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Despite centuries of beloved Christmas carols, there has been little new music added to the canon in the last 50 years. This initiative, led by the Benedict XVI Institute, focuses on creating fresh, impactful music for Advent and Christmas.
At the heart of the project is the annual “Very Marian Advent Prayer Service” in San Francisco, led by Archbishop Cordileone. This worship service is based on a powerful theme: “Waiting for Jesus with Mary through the last difficult month of pregnancy,” featuring newly composed carols. These new Advent/Christmas carols are now being used in parishes across the country, and the idea of hosting a Very Marian Advent Prayer Service is traveling beyond San Francisco to Oakland, Pasadena, and most recently, to St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral in New York City.
Good news for this Advent and Christmas season! The composers are making these carols available for free use this Advent Christmas season—so that parishes, choirs, and families everywhere can share in the beauty of this music.
The 2025 Very Marian Advent Carol Service features two new Marian carols honoring St. Francis by the artistic team of Fr. Dwight Longenecker (words) and William J. Fritz (music).
Archbishop Cordileone commissioned these new Christmas carols in part in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the founding of San Francisco by St. Junipero Serra and his Franciscan brothers, with the first ever Mass taking place in 2026, which is the birthday of the great city of San Francisco.
“St. Francis and the Christmas Creche” celebrates the founding of the Christmas creche tradition by St. Francis who staged the first nativity scene on Christmas Eve in 1223 while visiting the Italian village of Greccio. “I want to do something that will recall the memory of that child who was born in Bethlehem, to see with bodily eyes the inconveniences of his infancy, how he lay in the manger, and how the ox and ass stood by,” St. Francis reportedly said.
Patron opportunity available. Contact mg********@**vi.org for more information.
Fr. Longenecker takes the Latin song penned by St. Francis himself and adapts it as a carol in English, set to music by the gifted young Catholic composer William J. Fritz (Visit CyprianStudios to learn more about Will Fritz).
“This carol came about by Providence or accident; I sent a copy to Fr. Longenecker along with other writings by St. Francis about Mary as preparation for his hymn celebrating the Christmas creche. He was inspired by the Salutation, and a new hymn was born, Deo Gratia,” Maggie Gallagher, executive director of the Benedict XVI Institute.
Dedicated by Angie and Mike Fuith ”…to our daughter’s birthmom and to all mothers who bravely and lovingly chose adoption for their child.”
Frank La Rocca and James Matthew Wilson, our composer and poet-in-residence respectively, team up to create a gorgeous new setting of the 6th century Akathist Hymn (still widely chanted in Eastern Orthodoxy, but less well-known to Roman Catholics). Hear Mary’s lovely ancient titles in a new musical setting. To learn more about Frank La Rocca’s work visit his website. To learn more about James Matthew Wilson’s work visit his website.
The composer gratefully acknowledges Mr. and Mrs. James Hudon for their support of this work. Please pray for their intentions, and those of all the Hudon Family.
Fr. Dwight Longenecker has put new words to a traditional Welsh lullaby Suo Gân (perhaps best known for its recent appearance in the Disney film Empire of the Son. This carol is available for use both in concert version and in a simpler form suitable for parishes. Catholic composer William J. Fritz has composed the new arrangement. (Visit CyprianStudios to learn more about Will Fritz).
In loving memory of Bruce Michael Trela and Dragutin Cuculjevich Zuzuly, in union with all church choral singers whose harmonies elevate the liturgy and resonate the Divine.
“Chesterton’s Carol“ by Mark Nowakowski has become an instant Christmas classic, gaining over 22,000 YouTube views. He is perhaps best-known for composing the score for the Mass of the Ages films. To learn more about Mark Nowakowski’s work visit his website. This carol is available for use both in concert version and in a simpler form suitable for parishes.
Please pray for our patrons: Chris and Theresa Decker and Family, John and Nancy Fairbanks, Jill Jordan, Wendy-Marie Teichert, and Dr. Nikolaus Hohmann.
“Our Lady Expectant” is based on a poem by Roseanne T. Sullivan and set to music by Wilhelmina Pariseau. The hymn uses the language from the O Antiphons to express Mary’s longing to see her child and Savior. This carol is available for use both in concert version and in a simpler form suitable for parishes. Visit Mina Pariseau’s website for more information.
Please pray for our patrons: Chris and Theresa Decker and Family, John and Nancy Fairbanks, Jill Jordan, Wendy-Marie Teichert, and Dr. Nikolaus Hohmann.
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 partnering with the Benedict XVI Institute in bringing the Very Marian Advent Prayer Service to your parish or cathedral, let us know!.