Product listing

30 Years of CanticaNOVA Publications!

In early 1996, friends and Catholic musicians Gary Penkala and Chris Bord started to talk about possibly starting a traditionally focused liturgical music publishing company. At that time there were very few such companies, and most of the big name companies were traveling a road leading decisively away from tradition. Gary had the idea of putting together a group of chant settings of the Gospels for major feasts of the liturgical year, inspired by his years as music director at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. After investing in computers, printers, and music engraving software, work began on what was to become CNP's first product - the Book of Sung Gospels (BSG). On October 1st, 1996, CanticaNOVA Publications became a legal entity and our work here commenced.

A lot has happened since then. In the early years, all our marketing was done with paper through the Postal service, with our first brochure for the BSG being sent out very early in 1997, and our first catalog of 15 products (all written by Gary and Chris) was sent out in the Fall of 1997. In 1999, to take advantage of the World Wide Web, which was starting to come into its own and was available to an increasing number of people, the www.canticanova.com domain was registered, and Chris began writing the CNP website with content provided by Gary. This site allowed us to do more than just sell products, but also to educate through relevant articles, assist liturgical musicians with planning pages for Sundays and Feasts, as well as to receive and answer questions about liturgical music. The planning pages were particularly well-received, and to this day we are not aware of any other planning pages online that are both free and provide music suggestions to various companies, not just CNP. With the web becoming increasingly ubiquitous and postal rates skyrocketing, we chose to halt production of paper catalogs, with the Fall of 2009 being the last one produced. In 2019 we added planning pages for use with the Extraordinary Form of the Mass to assist those involved with this important work.

And we've grown! From 1 product to well over 500 and from 2 composers to 132 (as of this catalog) from all over the world, it has been our privilege to present to the Church and her musicians some truly excellent music for use in liturgies. Many thanks to all our superb composers who have trusted us with their works over the years!!

A lot has changed, but our mission remains the same - provide great music, educate liturgical musicians, and make liturgical planning easier with frequently updated planning pages.

Of course, we could never have done any of this without your unwavering support over the past 30 years. Thank you for allowing us to assist you in doing some of the most important work in the Church - assisting Catholics throughout the world in worshipping the Holy Trinity through the beauty of music!

Our Summer 2026 Catalog is Now Available!

Welcome to our 55th catalog of Traditional Music for the Contemporary Church!

This year's catalog includes one liturgical setting (for funerals) and one organ work (a superb neo-Baroque fugue), but is primarily focused on vocal anthems. These include pieces for unison, 2-part, 3-part, and 4-part choirs, for use at Communion time, Lent, Holy Week, and the Feasts of the Transfiguration and the Sacred Heart. We're very pleased to welcome two UK composers – David Andrew from Saint Milburga Roman Catholic Church in Church Stretton, Shropshire, and Michael Carter from Saint Swithun Church, Southsea – to our family of composers. We hope you find in these new works an opportunity to bring additional beauty and variety to your liturgical celebrations!

Enjoy!!

The Staff of CNP

 

New Liturgical Setting

Saint Paul Nunc Dimittis

- Gary D. Penkala

Perfect for funerals, but also useful for Entrance, Offertory, or Communion, the Saint Paul Nunc Dimittis, sets the Canticle of Simeon as the verses for a cantor/congregation piece, with a refrain based on the hymn tune Saint Columba, using the text from I Corinthians 15.

New Organ Work

Fugue in g minor

- Michael Carter

Superbly crafted in neo-Baroque style, this Fugue for solo organ is of medium difficulty, but worth every bit of attention that must be spent on its mastering!

New Vocal Works

Ave verum

- David Andrew

Ideal for Lent, Holy Week, or Communion time, this setting of the classic chant Ave verum for SATB voices utilizes concatenated pairs of the chant phrases in alternating parts, with an effective underlying organ accompaniment.

O Blessed Trinity

- Gregory Hamilton

Using a beautiful English translation of the ancient Latin antiphon for Vespers on Trinity Sunday, this motet for unison choir or a medium solo voice can be sung appropriately at almost any liturgy, since the doctrine of the Trinity is so fundamental to Christian worship!

Non in solo pane

- Andrew Mills

This SATB setting of Matthew 4:4 – "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God" – is written in a fine neo-Renaissance style. The text is the Gospel Verse and Communion Antiphon for the First Sunday of Lent, which makes this piece a great one with which to start Lent!

Wondrous Light

- Angela Birkhead-Flight

Set for SATB choir with violin or other treble instrument and organ, this piece is based on the Welsh hymn tune Rhosymedre, with a fresh new text that meditates on the Transfiguration. Perfect for the Feast of the Transfiguration (August 6th), this piece is also appropriate for the Second Sunday of Lent, thanks to the lack of "Alleluia" in the text.

Down in Adoration Falling

- Ross Semler

Using an English translation of Saint Thomas Aquinas's famous text, this superbly harmonized, a cappella, SATB anthem is particularly appropriate for Benediction, Holy Thursday, or Communion at other times.

I Will Give You Rest

- Henry Lebedinski

Especially appropriate around the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart or for any Mass that celebrates comfort and the love of God, this setting of Matthew 11:28-30 for two-part mixed choir and organ has superb choral writing that is both imitative and homophonic.

Benedicite Domino

- Jacob Clemens non Papa

A wonderful asset for those choirs short on male voices, this SAB motet in two parts comes from early 16th-century Flemish composer Jacob Clemens non Papa, with a text from various psalms and I Chronicles that speaks of blessing and thanksgiving.

Seminarian Discount!

Seminarians are in a challenging situation. On one hand, the number of new things they are required to purchase for their studies is extensive, and the cost of the education itself is not cheap. At the same time, they are full-time students, most with no steady income, and they're not looking at a financially lucrative salary post-graduation to help pay their school debts.

As a very small way to assist with this problem, CNP now offers a 25% discount on all orders made by U.S. Roman Catholic seminarians. To qualify for this discount:

1. On the order form or checkout page, check the box marked "Seminarian".
2. Have your order shipped to a U.S. Roman Catholic seminary (including PNAC).

That's it! Once we have verified the address, we will send you a bill (either by US mail or email via Paypal - you choose) with the discount applied.