Edited by Christian F. Stepansky
Our Sunday Visitor, 1999
Cantate et Iubilate Deo ("Sing and Rejoice to God") is a beautifully produced Catholic hymnal that brings together the Church's rich treasury of sacred music in both Latin and English. Published by Our Sunday Visitor in 1999 and edited by Christian F. Stepansky, this handsome hardcover was created to encourage a renewed appreciation of traditional Catholic hymnody and Gregorian chant while making these timeless works accessible to modern congregations and individual worshippers. The volume contains more than eighty classic hymns and chants spanning nearly two millennia of Christian worship.
Unlike a standard parish hymnal, Cantate et Iubilate Deo is both a devotional resource and an educational guide. Many of the hymns are presented in their original Latin alongside accurate English translations, allowing readers to appreciate the beauty and theological richness of the Church's musical heritage. The collection includes Gregorian chant settings, traditional Eucharistic and Marian hymns, seasonal hymns for Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost, as well as music for Benediction, Eucharistic Adoration, and other Catholic devotions. Brief commentaries explain the historical background and spiritual significance of many selections, while quotations from Church documents illuminate the role of sacred music in the liturgy. The hymnal was conceived during a period of renewed interest in restoring traditional sacred music to Catholic worship following the Second Vatican Council. Its editors sought to bridge the gap between liturgy and personal devotion by presenting the Church's finest hymns in a format suitable for prayer, study, and singing. Beautifully printed and illustrated, the volume includes musical notation, devotional prayers, and helpful indexes organized by liturgical season and hymn title, making it useful for clergy, choirs, parish musicians, and lay Catholics alike.Christian F. Stepansky edited this collection to preserve and promote the enduring tradition of Catholic sacred music. Working with liturgical scholars and musicians, the project assembled a carefully selected repertoire emphasizing theological fidelity, historical continuity, and musical excellence. The hymnal reflects the Church's longstanding appreciation of Gregorian chant and traditional hymnody as essential expressions of Catholic worship.
Collector's Note: Cantate et Iubilate Deo occupies a distinctive place among modern Catholic hymnals. Rather than serving solely as a congregational songbook, it functions as a devotional anthology, historical introduction, and liturgical resource. Its bilingual presentation, emphasis on Gregorian chant, and thoughtful commentary have made it especially appealing to collectors of Catholic liturgical books, church musicians, seminarians, and those interested in the revival of traditional sacred music.