Liturgical Music

Our new Psalms for All Seasons project from composer Matthew Ward reimagines the responsorial psalms for the updated lectionary by creating seasonal melodies that reflect the liturgical calendar.

Drawing inspiration from Gregorian chant and traditional sacred music, he has composed tunes that are accessible for congregations yet deeply rooted in the Church’s musical heritage.

The project fosters a sense of unity, familiarity, and prayerful participation in the Mass by assigning consistent melodies to each liturgical season and incorporating subtle references to ancient chant. This approach not only enriches worship but also aligns music with the rhythm of the Church’s year.

“So that when you get to Advent, just like you change to purple vestments, you change to a particular psalm melody that you sing during Advent…  Over time, congregations would come to recognise the melodies, and they become as familiar as the the vestment changes and the other changes in those seasons, so that the seasonality and the living the church’s year becomes embedded in in the Mass and we recognise the tunes.”