A Special Song for your Special Day

About PrayTwice.Com

Behind the scenes at PrayTwice.Com, writers, web surfers, product specialists, and other contributors are working to prepare for its official debut. We are working to create the web’s finest resource for hands-on, practical Catholic liturgical music ministry. We are continuing to build relationships, create, find, solicit, and license new material for your information, education, and entertainment (yes, entertainment). Please sign up for the newsletter, and we will notify you of our progress!

Jim Cosgrove is a choral director, cantor, and soloist, with the bulk of his liturgical experience in starting and directing adult and youth music programs. 

On the musical side, Jim is an accomplished pianist, singer, songwriter, and conductor. On the business side, he is the Operations Manager for John Michael Talbot Ministries and Troubadour for the Lord Records and Distribution (www.JohnMichaelTalbot.Com). He is Vice President of the Catholic Association of Musicians (www.CAMmusic.com), and a member of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (www.NPM.org). On the geek side, he is an experienced web developer and a former software engineer.

PrayTwice.Com combines his passion for good liturgical music with his business and marketing skills, and his desire to present the most useful information, educational resources and information available to the church music community. And with the web site, the geek factor is pretty good, too.

"It's very gratifying to be able to draw from the combined knowledge and experience of professionals and amateurs alike on PrayTwice.Com," he says. "We all have a great deal to offer each other, no matter how limited our experience is.”

"Besides taking advantage of the information, links, and other resources on PrayTwice.Com, I sincerely hope that the church music community will participate through their contributions of articles, tips and techniques, and links. The success of PrayTwice.Com really depends on a community effort.”

"We all want to sing better, have better choirs and better music programs, because our Lord deserves the absolute best we can give, and I want to provide resources for those who want to give their best."

Jim Cosgrove
PrayTwice.Com / 304 W. Lake Dr. / Marion, AR 72364 / 870-559-3062

So where did the "He Who Sings, Prays Twice" quote attributed to St. Augustine really come from?

What St. Augustine said was:

"For he that singeth praise, not only praiseth, but only praiseth with gladness: he that singeth praise, not only singeth, but also loveth him of whom he singeth. In praise, there is the speaking forth of one confessing; in singing, the affection of one loving."(St. Augustine, Commentary on Psalm 73, 1)

Say that three times real fast, and you'll discover why it got translated over the years to "He who sings prays twice." 

The shortened version is even referenced in the Catechism in paragraph 1156:

"The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value, greater even than that of any other art. The main reason for this pre-eminence is that, as a combination of sacred music and words, it forms a necessary or integral part of solemn liturgy." (SC 112) The composition and singing of inspired psalms, often accompanied by musical instruments, were already closely linked to the liturgical celebrations of the Old Covenant. The Church continues and develops this tradition: "Address . . . one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart." "He who sings prays twice."
(Eph 5:19; St. Augustine, En. in Ps. 72:1: PL 36, 914; cf. Col 3:16)

So go ahead - Pray Twice!

Email me: Jim@PrayTwice.Com