever in the arms of the holy one. Refrain.
Song of Farewell (E. Sands)
May the choirs of angels come to greet you.
May they speed you to paradise.
May the Lord enfold you in his mercy.
May you find eternal life.
The Lord is my light and my help; It is He who protects me from harm
The Lord is the strength of my days; Before whom should I tremble with fear?
May the choir of angels, Come to greet you. May they speed you to paradise.
May the Lord enfold you In His mercy. May you find eternal life
Songs of the Angels (Dufford)
May songs of the angels welcome you and guide you along your way.
May the smiles of the martyrs greet your own as darkness turns into day.
Every fear will be undone and death will be no more,
As songs of the angels bring you home before the face of God.
Precious Lord, take my hand (Thomas A. Dorsey)
Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, Let me stand I’m tired, I am weak I am worn. Through the storm, through the night, Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home When my way grows drear, precious Lord linger near
When my life is almost gone, Hear my cry, Hear my call, Hold my hand lest I fall Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home
When the darkness appears and the night draws near And the day is past and gone, At the river I stand, Guide my feet, Hold my hand. Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home
Come, Follow Me (BY Gael Berberick and Barney Walker)
Refrain: Come follow me and live; do not be afraid. Believe and trust in Me; your faith will give you strength. Leave all your fears behind you; let your heart be free. For I will be your guide. Oh, come and follow Me.
Come follow in these footsteps; I’ll lead you gently home. No Shelter, food nor money will you need upon this road.(Refrain)
Come walk across the water; place all your faith in Me. Cast all your doubts behind you to the wind and raging sea.(Refrain)
If you remain within Me, My words remain in you. Whatever you may ask of Me, that is what I will do. (refrain)
Carry Me Home (Rick Modlin & Owen Alstott)
End of day softly falling into night, O Jesus, carry me home.
Now the work of the present day is done, O Jesus, carry me home.
Joyful song, joyful laughter, silent fall. O Jesus, carry me home.
Pure and bright shall the memory linger on. O Jesus, carry me home
Refrain: Carry me home, carry me home, O Jesus, carry me home.
Carry me home, carry me home, O Jesus, carry me home
In God’s hands to forever safely rest, o Jesus, carry me home.
Now fulfilled in creation’s wondrous plan. O Jesus, carry me home. (Refrain)
As my last prayer ascends, round me family and gentle friends.
Carry me home, carry me home, O Jesus, carry me home
May You Walk With the Lord (Rick Marcantonio)
May the angels come to greet you; may they take you to the promised land
and may the Father hold you in the hollow of His hand.
May the saints and all the martyrs come to lead you on your way
And may the sun shine down upon you in an everlasting way.
May He wipe evey tear from your eyes; may you know sorrow no more.
May you find peace and joy in paradise.
May you walk with the Lord. May he wipe evey tear from your eyes,
may you know sorrrow no more, may you find peace and joy in paradise,
may you walk with the Lord.
Irish Blessing (James E. Moore Jr)
May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be ever at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And the rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again, until we meet again
May God hold you, May God hold you
in the palm of His hand.
May the sun make your days bright
May the stars illuminate your nights
May the flowers bloom along your path
Your house stand firm against the storm
And until we meet again, Until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of His hand
And until we meet again, Until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Irish BlessinG PRayer (Bob Fabing)
Refrain: May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always with you,
May the sunshine warm you always
’til we meet again.
May the rain fall softly on you,
May the hand of God uphold you. (Refrain)
Christ before you, Christ behind you,
Christ beneath you, Christ above you. (Refrain)
Christ to shield you, Christ be with you,
Christ be with you now and always. (Refrain)
The Peace Prayer (Fr. Liam Lawton)
The Peace of Christ on every shore
The Peace of Christ be by your side
The Peace of Christ on every shore
The Peace of Christ on every shore
The Peace of Christ in darkest Light
The peace of Christ in day and night
The peace of Christ near and wide
The Peace of Christ in every heart, in every heart
Lamb of God, You take away,
The sins of all the world
Have mercy on us, oh Lord.
Lamb of God You take away,
The sins of all the world,
Have mercy on us, oh Lord.
Lamb of God, You take away,
The sins of all the world.
Grant us Your peace.
Grant us Your peace
Grant us Your peace, oh Lord
A Gaelic Blessing (John Rutter)
Deep peace of the running wave to you
Deep peace of the flowing air to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you
Deep peace of the shining stars to you
Deep peace of the gentle night to you
Moon and stars pour their healing light on you
Deep peace of Christ the light of the world to you
Deep peace of Christ to you.
Go Silent Friend (John Bell)
Sung to the tune of Danny Boy
Go, silent friend, Your life has found its ending;
To dust returns your weary mortal frame.
God, who before birth called you into being,
Now calls you hence, his accent still the same.
Go, silent friend, Your life in Christ is buried;
For you He lived and died and rose again.
Close by His side your promised place is waiting
Where, fully known, you shall with God remain.
Go, silent friend, Forgive us if we grieved you;
Safe now in heaven, kindly say our name.
Your life has touched us, that is why we mourn you;
Our lives without you cannot be the same.
Go, silent friend, We do not grudge you glory;
Sing, sing with joy deep praises to your Lord.
You, who believed that Christ would come back for you,
Now celebrate that Jesus keeps His word.
Celtic Song of Farewell (Steve Schaubel)
Sung to tune of Danny Boy (Londonderry Air)
May choirs of angels lead you into paradise.
And may the martyrs come to welcome you.
To bring you home into the Holy City; so you may dwell in new Jerusalem.
May holy angels be there at your welcoming
with all the saints who go before you there
that you may know the peace and joy of paradise;
that you may enter into everlasting rest
O Loving God (Paulette McCoy) To the tune of “Danny Boy” (Londonderry Air)
O loving God, we send Your son/daughter home to you,
home to a place of everlasting love,
to join there with the angel choirs and blessed saints,
and to behold your glorious holy face.
Receive his/her soul and let eternal light shine,
eternal light forever on his/her soul,
so he may be forever in your dwelling place,
and be at rest in peace until we meet him/her there
O loving God, have mercy and forgiveness
Upon your servant’s now departed soul,
And may your grace and love enfold him/her evermore,
So he may dwell in paradise at last.
Receive his soul and let eternal light shine,
eternal light forever on his/her soul,
so he/she may be forever in your dwelling place,
and be at rest in peace until we meet him/her there
We Remember How You Loved US (Marty Haugen)
We remember how You loved us to Your death,
and still we celebrate, for You are with us here;
and we believe that we will see You when You come in Your glory, Lord.
We remember, we celebrate, we believe.
Here, a million wounded souls are yearning just to touch You and be healed.
Gather all Your people, and hold them to Your heart. (Refrain)
Christ, the Father’s great “Amen” to all the hopes and dreams of ev’ry heart,
Peace beyond all telling, and freedom from all fear. (Refrain)
Song of Farewell to tune of Old Hundreth (Smolarski)
Refrain: Receive her (his) soul, O holy ones; Present her (him) now to God, Most High.
Come to his/her aid, O saints of God;
Come meet him/her, angels of the Lord. (Refrain)
May Christ, who called you, take you home,
And angels lead you to Abraham. (Refrain)
Give him/her eternal rest, O Lord.
May light unending shine on him/her. (Refrain)
I know that my Redeemer lives;
The last day I shall rise again. (Refrain)
Going Home (David Downes /Dvorak)
Going home, going home
I am going home
Quiet like, some still day
I am going home
It’s not far, just close by
Through an open door
Work all done, care laid by
Going to fear no more
Mother’s there expecting me
Father’s waiting too
Lots of faces gathered there
All the friends I knew
All the Friends I knew
I’m going home
Nothing’s lost, all’s gain
No more fret nor pain
No more stumbling on the way
No more longing for the day
Going to roam no more
Morning star lights the way
Restless dreams all done
Shadows gone, break of day
Real life just begun
There’s no break, there’s no end
Just living on
Wide awake, with a smile
Going on and on, going on and on
Going home, going home
I’m just going home
It’s not far, just close by
Through an open door
I am going home
I’m just going home
Jesus, Remember Me (Berthier)
Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.
Jesus, remember me when You come in to Your kingdom. (repeat)
In Paradisum (Latin Chant)
In paradisum deducant te Angeli; in tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres, et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Ierusalem.
Chorus angelorum te suscipiat, et cum Lazaro quondam paupere æternam habeas requiem.
Translation: May angels lead you into paradise; upon your arrival, may the martyrs receive you and lead you to the holy city of Jerusalem.
May the ranks of angels receive you, and with Lazarus, the poor man, may you have eternal rest.
O Lord, You Died that All Might Live (Littledale)
O Lord, you died that all might live And rise to see the perfect day.
The fullness of your mercy give To this our friend for whom we pray.
O Lamb of God, Redeemer blest, Grant him/her eternal light and rest.
Lord, bless our friend who died in you, As you have given him/her release.
Enliven him/her since he/she was true, And give him/her everlasting peace.
O Lamb of God, Redeemer blest, Grant him/her eternal light and rest.
In your green, pleasant pastures feed The sheep that you have summoned hence;
And by the still, cool waters lead Your flock in loving providence.
O Lamb of God, Redeemer blest, Grant him/her eternal light and rest.
Direct us with your arm of might, That with our friend we may all come
To dwell within your city bright, Jerusalem, our heav’nly home.
O Lamb of God, Redeemer blest, Grant him/her eternal light and rest.,
But when we’re freed from present cares, If with our Lord we would be heirs.