Hymns for Confirmation?

[quaeritor]

Thanks for all the help folks - I've gleaned a couple of useful suggestions and fed them into the decision process. I'll post the final selection (whenever I'm told what it is!)

Q

[Nick Baty]

And God is always the Father figure.

Works for me. But not, perhaps, for those whose experience of "father" is negative or non-existent.

[Peter]

Apologies for the late addition to this thread, I hope not too late to be of help to Quaeritor.

It's a while since I've played at Confirmation Masses and even then I had no influence over the choice of hymns, but those who did choose them did not seem to confine themselves to explicitly Spirit-related texts. "Here I am, Lord" has been used as (a good opener, indicating readiness to accept the sacrament, though slightly odd when placed at Communion), as have "Here in this place" (rather less specifically relevant), "Make me a channel of your peace" and "Sing of the Lord's goodness". Some hymns have been more suited to specific parts of the Mass than Confirmation (e.g. "All that I am" or "Take this bread" at the Offertory).

"Lord, you give the great commission" makes a good recessional (reflecting what the Apostles did after receiving the Holy Spirit) and despite Quaeritor's objection ...

... I have managed to persuade the organisers that "Shine, Jesus, shine" is not a hymn to the Holy Spirit ("the clue's in the title" ) ...

... that hymn has been used as well (the refrain does include the words "Blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire").

The one I really took exception to was "As I kneel before you" at Communion, but was told "The children chose it".

[organist]

A tricky one as many attending will not be church goers. At Westminster cathedral there is silence during the actual confirmations.

[High Peak]

A tricky one as many attending will not be church goers. At Westminster cathedral there is silence during the actual confirmations.

I was assisting with a Confirmation Mass in north Wales - the Bishop of Wrexham also likes silence during the confirmations.

[mcb]

the Bishop of Wrexham also likes silence during the confirmations.

Ditto in Salford (I guess our Bishop picked up the idea in Westminster). A good move, if you ask me. I was against it at first, but it does seem to help in keeping the atmosphere prayerful and attentive.

[Southern Comfort]

Unfortunately, in my experience, silence during the anointing of the candidates, particularly if they are numerous, soon turns into the low buzz of conversation that gradually, sometimes rapidly, increases in volume, rising to quite a substantial background chatter. Checking mobile phones is also common if the anointings are done in silence!

Actually inviting those present to pray actively for the candidates by joining in the singing is a great help, and tells them that what is going on is not mere background music and that their participation is important. That, of course, means selecting music that is both appropriate in content and mood and assembly-friendly. I'm thinking of pieces like Bernadette Farrell's Spirit of God, a gem that is often overlooked in planning, or "God of love, let your Spirit come on us, deep in us" from the Paul Inwood Millennium Mass, often used at ordinations, too.

[Ephrem Feeley]

Apologies for my lateness in joining this conversation. Here's the list of what our Schola sang at the confirmations in May 2018. There are 25 in the group, and we invite the congregation to join in. Sometimes they do. We always sing during the conferring of the sacrament on the candidates: there are around 170 at each ceremony, and it takes time. In general, people don't talk too much during the ceremony (though there are exceptions), music is a good way of settling.

Entrance: Tar Anuas a Spioraid Naomh (Ite O'Donovan) with new verses by David Burke
Kyrie: Mass of Our Lady of Lourdes (Paul Décha)
Gloria: St Joseph's Gloria (David Burke)
Psalm: Send Forth Your Spirit (Steven Warner)
Gospel Acclamation: Salisbury Alleluia (Christopher Walker)

Anointing of the Candidates:
Litany to the Holy Spirit (Peter Hurford)
Come, O Holy Spirit of God (Ephrem Feeley)
A Joy for All the Earth (Ephrem Feeley)
Confirma Hoc, Deus (Plainchant)

Offertory: My Shepherd is the Lord (Jack Miffleton)
Eucharistic Acclamations: Mass of Creation (Marty Haugen)
Agnus Dei (Plainchant)

Communion:
Deep and Lasting Peace (Michael Joncas)
Lead, Kindly Light (Steven Warner)

Recessional: Regina Caeli / Rejoice, Queen of Heaven (Plainchant / Ronan McDonagh)