Order of Mass
THE INTRODUCTORY RITES
When the Entrance Chant is concluded, the Priest and the faithful, standing, sign
themselves with the Sign of the Cross, while the Priest, facing the people, says:
V. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
R. Amen.
Then the Priest, extending his hands, greets the people, saying:
V. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Or:
V. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Or:
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
In this first greeting a Bishop, instead of "The Lord be with you", says:
V. Peace be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
PENITENTIAL ACT
From time to time on Sundays the blessing and sprinkling of water may take place as a
reminder of Baptism.
After the greeting, the Priest stands at his chair and faces the people. With a vessed containing the water to be blessed before him, he calls upon the people to the prayer, which he concludes in these words:
V. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
Then the sprinkling of water takes place. When the Priest returns to his chair and the singing is over, he stands facing the people and, with hands joined, says:
V. May almighty God cleanse us of our sins, and through the celebration of this Eucharist make us worthy to share at the table of his Kingdom.
R. Amen.
If the sprinkling of water had been ommitted the Priest, opening the Holy Mass, invites the faithful to make the Penitential Act, saying:
V. Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
A brief pause for silence follows. Then all recite together the formula of general confession:
I confess to almighty God * and to you, my brothers and sisters, * 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 brothers and sisters, * to pray for me to the Lord our God.
The absolution by the Priest follows:
V. May almighty God have mercy on us, * forgive us our sins, * and bring us to everlasting life.
R. Amen.
Or:
The Priest invites the faithful to make the Penitential Act:
V. Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
A brief pause for silence follows. The Priest then says:
V. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
R. For we have sinned against you.
V. Show us, O Lord, your mercy.
R. And grant us your salvation.
The absolution by the Priest follows:
V. May almighty God have mercy on us, * forgive us our sins, * and bring us to everlasting life.
R. Amen.
Or:
The Priest invites the faithful to make the Penitential Act:
V. Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
A brief pause for silence follows.
The Priest, or a Deacon or another minister, then says the following or other invocations with "Kyrie eleison" ("Lord, have mercy"):
V. You were sent to heal the contrite of heart: Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.
R. Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.
V. You came to call sinners: Christ, have mercy. Or: Christe, eleison.
R. Christ, have mercy. Or: Christe, eleison.
V. You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us: Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.
R. Lord, have mercy. Or: Kyrie, eleison.
The absolution by the Priest follows:
V. May almighty God have mercy on us, * forgive us our sins, * and bring us to everlasting life.
R. Amen.
The "Kyrie eleison" ("Lord, have mercy") invocations follow, unless they have just occurred in a formula of the Penitential Act.
V. Lord, have mercy.
R. Lord, have mercy.
V. Christ, have mercy.
R. Christ, have mercy.
V. Lord, have mercy.
R. Lord, have mercy.
Or:
V. Kyrie, eleison.
R. Kyrie, eleison.
V. Christe, eleison.
R. Christe, eleison.
V. Kyrie, eleison.
R. Kyrie, eleison.
Then, when it is prescribed, this hymn is either sung or said:
Glory to God in the highest, * and on earth peace to people of good will. * We praise you, * we bless you, * we adore you, * we glorify you, * we give you thanks for your great glory, * Lord God, heavenly King, * O God, almighty Father. * Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, * Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, * you take away the sins of the world, * have mercy on us; * you take away the sins of the world, * receive our prayer; * you are seated at the right hand of the Father, * have mercy on us. * For you alone are the Holy One, * you alone are the Lord, * you alone are the Most High, * Jesus Christ, * with the Holy Spirit, * in the glory of God the Father. *
Amen.
When this hymn is concluded, the Priest, with hands joined, says:
V. Let us pray.
And all pray in silence with the Priest for a while. Then the Priest, with hands extended, says the Collect prayer, at the end of which the people acclaim:
R. Amen.
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
Then the reader goes to the ambo and reads the First Reading, while all sit and listen. To indicate the end of the reading, the reader acclaims:
V. The word of the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
The psalmist or cantor sings or says the Psalm, with the people making the response. After this, if there is to be a Second Reading, a reader reads it from the ambo, as above. To indicate the end of the reading, the reader acclaims:
V. The word of the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
The Deacon, or the Priest, then proceeds to the ambo, accompanied, if appropriate, by ministers with incense and candles. There he says:
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
V. A reading from the holy Gospel according to N.
R. Glory to you, O Lord.
At the end of the Gospel, the Deacon, or the Priest, acclaims:
V. The Gospel of the Lord.
R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Then follows the Homily.
At the end of the Homily, the Symbol or Profession of Faith or Creed, when prescribed, is either sung or said:
I believe in one God, * the Father almighty, * maker of heaven and earth, * of all things visible and invisible. * I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, * the Only Begotten Son of God, * born of the Father before all ages. * God from God, Light from Light, * true God from true God, * begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; * through him all things were made. * For us men and for our salvation * he came down from heaven,
At the words that follow up to and including "and became man" ["factus est"], all bow.
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, * and became man. * For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, * he suffered death and was buried, * and rose again on the third day * in accordance with the Scriptures. * He ascended into heaven * and is seated at the right hand of the Father. * He will come again in glory * to judge the living and the dead * and his kingdom will have no end. * I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, * who proceeds from the Father and the Son, * who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, * who has spoken through the prophets. * I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. * I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins * and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead * and the life of the world to come. * Amen.
Instead of the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, especially during Lent and Easter Time, the baptismal Symbol of the Roman Church, known as the Apostles’ Creed, may be used.
I believe in God, * the Father almighty, * Creator of heaven and earth, * and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
At the words that follow, up to and including "the Virgin Mary", all bow.
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, * born of the Virgin Mary, * suffered under Pontius Pilate, * was crucified, died and was buried; * he descended into hell; * on the third day he rose again from the dead; * he ascended into heaven, * and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; * from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. * I believe in the Holy Spirit, * the holy catholic Church, * the communion of saints, * the forgiveness of sins, * the resurrection of the body, * and life everlasting. * Amen.
Then follows the Universal Prayer, that is, the Prayer of the Faithful or Bidding Prayers.
THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
When the Universal Prayer has been done, the Offertory Chant begins. Meanwhile, the
ministers place all the things need to celebrating of the Eucharist on the altar.
The Priest, standing at the altar, takes the paten with the bread and holds it slightly raised above the altar with both hands, saying in a low voice:
V. 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.
If, however, the Offertory Chant is not sung, the Priest may speak these words aloud; at the end, the people may acclaim:
R. Blessed be God for ever.
The Deacon, or the Priest, pours wine and a little water into the chalice. The Priest then takes the chalice and holds it slightly raised above the altar with both hands, saying in a low voice:
V. 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.
If, however, the Offertory Chant is not sung, the Priest may speak these words aloud; at the end, the people may acclaim:
R. Blessed be God for ever.
The Priest, standing at the middle of the altar, facing the people, extending and then joining his hands, says:
V. Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters), * that my sacrifice and yours * may be acceptable to God, * the almighty Father.
R. 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 people acclaim:
R. Amen.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER II
Then the Priest begins the Eucharistic Prayer in these words:
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
V. Lift up your hearts.
R. We lift them up to the Lord.
V. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
R. It is right and just.
V. It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father most holy, through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, your Word through whom you made all things, whom you sent as our Saviour and Redeemer, incarnate by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin. Fulfilling your will and gaining for you a holy people, he stretched out his hands as he endured his Passion, so as to break the bonds of death and manifest the resurrection. And so, with the Angels and all the Saints we declare your glory, as with one voice we acclaim:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. * Heaven and earth are full of your glory. * Hosanna in the highest. * Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. * Hosanna in the highest.
The Priest, with hands extended, says:
V. You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.
He joins his hands and, holding them extended over the offerings, says:
Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
He joins his hands and makes the Sign of the Cross once over the bread and the chalice together, saying:
so that they may become for us the Body † and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the formulas that follow, the words of the Lord should be pronounced clearly and distinctly, as the nature of these words requires.
V. At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT, * FOR THIS IS MY BODY, * WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.
He shows the consecrated host to the people, places it again on the paten, and genuflects in adoration.
After this, he continues:
V. In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT, * FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD, * THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, * WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY * FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. * DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.
He shows the chalice to the people, places it on the corporal, and genuflects in adoration.
Then he says:
V. The mystery of faith.
R. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
Or:
R. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
Or:
R. Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
Or:
R. Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
Then the Priest, with hands extended, says:
V. Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you. Humbly we pray that, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world, and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with N. our Pope and N. our Bishop and all the clergy.
Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, and all who have died in your mercy: welcome them into the light of your face. Have mercy on us all, we pray, that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with the blessed Apostles, and all the Saints who have pleased you throughout the ages, we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life, and may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ.
The Priest takes the chalice and the paten with the host and, raising both, he says:
V. Through him, * and with him, * and in him, * O God, almighty Father, * in the unity of the Holy Spirit, * all glory and honour is yours, * for ever and ever.
R. Amen.
Then follows the Communion Rite.
THE COMMUNION RITE
After the chalice and paten have been set down, the Priest, with hands joined, says:
V. At the Saviour’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.
With hands extended, the Priest alone continues, saying:
V. 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 Saviour, Jesus Christ.
R. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever.
Then the Priest continues:
V. 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. * Who live and reign for ever and ever.
R. Amen.
The Priest, turned towards the people, adds:
V. The peace of the Lord be with you always.
R. And with your spirit.
Then, if appropriate, the Deacon, or the Priest, adds:
V. Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
And all offer one another a sign, in keeping with local customs, that expresses peace, communion, and charity. Meanwhile the following is sung or said:
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 genuflects, takes the host and, holding it slightly raised above the paten or above the chalice, while facing the people, says aloud:
V. 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.
R. Lord, I am not worthy * that you should enter under my roof, * but only say the word * and my soul shall be healed.
The Priest reverently consumes the Body and Blood of Christ. After this, he takes the paten or ciborium and approaches the communicants. The Priest raises a host slightly and shows it to each of the communicants, saying:
V. The Body of Christ.
The communicant replies:
R. Amen.
When the distribution of Communion is over, the Priest or a Deacon or an acolyte purifies the paten over the chalice and also the chalice itself. After this, standing at the altar or at the chair and facing the people, with hands joined, the Priest says:
V. 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 people acclaim:
R. Amen.
THE CONCLUDING RITES
The Priest, facing the people and extending his hands, says:
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
V. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, † and the Holy Spirit.
R. Amen.
On certain days or occasions, this formula of blessing is preceded, in accordance with the rubrics, by another more solemn formula of blessing or by a prayer over the people. In a Pontifical Mass, the celebrant receives the miter and, extending his hands, says:
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
V. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
R. Now and for ever.
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
V. May almighty God bless you, the Father, † and the Son, † and the Holy † Spirit.
R. Amen.
Then the Deacon, or the Priest himself, with hands joined and facing the people, says:
V. Go forth, the Mass is ended.
R. Thanks be to God.