OCP released two Marian hymns by Catholic artists Steve Angrisano and Sarah Hart in July 2022. Angrisano’s song, Ave Maria: Mary Sing with Joyful Heart, was inspired by the musical lyrics of Fr. James Quinn, SJ, known for his many hymns in the breviary. Quinn, penned lyrics for each mystery of the rosary, and in Angrisano’s latest single, he has put those words to music, including the Ave Maria refrain. Angrisano has set to music the Joyful Mysteries and hopes to do the same for the other rosary mysteries. Sarah Hart’s Mother Mary, Pray for Us, is a beautiful Catholic hymn addressing Our Lady with different titles, then petitioning her, and asking her in her mercy, kindness, and wisdom to pray for us.
Steve Angrisano | Ave Maria | Catholic Music Spotlight
Angrisano traces his Marian devotion to when his grandfather was ill. While praying in a chapel, a lady approached him and asked him if there was anything she could pray for, to which he responded about his grandfather. He didn’t know how to pray the rosary, and the lady told him to ask Our Lady to help him love Jesus more. As Angrisano prayed the rosary in those early days, he remarked what he prayed for happened in those first few weeks and months. He believed the efficacy of Mary’s intercession at that time was to convince him that such devotion was worthwhile.
Mother Mary, Pray For Us | Sarah Hart | Catholic Music Spotlight
Sarah Hart has a similar story of Marian devotion. Her grandmother brought her to the rosary when she was a child. As she grew older, she fell away from the faith, and so too a distanced relationship with the Blessed Mother. When her grandmother was dying, she and her family, sat on her grandmother’s bed, praying the rosary, and singing Marian songs. In this experience, she saw that Mary was a tower of strength, who raised a child, who said yes, who watched Him suffer and die, she was able to gain personal strength from the example of Mary.
Both Steve and Sarah hope their Marian hymns will become a part of Catholic music for Marian feast days. Steve’s song would be a great preface for the rosary when prayed individually or in common, and Sarah’s would make for a perfect closing song for the rosary. Catholic music is meant to lead us to worship and pray. These Catholic songs will help people pray and ask Mary’s intercession from her place in heaven.
You can find Steve Angrisano’s hymn on these platforms: https://orcd.co/angrisanoavemaria
You can find Sarah Hart’s hymn on these platforms: https://orcd.co/hartmothermary
Fr. Edward has interviewed both Steve and Sarah on his podcast How They Love Mary. https://howtheylovemary.fireside.fm/
