Michael Joncas

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Jan Michael Joncas (b. 1951) is a priest, liturgical theologian, and composer of contemporary Catholic music. Joncas's most popular song is "On Eagles' Wings." He received an MA in liturgy from the University of Notre Dame in 1978 and went on to study at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute in Rome. He was ordained in 1980, and teaches at the University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, Minnesota) and at the University of Notre Dame.

Michael Joncas's compositions are representative of the more popular style of music that has appeared in American Catholic parishes in the wake of the Second Vatican Council.

1 Selected Songs
2 Controversial aspects of his music
3 Cultural References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Selected Songs

"Take and Eat" (1989)
"On Eagles' Wings" (1979)
"I Have Loved You" (1979)

[edit] Controversial aspects of his music

Main article: Contemporary Catholic liturgical music

Michael Joncas' music, along with that of several other musicians who compose music in the same or similar styles, is commonly used in the Mass and other Catholic liturgies today throughout the English-speaking world. The style of this music, along with its widespread use, engenders strong feelings both for and against this music. For many years there has been a lot of controversy regarding the quality of this music and regarding its suitability for Catholic liturgies.

[edit] Cultural References

On Eagles' Wings was played at many of the 9/11 memorial services, and was sung by a former Miss America at the memorial service for the 1995 Oklahoma City federal building bombing. ^{[citation needed]}