St. William's Last Mass - Holy God, We Praise Thy Name

[Prancer1231]

very nice orchestra

[mako13701285]

The only hymn my church, when I was growing up, knew for closing the Mass was this one. My mother must have heard it 2,000 times. We played it at her funeral as a tribute to the devoted Catholic she was.  I love you Mom. I hope you enjoyed hearing this one more time.

[ROBINSONREX1]

Why did you close down? My goodness, this doesn't seem to be like a parish deserves to be closed? Why?

[Xfranman]

Not long before her death, I took my Mom passed the "new" St. Williams. It brought her to tears. The Church where she had married my Dad, not long deceased, had changed so. Here her children were baptized and one confirmed. To those for whom a church building represents important moments of life lived, its passing can be heart wrenching. But the "church" - the assembly - is forever. "Behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world". And so He is.

[chansonangelica]

Of all renditions I have heard (covering> half century), this one moves me most.

Thanks St. William's--may God bless you wherever you are and wherever you sing..

[bensdadfrank]

Visiting again, and I hope all who were involved revisit often.

[srawcliffe]

How could a church with such a great orchestra close? It makes this protestant so sad to think of you guys closing! God bless.

[Peoria3165]

It is a time of consolidation for the church. God bless and I hope you find a wonderful new parish to join.

[alecb30]

Thanks for putting up this beautiful Catholic hymn. I lost my Father last year and this hymn will forever remind me of him.

[Paleolutheran]

Thank you for this blessing...not only is this hymn wonderful, it is a fitting one for a church's last Mass.

[etbella3]

Nobody dares to dislike this song. A 7th sign.

[etbella3]

The Catholic Church really does own the mystery. Believe. And start tithing your asses off. Ass, as in the donkey Mary and Jesus rode to show humility. The donkey owned by St. Francis, who cried when his cherished master died.

[imanacer]

Impressive. Where was St Williams?

[PJMurray730]

@imanacer Dorchester, Massachusetts

[epm5433]

Very beautiful, hymn ... Great job by Mr. Lee and his contingent.

[dancny]

It is a waste of time to respond to ignorant comments like those from jbond1945. Hateful people abound and should be ignored.

[bensdadfrank]

So sad , the last hymn at the last Mass. I can only pray that I never experience it. It seems as though it is one last full,tangible cry to God from a congergation that must move on to other places. I hope God has guided you all to wonderful new parish homes. Reminds me of saying goodbye to favorite pastors and our beloved pianist, behind whom I was fortunate enough to play my string bass for so many years. Fortunately God seems to open new doors as old ones close.

[loriloristuff]

BRAVI!!! I hope you are allowed to continue your orchestra at your new parish. It would be a refreshing change in my parish.

[theaterpipe1]

This was the last hymn played at my church, St. Pius X, in 2008. The pipe organ was playing, their wonderful piano was going, with a trumpet, strings, and a large Children and Adult choir! That was such a sad day, but the hymn made everything better!

[goforthandkoncar]

My mother died on Oct. 25th, I pushed my father down the aisle,in a wheel chair, behind her casket as this song played. He died on Nov 28th. They live together in heaven today on Dec 25th.

[Aggromerchant]

@goforthandkoncar

You know it. Well done.

[pinedapopi]

very nice. thank you

[jwippel]

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFULL!!!  One of my favorite hymns.

[UtahImplosion]

Beautiful! I love this song. Sad to hear the parish closed. May I ask why it closed? That's too bad, I hope you were able to find a new parish nearby.

[TuboEspectador]

Please be kind or be silent, okay? ;-)

[whhswhhs]

A wonderful arrangement-so powerful and poignant. I am sorry about your church. Although completely fallen, your performance gave me chills and wonderful memories of my weekly attendance at novena so many years ago.

[mkl62]

It's me again. This past Sunday (June 7), we sang this as the closing hymn since it was The Holy Trinity. The same information that I wrote still applies.

[xxxxulovemexxxx]

Sorry about the loss of your church.

[jesusthroughmary]

The Church is not the parish, and it's not the pastor. If you judge the Church by its members, you'll always wind up disappointed and disenchanted - as will anyone who judges the Church by your actions. The Church is nothing more than Christ extended through time and space by the power of the Holy Spirit. She is the fountain designated by God to dispense His grace and His life. It doesn't matter which building you to go for that grace as long as Christ is present there in the Sacraments.

[HolyCatholicApostoli]

today we Listen to it at Benediction before our Lord in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Alter!

[TuboEspectador]

Absolutely spot on!

When two more people meet.... right?

:)

[doyawntsom]

If only all catholics belived as you do. May God bless and keep you, please pray for me,and our pope that god may save his church,by the power of the holy spirit, " because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour": "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places". may the Lord save us. mark

[greenspacesforever]

I hope you managed to bring the musicians to the "new" parish and merge successfully. We are also undergoing a merging of three parishes. I am very disenchanted with the Church right now. It seems everytime someone gets something really going, they have to destroy it.

[meghan216egg]

sham on you j-bond, y do you say things like that?, now is a time were christians need to come together!!! jesus loves you!!

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!!

[tommachxyz]

I am glad God gave us the gift of music so we could sing to Him our praises for His great love for us.

[Pucky71]

für mich eines der schönsten und ergreifendsten Kirchenlieder.Nummer 257 des deutschen katholischen Gotteslob

[vernon361970]

this song can be substituted for the te deum  which small choirs may find difficult to perform

[mkl62]

I am an ELCA Lutheran from South Carolina. I play the piano and organ. This past Sunday (May 18, The Holy Trinity), we sang this as the Closing Hymn. It is #414 in The Holy Trinity section of Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Just thought I'd share.

[harryhobart]

I am a Catholic from Florida. When I was in college (eons ago), I dated a Lutheran girl for a time. Sometimes she would go to Mass with me, and I would go to Lutheran liturgy with her. One of my fondest memories of that part of my life is hearing a full-throated Lutheran congregation sing "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." Just thought I'd share back.

[mkl62]

I usually play on 4th Sundays. We celebrate Reformation on the last Sunday in October, so I have played A Mighty Fortress several times. My fondest memory was the rendition of it at a funeral of a Lutheran pastor that I knew as a teen and young adult at a nearby Lutheran church. The organist opened with a solo trumpet stop and eventually brought up the entire organ on it. It was the processional hymn. The organ was a Schantz pipe organ.

[PreacherSly]

Something is seriously wrong when churches close, but bars are on every corner flourishing

[Criswell75]

They closed this parish?! The choir is so good! I wonder if they are from other parishes and were brought in for the special occassion. It would be a shame if a church closed with a choir this good!

[DonTobias]

i love it!

[pinedapopi]

Very Good strings. its so unusual the introduction.

[jerry14224]

There are 2 excellent renditions of this hymn on Itunes which you can download. Both are wonderfully performed. Simply type in the hymn title. Play them when you are stressed out.

[Plancho8]

Großer Gott wir loben dich!!!

Beautiful - Wunderbar!!!

[happygael]

I remember this hymn from My childhood in St Stephen's of Hungary in NyC. Also from St Ann's Academy High School ( now close)and my parish Our Lady of lourdes in Queens Village NY This wonderful choir made me realise how much i missed it. It is still a beautiul hymn and the performance of this choir is stellar.

[jerry14224]

I can remember this hymn as a young man in the late 50's. I've always loved it and remember the words to a few of the versus. Lost both my parents within the last year and this hymn always brings a tear to my eye. I hope they've found peace.

[mmmail1969]

Jerry, remember, you have "lost" nothing. Your parents and you are forever members of the SAME Church in this world or eternity. They in fact, now enjoy it in a much fuller way, as you will one day. Never forget, as a Roman Catholic, the incredible power gifted to YOU by Christ. To say "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" calling down the Almighty...to hear your prayers...God Bless and remember, forever united in the Church.

[bucknakee68]

A very philosophical thought...however, I know how I'd feel if the church where I was baptized, did all of my first sacraments, attended many funerals, etc. closed...it's a profound loss. Sure, we shall go on

[gonda777]

That makes me sad that your parish had to close, but remember the church is not a building. You're all still the church.

[DAVIDACA]

what a beautiful hymn

[chrishale615]

i love it. every day.

[gorrocks7]

Grosser Gott Hymn Tune - Our church sings this all the time.

[arc1921]

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!

[mushrooman538]

i remember going to this, it was amazing, and the vietnamese mass too

[champ0y]

God has greater plans for these great people.. He would'nt let the spirit and talent in their hearts burn out. Still it is these people that comprise the Church. Bravo!

[bripat22]

I am so sorry that your parish was closed! Always so sad!

I remember this hymn as the Recessional for Benediction. Many good memories

[GrandeChoeur]

Is the organ pipe or digital?

[jwm1938]

How sad!!!! The last Mass at St. William's with such a fine choir and music ensemble. I thought of my childhood more than 50 years ago at St. John's in Swampscott, Massachusetts when wee sang that often. Where is St. William's? and what has happened to the musicians?

[Amfortas87]

Its a monumental composition! Holy God, We Praise Thy Name! B R I L L I A N T !

[tletch]

Excellent!!!!!!!

[jim4arrow]

m a g n i f i c a n t !

[juansmommy]

This is my favorite song. Thank you and God Bless you.

[meadowx5]

i love this song..

i remember when the carthage choir sang it when the cardinal was here..absolutely amazing

[Jm4steam]

absolutely beautiful