PRIESTLY PEOPLE

When a choir strikes up Fr. Lucien Deiss’s "Priestly People," you can almost feel the congregation sit up a little straighter. It is one of those classic Catholic hymns that immediately draws everyone into a shared identity. Drawing directly from the First Letter of Peter, the bold refrain reminds the people in the pews exactly who they are: a royal priesthood, a holy nation, chosen by God.

The structure of the song makes it incredibly engaging to sing. After the unifying call of the refrain, the verses unfold as a beautiful litany of praise directed to Christ. Each stanza highlights a different title—Son of the Father, Morning Star, Messiah, Priest of the new dispensation—allowing the choir to lead the church through a sweeping reflection on who Jesus is and what He has done for us.

Because of its strong, marching rhythm and communal focus, this piece is a natural choice for an Entrance or Recessional hymn. It sets a triumphant tone for Sunday Mass and feels especially appropriate for ordinations, the Feast of Christ the King, or the Chrism Mass, where the shared priesthood of all believers is celebrated.