Most are free-to-use (ie public domain or copyright-free) hymns and songs, so the words can be copied and sung to at least one tune with no concerns about copyright or performance licensing. Many such hymns are old/traditional - but where possible a variety of styles / genres are included. A small number of hymns that are still copyright may also be included, if they are particularly relevant.
Suggestions about hymns that could be included are welcome: please leave a message in the Comments box near the bottom of the page.
About Our Lady of Fatima
On May 13, 1917, three children Lúcia Santos, Jacinta and Francisco Marto were caring for sheep in Cova da Iria - a field belonging to Lucia's family. They reportedly saw a vision of a beautiful lady "made of light, holding a rosary in her hand", who told them told them not to be afraid, saying "I come from Heaven". They saw the lady six more times and in the last apparition in October 1917 she told them to pray the rosary to obtain the end of the Great War. On his date, over 30,000 people witnessed a solar event that became known as the Miracle of the Sun.A small chapel was built at the site in the 1920s, when people started making devotional pilgrimages there. Mary was given the title later known as Our Lady of the Rosary of Fátima, and the local Roman Catholic Bishop gave his seal of approval to the reported apparitions. Today the place has become an important pilgrimage centre for people from all over the world.
Suggested free-use hymns
Ave of Fatima - unknown
Hymn to Our Lady of Fatima - Maria Fabian / Holzmer,
Hymn to Our Lady of Fatima - Maria Fabian / Holzmer,
Our Lady Star of Fatima - Carol Rossini
Suggested hymns which may still be copyright
Copyright status has been very difficult to determine for many of these hymns: it's likely they were all published after 1923 in the USA, but equally possibly the copyright was not registered/renewed. And dates of death of the author/composers have not been found in most cases. So they have been listed in this category even though they are quite possibly now in the public domain in the USA at least.Fatima Ave - Sweetman
Dear / Our Lady of Fatima - Collahon
Hymn to Our Lady of Fatima - Loyola
Lady of Fatima, Lady of Light - Unknown
Lady of Light - Fatima 'Salve' - McLarney (copyright 1948)
Litany of our Lady of Fatima - Culbreth
Mestra do Anúncio, Profecia do Amor - Duarte / Riberio (official hymn of the 100th anniversary of the apparitions - published by the National Shrine)
Now the World is Saved from Darkness - M.Owen Lee
O Fatima Farewell - author unknown
Our Lady of Fatima (Thou have come O loving mother) - Cacella / Sister Florentine
Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima - Cacella
Queen of the Rosary - author unknown
Senhora, Mae da Vida - Santana
The Thirteenth of May: American version - European version
See also ...
- Catholic lectionary based hymn suggestions for Sundays and feasts
- Sources of music for church services
- Music selection worksheet
To clarify a rule about copyright: anything composed and published in the US after 1964 is still in copyright protection; so permission is still needed for some of the material above.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting Richard. Copyright law is extremely complex - and I do wish it was as simple as you've said. Unfortunately there are complications: Some authors/composers choose to waive copyright restrictions or just give permission for anyone to use their work. Some don't enforce their copyright or give any way to ask for permission to use their work.
DeleteAnd to make it even more complicated - American copyright law doesn't apply to well over half of the people who visit this website!
The best I can do is advise people to be cautious, and research the material they want to use and its status in their country.
"Our Lady of Fatima" by Gladys Gollahon was copyrighted in 1950; copyright renewed 1977. Based on current copyright laws, this song is under copyright for 95 years; copyright will expire Jan. 1, 2046.
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