A New Catholic ‘Lessons and Carols’: Commissioning New Advent and Christmas Carols for the Church
Archbishop Cordileone launched a new Catholic ‘lessons and carols’ “A Very Marian Advent Prayer Service” based on a powerful theme: Waiting for Jesus with Mary through the last difficult month of pregnancy.
Each year we commission two new carols to add new Christmas music for the Church, and offer several flexible templates for this new Catholic “lessons and carols” to Catholic music directors around the country.
“A Very Marian Advent Prayer Service” is now traveling beyond San Francisco to Oakland, Pasadena, and soon, to New York City. As of the end of 2025, 35 parishes in 18 states and three countries have requested these carols for their Advent services.
Select a carol to listen to and to learn about the artists and patrons of that particular piece.
Learn how to get the sheet music for these carols to be used in your parish or by your choir.
You can watch a Very Marian Advent Prayer Service from 2025 which took place at Christ the Light Cathedral in Oakland California, Bishop Michael Barber presiding.
In a generous act of artistic stewardship, the composers are making these carols available for free use this Christmas season—so that parishes, choirs, and families everywhere can share in the beauty of this music.
Complete the form below to learn how to get the sheet music for these carols. Please note that many of these hymns have a cathedral choir version as well as a simplified parish choir version.
If you are interested in bringing the Very Marian Advent Prayer Service to your parish or cathedral, let us know!
