Compositions and recordings:

 Celtic harp brings new life to sacred melodies
Longtime pastoral musician Maureen Briare has gathered 16 traditional and popular hymns and worship songs in this unique instrumental collection. Through the prayerful beauty of her Celtic harp music, she breathes new life into these beloved sacred melodies. Peaceful Prayer draws the listener into the abundant hope and comfort of God's love and grace.

Four themed meditation suites
The recording consists of four themed meditation suites-Comfort, Heart of Hope, Peaceful Prayer and Gentle Grace. Each beautifully arranged suite is made up of four hymns and songs, including favorites like "Be Not Afraid" by Bob Dufford, S.J., "On Eagle's Wings" by Michael Joncas, "Because the Lord is My Shepherd" by Christopher Walker and "Jesus the Lord" by Roc O' Connor.

Great as faith-filled, healing background music
As a supplement, the CD liner notes include scripture and inspiring quotes from saints that can be spoken as reflection or used for guided prayer. This music is excellent as healing, faith-filled background music, and is especially good for use as therapy for hospital patients. From traditional Irish and Silesian melodies to all-time favorite hymns, Maureen has created a lovely, heartfelt recording to enhance times of quiet meditation. 

 Experience God’s grace with familiar melodies played on the soothing Celtic harp. 

Featuring instrumental arrangements of 12 traditional and popular hymns and worship songs, Maureen Briare’s latest instrumental endeavor continues in the same vein as the first volume, Peaceful Prayer: Sacred Melodies of Comfort and Hope. Perfect for anyone seeking a peaceful respite, this unique collection of Celtic harp music draws listeners into the abundant hope and comfort of God’s love and grace.

The recording consists of four themed meditation suites: Awakening Hope, Living Waters, Shores of Grace and Sacred Beauty. Each beautifully arranged suite is made up of three hymns or songs, including favorites like “There Is a Longing” by Anne Quigley, “Shelter Me, O God” by Bob Hurd and Owen Alstott’s “O Holy Mary.”

Designed to reflect natural rhythms and soothing tempos, Maureen’s beautiful harp arrangements lend themselves perfectly to peaceful and relaxing listening. Though the harp is featured, you’ll hear a variety of other instruments, like oboe, cello and violin, throughout the recordings. From “Pacem,” an original composition inspired by Maureen's experience playing at a hospice service, to the recognizable “For the Beauty of the Earth Medley,” the prayerful songs on this collection will surround you with a sense of calm and serenity.

 Maureen Briare's The Road of Mercy is an eight-song collection of diverse music for the sacred liturgy. The songs are crafted to embody our lived experience of spiritual life, expressing gratitude, praise, thanksgiving, faith and unity in prayerful ritual music. The collection features repeating patterns and phrasings, dancing tempos, rich choral and harmonic textures, and meditative musical forms, all in service to the liturgy.  To learn more and purchase, click the photo above to link to Oregon Catholic Press (OCP).

 Touching on themes of Creation, Love of God for Us, and Salvation, this simple ostinato-format Communion song features an easy-to-sing refrain for the assembly and six verses for cantor(s), enhanced by SATB harmonies and parts for multiple instruments. 

 Based on the text by Blessed John Henry Newman, "Lead, Kindly Light." Themes of comfort, light, and trust in God. This piece works well liturgically for funerals and Masses during November. This song is featured in Maureen's collection, The Road of Mercy, which offers a range of diverse liturgical music and scriptural themes.  

To the Ends of the Earth

By Maureen Briare

The hymn name and musical inspiration for To the Ends of the Earth

emerged from the stunningly beautiful illumination of the earth and cosmos*

contained in the hand-wrought pages of The Saint John’s Bible.

Vocal Forces: SATB, cantor, assembly

Accompaniment: Keyboard

Guitar: Yes

Instrumental parts included: Oboe

Series: WLP Choral

Topical: Marriage, Unity, Eternal Life, Love

Number of Pages: 8

Format: Octavo