If you’re organising a Catholic funeral that will happen during Lent, you may not have the usual range of choices regarding the music. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and last for 40 days (not including Sundays) up to Easter. In 2025, Lent starts on Wednesday 5 March and ends on Thursday 17 April.
Less music during Lent
During Lent, the playing of the organ and musical instruments is only allowed to support the singing. Equally, the Gloria and Alleluia are omitted during Lent, whether sung or spoken. So the amount of music performed during a mass is less than outside Lent.
The choice of what music can or should be sung can seem somewhat limited as a result. At some churches it might be non-existent. Ultimately, the ‘rules’ regarding music during Lent vary across churches, parishes and dioceses, as each Parish Priest has the last say on what happens in ‘his’ church.
Want to talk about a funeral service in Lent 2025?
Advice about music in church at Lent
The Catholic Faith office has this guidance about music during Lent:
In our 15 years of experience as professional funeral singers, some priests do decide that there should be no music at all in the church during the lead up to Easter. If that is the case, then the priest’s word is final. However, we do have a solution for music to be part of the funeral but not in the church itself. (See further down this blog)
Suitable music for Lent
Lent is a period of penance and sacrifice before Easter, (that’s why we give up things for Lent). The usual rule is that any music should not be overly joyous and not mention the ‘Risen Lord’, as that comes on Easter Sunday.
If your Parish Priest is happy for music to happen in his church during Lent then here are a few suggestions.
Our Top 20 Catholic funeral hymns and songs for Lent
- Abide with me
- As the deer pants for the water
- Deep peace
- Go silent friend – sung to the tune of Danny Boy
- Here I am Lord
- I watch the sunrise
- In Paradisum
- Make me a channel of your peace
- Oh the love of my Lord
- Only a shadow
- Panis angelicus
- Pie Jesu – three version by Faure, Lloyd-Webber & Rutter
- Shepherd me O God
- Soul of my saviour
- The bells of the angelus
- The day thou gavest
- The Lord bless you
- The Lord is my shepherd – by Goodall
- The Lord’s my shepherd
- This is my body
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Our solution to no music in church during Lent
The priest’s choice only extends to music played or sung inside the church itself. So, you can have a singer at the graveside after the Mass has ended. We’ve sung at many gravesides over the years, using just the natural power of our voices and our discreet portable speaker for our professional backing tracks (and occasionally a large golfing umbrella!).
What’s more, a soloist singing by the grave gives families the option of non-religious songs that can’t be sung in the Catholic church at any time of year as part of a funeral. We are often asked to sing timeless classics such as ‘Unforgettable’, ‘The Fields of Athenry’, ‘You Raise Me Up’, and even opera.
Families have often said how the singing at this point lifted their spirits at a very difficult time.
Having you sing at the graveside as well was brilliant, it really added to a personal send-off. My uncle would have been chuffed to have you singing for him.
Toni, thank you it was a wonderful send of for mum. Your voice resounding throughout the cemetery. A wonderful gift. Thanks once again.
Church AND graveside? No problem
In this day and age, many burials do not happen in the churchyard but at larger cemeteries a short drive away. For some families, we have sung at the church service, then hopped in the car to drive on to the cemetery to sing a popular song or family favourite by the graveside.
The personal touch with live music
We’re always happy to discuss how we can help celebrate a loved one’s life and make the funeral service a personal event with live singing. Give us a call to see how we could help.
You made mum’s farewell an occasion which gave everyone at St James’, and Wessex Vale, something very beautiful and positive to reflect upon; a wonderful memory for each of us, which my mother would have really appreciated and enjoyed.
