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.