Veritas Hymnal Organ Edition

It has long been felt that there was a genuine need for a hymnal that would be suitable and practical for the needs of the Irish Church, one which would provide a basic repertory for all our schools and parishes. It was not intended that this hymnal would supplant individual diocesan publications or seek to limit congregations to its contents, but it is published with the object of ensuring that a worthwhile collection of hymns would be readily available in all parts of the country in a convenient and compact format.

How to use this book:
The Table of Contents is designed as a practical guide to the selection of hymns for various occasions and is divided into groups for Mass, Special Occasions, Benediction and the Sacraments as follows:

Presentation of the gifts
Communion
Recessional
Entrance: Sundays of the Year, Advent, Christmas, Presentation, Lent, Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity, Corpus Christi, Sacred Heart, Precious Blood, Transfiguration, Christ the King, All Saints, All Souls, Mary, Patrick, Brigid.
Benediction
Baptism
Confirmation
Marriage
Requiem
Masses

Where a hymn is suitable for more than one occasion and therefore appears more than once in the Table of Contents, the hymn number is repeated but its second appearance is printed in lighter type.

The Selection of Hyms:
Through consultation with the Communications Institute and the regional branches of the ICMA it was sought to establish what hymns people like to sing. Four main groups emerged:
a. Traditional Gaelic hymns with texts in Irish b. Gaelic melodies with English words c. Standard traditional hymns d. Recent hymns which are likely to endure

Texts:
In the past there has been confusion and criticism resulting from the way words have varied from one book to another. This edition attempts to provide versions accept?¼able to Christians in the modem post-conciliar world. It will be noted that in some cases words have been subjected to slight alterations to convey more directly the spiritual meaning. In a very few cases where the tune has been very popular but the customary words reflect period attitudes they have been completely rewritten. These new versions have won the approval of a number of choirs who have sung them and they merit careful consideration by clergy and laity.
We hope that this volume will be readily accepted by our schools and parishes and become the springboard for a great renewal of interest in singing at Mass, thus enabling people to participate more intimately in the mysteries of Salvation. I am confident that The Veritas Hymnal will prove its usefulness in the years to come and exhort all who benefit from it to support the work of The Irish Church Music Association.