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Order of Mass

THE INTRODUCTORY RITES

1.   The Priest approaches the altar with the minister and after making a profound bow with the minister, venerates the altar with a kiss and goes to the chair.
     Then the minister or the Priest himself recites the Entrance Antiphon and the Priest and the minister, standing, sign themselves with the Sign of the Cross, while the Priest, facing the minister, says:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

The minister replies:

Amen.

2.   Then the Priest, facing the minister and extending his hands, greets him, saying:

The Lord be with you.

The minister replies:

And with your spirit.

Other formulas of greeting may also be used, as found in the Order of Mass (pp. 513-514).

3.   Then the Priest and the minister recite together the formula of general confession:

I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brother,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,

And, striking their breast, they say:

through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;

Then they continue:

therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brother,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.

The absolution by the Priest follows:

May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.

The minister replies:

Amen.

Other formulas for the Penitential Act may also be used, as found in the Order of Mass (pp. 515-519).

4.   The Kyrie, eleison (Lord, have mercy) invocations follow, the Priest reciting them in alternation with the minister:

5.   Then, when it is prescribed, the Priest and the minister recite together the hymn Gloria in excelsis (Glory to God in the highest).

6.   When this hymn is concluded, the Priest, with hands joined, says:

Let us pray.

After a moment of prayer in silence, he extends his hands and says the Collect prayer, at the end of which the minister acclaims:

Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

7.   Then the minister or the Priest himself reads the First Reading, the Psalm and the Second Reading, if there is to be one, along with the other chant.

8.   Then the Priest, bowing profoundly before the altar, says quietly:

Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God,
that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.

9.   After this, with hands joined, he says:

The Lord be with you.

The minister replies:

And with your spirit.

The Priest:

A reading from the holy Gospel according to N.

and, at the same time, he makes the Sign of the Cross on the book and on his forehead, lips, and breast.

The minister acclaims:

Glory to you, O Lord.

Then the Priest proclaims the Gospel, at the end of which he acclaims:

The Gospel of the Lord.

The minister replies:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Then the Priest kisses the book, saying quietly:

Through the words of the Gospel
may our sins be wiped away.

10. When it is prescribed, the Priest and the minister recite together the Symbol or Profession of Faith or Creed.

11. After this there may follow the Universal Prayer, that is, the Prayer of the Faithful or Bidding Prayers. In it the Priest says the introduction and conclusion and the minister the intentions.

THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

12. The minister places the corporal, the purificator and the chalice on the altar, unless this was already done at the beginning of Mass. The Priest goes to the middle of the altar.
     Then the minister brings the paten with the bread, which the Priest takes and holds slightly raised above the altar with both hands, saying:

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received
the bread we offer you:
fruit of the earth and work of human hands,
it will become for us the bread of life.

Then he places the paten with the bread on the corporal.

At the end, the minister may acclaim:

Blessed be God for ever.

14. After this the Priest pours wine and a little water into the chalice, saying quietly:

By the mystery of this water and wine
may we come to share in the divinity of Christ
who humbled himself to share in our humanity.

15. Then he takes the chalice and holds it slightly raised above the altar with both hands, saying:

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received
the wine we offer you:
fruit of the vine and work of human hands,
it will become our spiritual drink.

Then he places the chalice on the corporal.

At the end, the minister may acclaim:

Blessed be God for ever.

16. After this, the Priest, bowing profoundly, says quietly:

With humble spirit and contrite heart
may we be accepted by you, O Lord,
and may our sacrifice in your sight this day
be pleasing to you, Lord God.

17. Then standing at the side of the altar, he washes his hands, saying quietly:

Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

18. Standing at the middle of the altar, facing the minister, extending and then joining his hands, he says:

Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters),
that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God,
the almighty Father.

The minister replies:

May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands
for the praise and glory of his name,
for our good
and the good of all his holy Church.

Then the Priest, with hands extended, says the Prayer over the Offerings, at the end of which the minister acclaims: Amen.

19. Then the Priest says the Eucharistic Prayer, according to the norms indicated in each Eucharistic Prayer (pp. 635-662 and 757-798).

THE COMMUNION RITE

20. After the doxology at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, and after the chalice and paten have been set down, the Priest, with hands joined, says:

At the Savior’s command
and formed by divine teaching,
we dare to say:

He extends his hands and, together with the people, continues:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

21. With hands extended, the Priest alone continues, saying:

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

He joins his hands.

The minister concludes the prayer, acclaiming:

For the kingdom,
the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.

22. Then the Priest, with hands extended, says aloud:

Lord Jesus Christ,
who said to your Apostles:
Peace I leave you, my peace I give you,
look not on our sins,
but on the faith of your Church,
and graciously grant her peace and unity
in accordance with your will.

He joins his hands.

Who live and reign for ever and ever.

The minister replies:

Amen.

23. The Priest, facing the minister, extending and then joining his hands, adds:

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

The minister replies:

And with your spirit.

Then, if appropriate, the Priest gives the sign of peace to the minister.

24. Then he takes the host and breaks it over the paten, while the minister says:

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

The Priest places a small piece in the chalice, saying quietly:

May this mingling of the Body and Blood
of our Lord Jesus Christ
bring eternal life to us who receive it.

25. Then the Priest, with hands joined, says quietly:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God,
who, by the will of the Father
and the work of the Holy Spirit,
through your Death gave life to the world,
free me by this, your most holy Body and Blood,
from all my sins and from every evil;
keep me always faithful to your commandments,
and never let me be parted from you.

Or:

May the receiving of your Body and Blood,
Lord Jesus Christ,
not bring me to judgment and condemnation,
but through your loving mercy
be for me protection in mind and body
and a healing remedy.

26. The Priest genuflects, takes the host and, holding it slightly raised above the paten or above the chalice, while facing the minister, says aloud:

Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

And together with the minister he adds once:

Lord, I am not worthy
that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word
and my soul shall be healed.

If the minister is not to receive Communion, the Priest, having taken up the host, immediately says, Lord, I am not worthy, etc.

27. The Priest then says quietly:

May the Body of Christ
keep me safe for eternal life.

And he reverently consumes the Body of Christ.

Then he takes the chalice and says quietly:

May the Blood of Christ
keep me safe for eternal life.

And he reverently consumes the Blood of Christ.

28. Meanwhile the minister recites the Communion Antiphon.

29. After this, the Priest takes the paten and approaches the minister, if he is to receive Communion, and raises a host slightly, showing it to the minister and saying:

The Body of Christ.

The minister replies:

Amen.

And receives Holy Communion.

30. Then the Priest purifies the paten over the chalice and also the chalice itself. The chalice, paten, corporal and purificator are taken by the minister to the credence table or left on the altar.

While he carries out the purification, the Priest says quietly:

What has passed our lips as food, O Lord,
may we possess in purity of heart,
that what has been given to us in time
may be our healing for eternity.

31. A sacred silence may be observed for a while.

32. Then, with hands joined, the Priest says:

Let us pray.

All pray in silence with the Priest for a while, unless silence has just been observed. Then the Priest, with hands extended, says the Prayer after Communion, at the end of which the minister acclaims:

Amen.

THE CONCLUDING RITES

33. Then the Priest, facing the minister and extending his hands, says:

The Lord be with you.

The minister replies:

And with your spirit.

The Priest blesses the minister, saying:

May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, ✠ and the Holy Spirit.

The minister replies:

Amen.

34. Then the Priest venerates the altar with a kiss, and after making a profound bow with the minister, he withdraws.