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�Teaching children hymns in Catholic schools is a fantastic way to teach music, poetry, theology, and community all in one,� Kathleen (Ellis �99) Goodrich, the music director at St. Sebastian Church in Santa Paula, California.  It leads children �down a road of liturgical participation � just as parishioners or as liturgists, choir members, cantors, organists � to spark that love of sacred music that the Church needs to have in the faithful if the musical tradition of the Church is to be preserved.�

To aid Catholic schools in this effort, Mrs. Goodrich has co-edited �  a collection of 50 traditional hymns suitable for congregational harmonic singing � along with a fellow 91����� Aquinas College alumnus, Dr. Andrew Seeley (�87). The chosen hymns �are doctrinally rich, poetically powerful; the imagery is tremendous,� says Dr. Seeley, a member of the College�s teaching faculty at the California campus. �They are scriptural. They draw from the rich liturgical traditions of the Church.�

Yet the two alumni were careful to select hymns that even young, inexperienced singers in a school setting could learn to master � and love. �Singing music in harmony is one of the most unifying, socially affirming experiences available to human beings,� adds Mrs. Goodrich. �There�s almost no joy in the world equal to singing together.�

To accompany the hymnal, Dr. Seeley has also authored , which provides background on each hymn, its composer, its lyrics, and their underlying theology. Both works are published by the , of which Dr. Seeley is a co-founder and the director of advanced formation.

In a recent review, declared that �the first booklet should be in the hands of every Catholic school student in the country, the second in the hands of teachers,� while calling the works �a genuine answer to prayer and a sign that Catholic education is truly being renewed.�