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THE QUEEN'S WORK



BASIC MASS CHART

I ii hi

Preparatory Prayers

Originally private

1

(Psalm)

Confiteor Confession of sin

MASS OF
CATECHUMENS

2 Modeled on
3 synagogue service

4

Introit* 'j

Kyrie <Sl (Gloria)

Collect*
J

|>Prayer

5

6

7

Epistle*

Gospel*

(Sermon)
J

^Instruction

8 (Creed) Act of faith

MASS OF THE
FAITHFUL

9 Modeled on
10 Paschal Supper

11

12

Offertory Anthem*
j

Offertory Prayers
'

Lavabo
j

Secret* j

ioFFERTORY

13

14

15

16 “For this is my Body”
17 “For this is my

blood . . .
”

18

19

20

Preface* Sanctus

Remembrances

Offering Prayers
j

Consecration
Offering Prayers 1

Remembrances

Little Elevation

jcANON

21

22

23

24

Lord’s Prayer \

Breaking of Bread i

Agnus Dei 1

Communion Prayers 1

25 Take and eat .

26 Take and drink . .
27

28

29

30

31

Communion
Communion Anthem*

[

Postcommunion* 1

Dismissal
]

Last Gospel 1

(Prayers after Mass) /

> COMMUNION

* Proper prayers

(
. . . ) Prayers sometimes omitted



3

1. The Beginning Psalm

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

Ghost, Amen. I will go in to

the altar of God.

To God , the joy of my
youth .

Give judgment for me, O
God, and decide my cause
against an unholy people, from

unjust and deceitful men deliver

me.

For Thou

,

O God, art my
strength, why hast Thou for>

saken me?

And why do 1 go about in
sadness, while the enemy afflicts me?

Send forth Thy light and Thy truth; for they have led me

and brought me to Thy holy hill and Thy dwelling place.

And I will go in tq the altar of God, to God, the joy of my
youth .

I shall yet praise Thee upon the harp, O God, my God.
Why art thou sad, my soul, and why dost thou trouble me?

Trust in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the salvation of my
countenance and my God .

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy

Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world

without end . Amen .

I will go in to the altar of God.

To God, the joy of my youth ;

Our help is in the name of the Lord.

Who hath made heaven and earth .

The priest genuflects to reverence Christ in the tabernacle. Then he

signs himself with the cross in honor of the divine Trinity and the cross of

Christ. The sign of the cross, repeated frequently reminds us that Christ’s

sacrificial death on Calvary is offered anew at Mass for the salvation of the

world. The words of the psalmist express an exile’s longing for the holy

temple.

The public confession of sins which follows the psalm declares the
priest’s unworthiness to approach the altar of God. These prayers are

answered by the altar boy on behalf of the people. The altar boy’s responses
throughout the Mass (in italics) are reminders that the people themselves
should take an active part in offering the perfect sacrifice.



4

2 . The Confiteor

I confess to Almighty God,

to blessed Mary, ever virgin, to

blessed Michael the Archangel,

to blessed John the Baptist, the

holy apostles, Peter and Paul,

and all the saints, and to you,

brethren, that I have sinned ex-

ceedingly, in thought, word and

deed, through my fault, through
my fault, through my most griev-
ous fault. Therefore I beseech

blessed Mary, ever Virgin,

blessed Michael the Archangel,

blessed John the Baptist, the

holy Apostles, Peter and Paul,

and all the Saints, and you brethren, to pray to the Lord our

God for me. (The server repeats the Confiteor)

May Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you your
sins, and bring you to life everlasting. Amen .

May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon,
absolution and full remission of our sins. Amen.

Thou wilt turn, O God, and bring us to life.
And thy people shall rejoice in Thee .
Show us, O Lord, Thy mercy.
And grant us Thy salvation .
O Lord, hear my prayer.
And let my cry come unto Thee .
The Lord be with you.

And with thy spirit .

3. Advancing to the Altar

Let us pray. Take away

from us our sins, O Lord, that
we may enter with pure minds

into the holy of holies. Through

Christ our Lord. Amen.

With these words, “Let US pray’'
the priest frequently urges the people

to join him in offering the sacrifice.

In this short prayer, as in the Con-

fiteor, he begs for purity through the

merits of Christ the Savior.

The fact that Mass is begun a

short distance from the altar serves to

teach us how much reverence we sin-

ners owe to such a “holy of holies.”



5

4. Honoring The Altar

We beseech Thee, O Lord,
by the merits of Thy saints,

whose relics lie here, and of all

the saints: deign in Thy mercy

to pardon me all my sins. Amen.

To honor Christ, which the altar

represents, the priest kisses it fre-

quently during the Mass. This kiss

also honors the martyred saints whose

relics are kept in the altar stone. Note

that the priest is still concerned with

sin and here begs forgiveness again

for himself and the people through the

merits of the saints.

5. The Introit

(Apoc. 5, 9-10.) Thou wast

slain and hast redeemed us O
God with thy blood, out of

every tribe and tongue and peo-

ple and nation, and hast made

them for our God a kingdom

and priests, and they shall reign

over the earth. ( Ps. 88, 2 ) . The

mercies of the Lord I will sing

for ever; I will show forth thy

truth with my mouth to genera-
tion and generation. Glory be

to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Ghost. As it

was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end.

Amen.

“Introit” means “he enters.” The present day Introit is a remainder

of the processional chant sung by the people in ages past while the priest

approached the altar to begin Mass. All the prayers up to the Introit were

formerly private prayers of the priest. Like many other prayer fragments

in the Mass it indicates the active part once played by the people in its

celebration.

The Introit is the first “proper” or variable Mass prayer. In general
the proper parts—the Introit, Collect, Epistle, Gospel, Secret, Communion,

Postcommunion—feature some aspect of the feast of the day. The Introit
introduces its theme. Note how the Precious Blood Introit strikes the theme
of the feast, as well as the basic identity of the Mass and Calvary. Note

also, that the priest signs himself with the cross as he begins and that the

prayer ends with praise of the Trinity.



6

6. The Kyrie and Gloria

Lord, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us .

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us .

Christ, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us .

Lord, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us .

Lord, have mercy on us.

Glory to God in the high-

est. And on earth peace to men
of good will. We praise Thee.
We bless Thee. We adore Thee.
We glorify Thee. We give
Thee thanks for Thy great

glory. O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O
Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son. O Lord God, Lamb of
God, Son of the Father. Who takest away the sins of the
world, have mercy on us. Who takest away the sins of the
world, receive our prayer. Who sittest at the right hand of the
Father, have mercy on us. For thou alone art holy, Thou alone

art Lord. Thou alone, O Jesus Christ, art most high. Together
with the Holy Ghost, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

“Kyrie” means “Lord.” Historically the Kyrie is the first prayer of

the Mass. It is the remnant of an entire litany. The triple form honors

the Trinity.

The “Gloria” is a fitting sequel to the Kyrie because God’s greatest

claim to glory is His mercy. At one time the Gloria was reserved to

bishops only. It is omitted in Masses of sorrowful theme. At the end the

priest signs himself with the cross, kisses the altar and turns towards

the people.

7. Dominus Vobiscum

The Lord be with you.

And with Thy spirit .

“Dominus vobiscum” has already

occurred after the Confiteor and is

repeated six more times during Mass.

It means “The Lord be with you.”

The accompanying gesture is a familiar

ancient form of greeting. All this sig-

nifies the union of the priest and peo-

ple in offering the Mass.

The Collect and Epistle which

follow, are proper parts of the Mass.

In centuries past there were several

Collects and Epistles.



7

8. The Collect Prayer

Let us pray. O Almighty
and everlasting God, Who hast
set up Thine only-begotten Son

to be the Redeemer of the world,

and hast willed to be appeased

by His blood; grant unto us we
beseech Thee, in such wise with

solemn worship to reverence the

price of our salvation and in its

might to find our defense against

the evils of this life, that we
may attain in heaven to the
everlasting happiness it has
brought us. Through the same

Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son,
who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the union of the Holy
Ghost, God world without end.

Amen .

9. The Epistle

Lesson from the epistle of

blessed Paul the apostle to the

Hebrews. (Hebr. 9, 11-15)

Brethren: When Christ ap-
peared as high priest of the

good things to come, He entered
once for all through the greater

and more perfect tabernacle, not

made by hands (that is, not of

this creation), nor again by vir-

tue of blood of goats and calves,

but by virtue of His own blood;
into the Holies, having obtained

eternal redemption. For if the

blood of goats and bulls and

the sprinkled ashes of a heifer sanctify the unclean unto the

cleaning of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ,

Who through the Holy Spirit offered Himself unblemished unto
God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the

living God? And this is why He is mediator of a new covenant
and whereas death has taken place for redemption from the

transgressions committed under the former covenant, they who
have been called may receive eternal inheritance according to
the promise.

Thanks be to God .



5

10. Prayer Before The Gospel

Cleanse my heart and my

lips, O Almighty God, who didst
cleanse the lips of the prophet

Isaias with a burning coal;

deign of Thy gracious mercy so

to purify me that I may worthily

proclaim Thy holy Gospel.
Through Christ our Lord.

Amen. Pray, Lord, Thy bless-

ing. The Lord be in my heart

and on my lips, that I may
worthily and fittingly proclaim

His holy Gospel. Amen.

The side of the altar under the right arm of the crucifix is reserved for

the Gospel to honor Christ for whom it stands. The priest signs the cross
over its initial words, then on his forehead for understanding; on his lips

for courage to speak it; and on his heart that he may love it. At the end

he kisses the book. Note how the Precious Blood Gospel harmonizes with

the feast.

11. The Gospel

The Lord be with you.

And with Thy spirit .

The continuation of the holy

Gospel according to St. John.

Glory be to Thee , O Lord .
(John 19, 30-35) There-

fore, when Jesus had taken the

wine, He said, “It is consum-
mated. ” And bowing His head,
He gave up His spirit. The Jews
therefore, since it was the Prep-

aration Day, in order that the

bodies might not remain upon

the cross on the Sabbath (for

the Sabbath was a solemn day )

,

besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they

might be taken away. The soldiers therefore came and broke

the legs of the first, and of the other, who had been crucified

with Him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was

already dead, they did not break His legs; but one of the

soldiers opened His side with a lance, and immediately there

came out blood and water. And he who saw it has borne wit-

ness, and his witness is true.

Praise be to Thee, O Christ .
By the words of the holy Gospel may our sins be blotted out.



9

12. The Creed

I believe in one God, the

Father Almighty, maker of

heaven and earth, and of all

things visible and invisible. And
in one Lord Jesus Christ, the

only-begotten Son of God. Born

of the Father before all ages.

God of God, light of light, true

God of true God. Begotten, not

made; of one being with the

Father; by whom all things were
made. Who for us men, and for
our salvation came down from

Heaven. AND WAS MADE
FLESH, BY THE HOLY

GHOST OF THE VIRGIN MARY: AND WAS MADE
MAN. He was also crucified for us, suffered under Pontius
Pilate and was buried. And on the third day He rose again
according to the Scriptures. And ascending into Heaven, He
sitteth at the right hand of the Father. And He shall come
again in glory to judge the living and the dead; and of His

kingdom there shall be no end. And in the Holy Ghost; Lord
and Giver of life. Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son,
Who together with the Father and the Son is no less adored,
and glorified; Who spoke by the prophets. And in one holy,
catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the

remission of sins. And I look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

This profession of faith, which expresses Christian belief in the gospel,

dates from the Council of Nicea in the year 325. The priest genuflects at
the words which declare the birth of Christ.

13. Dominus Vobiscum

The Lord be with you.

And with thy spirit .

This marks the end of the pre-

liminary Mass prayers. In ages past

the "let us pray” was followed by a

prayer of the faithful said after the

dismissal of the catechumens (learn-

ers). Nowadays there is no dismissal
of the catechumens and the priest pro-

ceeds immediately to the Offertory

Anthem.



10

14. The Offertory Anthem

Let us pray. (I Cor. 10,

16.) The cup of blessing that

we bless, is it not the sharing

of the blood of Christ? And the
bread that we break, is it not

the partaking of the body of

the Lord?

The Offertory Anthem, fragment

of a chant, points to the distant past

when the faithful brought gifts, includ-

ing bread and wine, for the sacrifice

and sang as they carried them to the

altar. Part of the proper, it echoes the

theme of the Mass. After it the priest

unveils the chalice.

15. Offering the Bread

Accept, O holy Father, al-
mighty and eternal God, this

spotless host, which I Thy un-
worthy servant, offer unto Thee,

my living and true God, to
atone for my numberless sins,
offenses and negligences; on be-

half of all here present and like-

wise for all faithful Christians

living and dead, that it may

profit me and them as a means
of salvation unto life everlast-

ing. Amen.

Note that the prayer accompany-

ing the offering is concerned with sin

and salvation. Of course Mass is not
an offering of mere bread, but of the

precious body of Christ. This is why
the priest, anticipating the consecra-

tion calls the bread a “spotless host.”

16. Pouring The Wine

No prayer is said at the pouring
of the wine nor is it blessed like the

water, because it stands for the divine

nature of Christ. The origin of the

ritual, mingling of water with the wine,

is the Jewish custom of mixing water

with the wine at the Paschal supper.

It has acquired a symbolic meaning,

the water standing for our human na-

ture which is blessed and united with

Christ through the graces of the Mass.



11

17. Adding The Water

O God, Who hast estab-
lished the nature of man in

wondrous dignity and even

more wondrously hast renewed

it, grant that through the mys-

tery of this water and wine, we

may be made partakers of His

Divinity, who has deigned to

become partaker of our human-

ity, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our
Lord, who liveth and reigneth

with Thee, in the union of the

Holy Ghost world without end.

Amen.
The participation in Christ’s

divinity, expressed in this prayer, re-

fers to our living union with Him,

which is begun in baptism and
strengthened by all the sacraments,

especially Holy Communion.

18. Offering The Wine

We offer unto Thee, O
Lord, the chalice of salvation,

humbly begging of Thy mercy
that it may arise before Thy
divine majesty with a pleasing

fragrance, for our salvation and

for that of all the world. Amen.
It is the blood of Christ, not wine,

which is offered at Mass. And so the
prayer speaks of the “chalice of salva-

tion*”.

“We” is more fully significant in
high Mass where it refers primarily to

the priest and the deacon, secondarily

to the people.

19. Offering Ourselves

In a humble spirit and a

contrite heart, may we be ac-
cepted by Thee, O Lord, and
may our sacrifice so be offered
in Thy sight this day as to
please Thee, O Lord God.

The gifts which we offer at Mass,
like all gifts, stand for ourselves. How
beautifully this prayer signifies our

surrender to God.



12

20. Invoking The Holy Ghost

Come, Thou Sanctifier, al-
mighty and eternal God, and

bless this sacrifice prepared for

the glory of Thy holy name,

Transubstantiation—the changing

of bread and wine into the body and

blood of Christ— is like a new birth of

the Son of God into the world. And
just as His first birth through Mary
is ascribed in a special way to the
Holy Ghost, so here the Holy Ghost,

is invoked to bless and bring about the

miracle of transubstantiation. The sign

of the cross accompanies the invo-

cation.

“The gesture which the priest makes during this prayer is noteworthy;

he raises his hands, as if to bring down the Holy Spirit; at the word ‘bless'
he makes the sign of the cross over the oblations. The word ‘bless' here
really means ‘consecrated’.’’—Dr. Parsch, p. 179.

21. The Lavabo

I will wash my hands
among the innocent, and will

walk 'round Thy altar, O God.
To hear the voice of Thy praise
and to tell all Thy wondrous

deeds. Lord, I love the beauty

of Thy house, and the place
where Thy glory dwells. Destroy
not my soul with the impious,
O God, nor my life with men
of blood. In whose hands there

is iniquity, whose right hand is

full of bribes. But as for me, I

walk in my innocence, rescue
me and be gracious to me. My

foot is on the straight way, in assemblies will I bless Thee, O
Lord. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy

Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.

“Lavabo’’ means “I will wash.'' In times past when the people brought
the bread and wine for sacrifice, it was necessary for the priest to wash his
hands after handling them. Nowadays the Lavabo remains as a sign of
the purity with which Mass is to be offered. It is still practical at high Mass
after the celebrant has handled the censer at the Offertory incensation.



13

22 . Prayer To The Trinity

Accept, most holy Trinity,

this offering which we are mak-

ing to Thee in remembrance of

the passion, resurrection, and

ascension of Jesus Christ, our

Lord; and in honor of blessed

, ever virgin, blessed John

the Baptist, the holy apostles,

Peter and Paul, and of these,

and of all the saints; that it

may add to their honor and aid

our salvation; and may they
deign to intercede in heaven

for us who honor their memory
here on earth. Through the
same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

During this prayer the priest’s posture is identical with that illustrated

in picture nineteen. At its conclusion the priest kisses the altar and turns

to the people. The prayer sums up the aims of the Mass; emphasizes the

provident position of the saints as our intercessors and the supereminent

place of Christ as Savior and mediator between God and man.

This prayer shows expressly that Mass is offered to God in honor of
the saints. The saints mentioned here are the same as those in the Confiteor

except for Michael.

“.
. . and of these . . .” refers to the saints whose relics are in the

altar stone.

23. The Orafe Fratres

Pray, brethren, that my sac-
rifice and yours may become

acceptable to God the Father
almighty.

the Lord accept the

sacrifice at thy hands , unto the

praise and glory of His name ,

for our advantage and that of
all His holy Church .

Amen.

“Orate fratres” means “pray,

brethren.” Note that the priest’s peti-

tion and the server’s reply take for

granted the active participation of the

people in offering the Mass.

The Secret which follows the Orate Fratres concludes the offertory

part of the Mass. It is called secret because said over the materials sepa-

rated (secreta) for sacrifice.

After it follow the majestic Preface and Sanctus which introduce the

Canon. The Canon is the most sacred part of the Mass because it con-

tains the act of consecration. It is also the most ancient.



14

24. The Secret And Preface

Through these divine mys-

teries may we, O Lord of Hosts,
we beseech Thee, draw near to

Jesus, the mediator of the new

testament; and upon Thine

altars may we renew the sprink-

ling of that blood which speaks

better than that of Abel.

Through the same Lord Jesus

Christ, Thy Son, who liveth
and reigneth with Thee in the

union of the Holy Ghost, God
world without end. Amen.

The Lord be with you.

And with thy spirit .
Lift up your hearts.

We have them lifted up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is meet and just!

It is truly meet and just, right and availing unto salvation,

that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto

Thee, O Holy Lord Father almighty, everlasting God, Who
didst set the salvation of mankind upon the tree of the cross

so that whence came death thence also life might rise again,

and he that overcame by the tree, on the tree also might be

overcome; through Christ our Lord. Through Whom the
Angels praise Thy majesty, the Dominions worship it, and the
Powers are in awe. The Heavens and the heavenly hosts and

the blessed Seraphim join together in celebrating their joy.

With these we pray Thee join our own voices also, while we

say with lowly praise,

25. The Sanctus

Holy, Holy, holy. Lord God

of hosts! Heaven and earth are

filled with Thy glory. Hosanna
in the highest! Blessed is he

who comes in the name of the

Lord. Hosanna in the highest!

The stately Sanctus recalls the

words of the angel in the Apocalypse.

The bell is rung to signal the ap-
proaching consecration. Note how the
Precious Blood Preface expresses the

doctrines of sin and salvation through

Christ.



26. Remembering The Church

Therefore, most gracious

Father, we humbly beg of Thee

and entreat Thee, through Jesus

Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, to

deem acceptable and bless these

gifts, these offerings, these holy

and unspotted oblations; which

we offer unto Thee in first in-

stance for Thy holy and Cath-
olic Church, that Thou wouldst

deign to give her peace and pro-

tection, to unite and guide her

the whole world over; together

with Thy servant,
( ),

our Pope, and
( ), our

Bishop, and all true believers, who cherish the catholic and

apostolic faith.

The limitless breadth of the mind of Christ is the breadth of the Mass

prayers. Here, for example, we pray with Christ especially for the
hierarchy of His Church.

The Pope and the bishop are mentioned by name.

The altar is kissed in honor of Christ. The picture of the crucifixion

now found in all missals at the beginning of the Canon came into common
use around the eleventh century. It recalls the identity of the Mass with

Calvary.

“Therefore” at the beginning of the prayer indicates the close relation

between the Preface and the Canon.

27. Remembering The Faithful

Be mindful, O Lord, of
Thy servants and handmaids

( )
and of all here

present, whose faith is known

to Thee, and likewise their de-

votion, on whose behalf we offer

unto Thee, or who themselves

offer unto Thee, this sacrifice of

praise for themselves and all

their own, for the good of their

souls, for their hope of salva-

tion and deliverance from all

harm, and who pay Thee the

homage which they owe Thee,

eternal God, living and true.

Here we expand our prayer to include by name those for whom the
priest expressly offers the Mass and also all men of good will.



16

28. Remembering The Saints

In the unity of holy fellow-

ship we observe the memory
first of all of the glorious and

ever virgin Mary, mother of our

Lord and God, Jesus Christ;

next that of Thy blessed apos-

tles and martyrs, Peter and

Paul, Andrew, James, John,
Thomas, James, Philip, Barthol-

omew, Matthew, Simon and

Thaddeus; of Linus, Cletus,

Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cy-

prian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus,

John and Paul, Cosmas and Da-

mian, and of all Thy saints, by
whose merits and prayers grant that we may be always forti-

fied by the help of Thy protection. Through the same Christ
our Lord. Amen.

Lastly we call on the saints whose intimacy wTith God makes them
powerful and anxious to help us.

Obviously, this prayer implies the doctrine of the communion of the

saints. Note the order and excellence of the saints mentioned: the Blessed

Virgin Mary first; then the Apostles; then the rest— all martyrs.

29. Renewing The Offering

Graciously accept, then, we

beseech Thee, O Lord, this serv-
ice of our worship and that of

all Thy household. Provide that

our days be spent in Thy peace,
save us from everlasting damna-

tion, and cause us to be num-

bered in the flock Thou hast

chosen.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Now the priest spreads his hands
over the offerings to signify the pass-

ing of our sins over onto Christ the

Savior. Thus the priest of the Old Testament signified the passing of sin

from the people to the victim of sacrifice by holding his hands over the

victim.

Here the bell is rung as a sign that the Consecration is at hand.



30.

Blessing The Offering

Do Thou, O God, deign to
bless what we offer, and make

it approved, effective, right and

wholly pleasing in every way,

that it may be, for our good,

the body and blood of Thy
dearly beloved Son, Jesus

Christ, our Lord.

During this prayer the priest

forms the cross over the offerings five

times. Here he expresses his direct in-

tention to consecrate the bread and

wine.

17

31.

Taking The Bread

Who, the day before He

suffered, took bread into His

holy and venerable hands, and

having raised His- eyes to

heaven, unto Thee, O God, His
Father almighty, giving thanks

to Thee, blessed, broke it, and

gave it to His disciples, say-

ing: Take ye all and eat of this,

In the act of consecration the

words of the priest are for the most

part the very words of scripture. What
Christ said, he says; what Christ did,

he does.

32.

Consecrating The Bread

FOR THIS IS MY BODY.



34. Elevating The Host

The sacred host is elevated ex-

pressly for the purpose of enabling the

people to “see the Lord.” This is the

time for a whole-hearted act of belief

in this most holy mystery of faith.

The words “mystery of faith” are

not in the gospel formula of consecra-

tion. It is suggested that in early ages

the deacon announced the consecration

aloud to the faithful as the “mystery

of faith” and that the words somehow

crept into the text of the Mass itself.

35. The Sacred Host

In Mass the death of Christ is

renewed by the sacrificial consecration

of bread and wine into His body and

blood. This truth is beautifully signi-

fied by the elevation of the sacred

host before the image of Christ
crucified.

“My Lord and My God” said at
the elevation or exposition of the

Blessed Sacrament is enriched with an

indulgence of 7 years.

33. The Priest Adores

By genuflecting in adoration the
priest immediately declares his belief

in the transubstantiation of bread

through his words, by the power of

Christ, into His precious body.

“The elevation of the Species at

the consecration appears first in the

eleventh or twelfth, century; the bell

appears in the thirteenth century; the

incensing (at high Mass), in the four-

teenth century; the genuflection of the

celebrant was first prescribed in the

Missal of Pius V, 1570.”-~Dr. Parsch,

p. 235.



36.

Blessing The Wine

In like manner, when the

supper was done, taking also

this goodly chalice into His holy

and venerable hands, again giv-

ing thanks to Thee, He blessed
it, and gave it to His disciples,

saying: Take ye all, and drink

of this:

37.

Consecrating The Wine

FOR THIS IS THE
CHALICE OF MY BLOOD
OF THE NEW AND ETER-
NAL COVENANT: THE
MYSTERY OF FAITH,
WHICH SHALL BE SHED
FOR YOU AND FOR
MANY UNTO THE FOR-
GIVENESS OF SINS.

As often as you shall do

these things, in memory of Me
shall you do them.

The sacrificial character of the

consecration is clear in the expressions

chosen by Christ Himself “new and

eternal covenant . .
.”

“shed . . . for the

forgiveness of sins."

38.

Elevating The Chalice

Until the twelfth century there

was no elevation of either host or
chalice at this place in the Mass. It

is possible to exaggerate the impor-

tance of these elevations. The Con-
secration is the essence of the sacrifice.

Since the original reason for the

elevations was to enable the people to
“see the Lord,” the present day some-
what common custom of casting down
the eyes seems strange.



20 .

39. Offering The Victim

Mindful, therefore, O Lord,
not only of the blessed passion

of the same Christ, Thy Son,
our Lord, but also of His resur-

rection from the dead, and

finally His glorious ascension

into heaven, we, Thy ministers,

as also Thy holy people, offer

unto Thy supreme majesty, of

the gifts bestowed upon us, the

pure victim, the holy victim,

the all-perfect victim: the holy

bread of life eternal and the

chalice of unending salvation.

And this do Thou deign to
regard with gracious and kindly attention and hold acceptable,

as Thou didst deign to accept the offerings of Abel, Thy just
servant, and the sacrifice of Abraham our patriarch, and that

which Thy chief priest Melchisedech, offered unto Thee, a holy

sacrifice and a spotless victim.

Five crosses are made over the offerings during this prayer, which

expresses beautifully the meaning of the Mass. Each of the sacrifices men-

tioned from the Old Testament has its parallel in the sacrifice of Christ.

Abel offered a lamb; Christ is the "Lamb of God." Abraham was willing

to offer his only son; Christ is the only Son of the Father. Melchisedech

offered bread and wine; Christ offers Himself under the appearances of

bread and wine.

40. Asking For All Blessings

Most humbly we implore

Thee, almighty God, bid these

offerings to be brought by the

hands of Thy holy angel unto

Thy altar above; before the face

of Thy divine majesty; that

those of us who, by sharing in

the Sacrifice of this altar, shall

receive the most sacred Body

and Blood of Thy Son, may be
filled with every grace and

heavenly blessing. Through the

same Christ our Lord. Amen.

The conclusion of this prayer indicates that it is of a whole with the

two preceding. During it the priest kisses the altar. He finishes by signing
himself with the cross. How fittingly it follows the offering of the victim
through whom all blessings come to man!



41. Remembering The

Departed

Be mindful, O Lord, also of
Thy servants and handmaids
who have gone before us with
the sign of faith, and rest in the

sleep of peace.
( )

To
these, O Lord, we beseech
Thee, to grant of Thy good-
ness, a place of comfort, light

and peace. Through the same

Christ our Lord. Amen.

42. Remembering Ourselves

To us also, sinners, yet Thy

servants, trusting in the great-

ness of Thy mercy, deign to
grant some part and fellowship

with Thy holy apostles and
martyrs: with John, Stephen,

Matthias, Barnabas, Ignatius,

Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter,

Felicitas, Perpetua, Agatha,

Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anasta-

sia, and all Thy saints; into
whose company we implore
Thee to admit us, not weighing

our merits, but freely granting

us pardon through Christ our

Lord. Through Whom, Lord,
Thou dost ever create, hallow,

fill with life, bless and bestow

upon us all good things.

43. The Little Elevation

THROUGH HIM, AND
WITH HIM, AND IN HIM,
IS TO THEE, GOD THE
FATHER ALMIGHTY, IN
THE UNION OF THE
HOLY GHOST, ALL
HONOR AND GLORY.

World without end. Amen.

Thus the Canon of the Mass ends

with a declaration of our total de-

pendence on Christ.



22

44. The Lord's Prayer

Let us pray: Directed by

saving precepts and schooled in

divine teaching, we make bold
to say:

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 .

Amen.

The last part of the Mass, the Communion, begins with the Lord’s

Prayer. How fitting it is that the Lord's Prayer should hold a place of
prominence in the Lord’s sacrifice! The petition for our daily bread, in this

case, has direct reference to the “Bread of Life”—Holy Commur ;on.

“The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” John
6. Note how the Lord’s prayer expresses the basic truths of the Mass.

45. Prayer For Protection

Deliver us, O Lord, we be-
seech Thee, from all evils, past,

present, and to come; and

through the intercession of the

glorious and blessed Mary, ever

virgin, mother of God, together

with Thy blessed apostles,
Peter and Paul, and Andrew,

and all the saints, grant of

Thy goodness, peace in our

days, that aided by the riches

of Thy mercy, we may be al-
ways free from sin and safe

from all disquiet.

This prayer specifies the evils from which we have asked deliverance
in the Lord’s Prayer. The rubrics accompanying it are involved. They

accomplish the breaking of the bread in harmony with the words of the

prayer. At the beginning the priest takes the paten. At the word “saints”

he signs himself with it in the form of a cross, kisses it, and slips it

beneath the host. Then he uncovers the chalice, genuflects, and picks the

host from the paten.



23

46. Breaking The Host

Through the same Jesus

Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who

liveth and reigneth with Thee,

in the union of the Holy Ghost,

God. World without end.

Amen .

He breaks the host in halves with

the concluding phrase of the prayer,

deposits the right half on the paten

and breaks a small piece from the left

half in readiness for the following

prayer.

47. Petition For Peace

May the peace of the Lord
be always with you.

And with thy spirit .

May this mingling and hal-
lowing of the body and blood

of our Lord Jesus Christ help

us who receive it unto life ever-
lasting.

Amen.

Three signs of the cross accom-

pany the petition for peace, after

which the particle is dropped into the

chalice.

This mingling signifies the re-

uniting of Christ’s body and blood in

His glorious resurrection.

48. Agnus Dei

Lamb of God, who takest
away the sins of the world, have

mercy on us. Lamb of God, who
takest away the sins of the
world, have mercy on us. Lamb
of God, who takest away the
sins of the world, grant us

peace.

“Agnus Dei” means “Lamb of
God.” Christ is the sacrificial lamb of

the New Testament. The sacrificial
lambs of the Old Testament, in fact,

merely foreshadowed the perfect sac-

rifice of Christ on the cross. During

the prayer, the priest strikes his breast.



24

49. Prayers Before

Communion

O Lord, Jesus Christ, who
hast said to Thy apostles:
Peace I leave you. My peace I
give to you, regard not my sins
but the faith of Thy Church,
and deign to give her peace and

unity according to Thy will.
Who livest and reignest God
world without end* Amen*

O Lord, Jesus Christ, Son
of the living God: Who by the
will of the Father, with the co-

operation of the Holy Ghost,

hast by Thy death given life to the world, deliver me by this
Thy most sacred body and blood from all my sins and from
every evil* Make me always cling to Thy commands, and never
permit me to be separated from Thee* Who with the same
God the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest, God
world without end. Amen*

Let not the partaking of Thy body, O Lord Jesus Christ,
which I, though unworthy, make bold to receive, turn to my
judgment and condemnation, but by reason of Thy loving kind-
ness, may it be to me a safeguard of both soul and body, and

an effective remedy. Who livest and reignest with God the
Father in the union of the Holy Ghost, God world without end.

Amen*
Notice that these prayers ask for benefits which are especially conferred

through Holy Communion, namely, peace and purity of soul.

50. Domine Non Sum Dignus

I will take the bread of

heaven, and call upon the name

of the Lord.

Lord, I am not worthy that

thou shouldst come under my
roof; but only say the word and

my soul will be healed* (Three
times) *

“Domine non sum dignus” means

“O Lord, I am not worthy.” These
are the words of the Roman official

who begged Christ for a miraculous

cure. The priest strikes his breast three

times.



25

SI. Receiving The Host

May the body of our Lord
Jesus Christ keep my soul unto
life everlasting. Amen.

With the host the priest signs

himself reverently in the form of the

cross and then receives Holy Com-
munion.

“I am the living bread that has
come down from heaven. If anyone
eat of this bread he shall live for-

ever; and the bread that I will give

is my flesh for the life of the world.'’
John 6, 51.

52.

Collecting The Particles

What return shall I make
to the Lord for all He hath

given me? I will take the chalice

of salvation, and I will call upon

the name of the Lord. Praising

will I call upon the Lord and I

shall be saved from my enemies.

Next, particles of the sacred

host, which may have fallen on the
corporal, are gathered and brushed

into the chalice. The accompanying

prayer reechoes psalm 115.

53.

Receiving The Chalice

May the blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ keep my soul unto
life everlasting. Amen.

“The cup of blessing that we
bless, is it not the sharing of the blood

of Christ? And the bread that we
break, is it not the partaking of the

body of the Lord?” 1 Cor. 10, 16.

“For as often as you shall eat

this bread and drink the cup, you pro-

claim the death of the Lord, until he

comes.” 1 Cor. 11, 26.



26 54.

Petition For Forgiveness

May almighty God have
mercy on you, forgive you your

sins and bring you to life ever-

lasting.

Amen.

May the almighty and mer-
ciful Lord grant you pardon,

absolution and full remission of

your sins.

Amen.

Before the people's communion,

the altar boy recites the Confiteor and

the priest concludes it with the usual

petition for forgiveness.

55.

Ecce Agnus Dei

* Behold the Lamb of God,

behold Him who takes away the

sins of the world.

Lord, I am not worthy that
Thou shouldst come under my
roof,* but only say the word and

my soul will be healed. (Three
times )

.

“Ecce Agnus Dei'' means “Be-

hold the Lamb of God.’’ Note that
before the communion of the people,

the priest repeats some of his own
preparatory prayers.

56.

Receiving Communion

May the Body of Our Lord
Jesus Christ preserve your soul

unto life everlasting. Amen.

With the receiving of the chalice

by the priest, the Mass is essentially

complete. But to partake fully of the

benefits which are their rightful share

in the fruits of the sacrifice, the people

also must communicate.

“Because the bread is one, we

though many, are one body, all of us

who partake of the one bread.’’ 1 Cor.

10 , 17 .



27
57.

Purifying The Chalice

What has passed our lips

as food, O Lord, may we pos-
sess in purity of heart, that

what is given to us in time, be

our healing for eternity.

After Communion, as a safe-

guard against irreverence, wine is

poured into the chalice to gather any

sacred drops which may remain. Note

that the accompanying prayer appro-

priately asks for purity.

58.

Purifying The Hands

May Thy body, O Lord,
which I have eaten, and Thy

blood which I have drunk,

cleave unto my very soul, and
grant that no trace of sin be

found in me, whom these pure
and holy mysteries have re-

renewed. Who livest and reign-
est world without end. Amen.

The hands also are purified with

wine and water lest particles of the

sacred host which they have touched

be profaned.

59.

Dressing The Chalice

Next the chalice is dried and

arranged with the other articles as at

the beginning of Mass. Meanwhile the

altar boy returns the book to the

Epistle side of the altar for the read-

ing of the Communion Anthem and

the Postcommunion prayer. These are

among the most ancient of the Mass

prayers.

Since Christ is entirely present

under the appearance of consecrated

bread alone, or wine, Communion

under one kind, for practical reasons,

has been the custom in the Western

Church for centuries.



28

61. The Postcommunion

Prayer

Let us pray.

Admitted to the holy table,

O Lord, we have drawn waters,
with joy, from the Savior's

fountains; may His blood, we

beseech Thee, be within us as

a fountain of water springing

forth unto eternal life; Who
liveth and reigneth with Thee

in the union of the Holy Ghost,

God world without end.
Amen .

60. The Communion Anthem

(Hebr. 9, 28). Christ was

offered once to take away the

sins of many; the second time

He will appear with no part in
sin to those who wait for him
unto salvation.

Originally this was a chant sung

by the people during the procession to

receive Holy Communion. When fre-
quent Communion ceased there was no
point in continuing the long chant.

The Postcommunion prayer which
follows is similar in structure to the

Collect. Generally it petitions for the

full fruits of Holy Communion.

62. The Dismissal

The Lord is with you.

And with thy spirit .
Go: you are sent forth.

Thanks be to God .

“Ite Missa est” means, “Go, you

are sent forth.’' Strangely enough, it

is from this phrase that the Mass has

taken its name.

There is a striking parallel be-

tween these words and the words of

Christ before His ascension, “Going

therefore, teach all nations . .
.”

Obviously all the following

prayers are comparatively late addi-

tions to Mass.



29

65. The Last Gospel

The Lord be with you.

And with Thy spirit .
The beginning of the holy

Gospel according to St. John.

Glory be to Thee , O Lord .
In the beginning was the

Word, and the Word was with
God; and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with
God. All things were made

through Him, and without Him
was made nothing that has been

made. In Him was life, and the
life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness;
and the darkness grasped it not. There was a man, one sent

63. Prayer To The Trinity

May the tribute of my wor-
ship be pleasing to Thee, Most

Holy Trinity, and grant that the

sacrifice, which I, all unworthy,

have offered in the presence of

Thy majesty, may be acceptable

to Thee, and through Thy mercy

obtain forgiveness for me and

all for whom I have offered it.
Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.
The personal nature of this

prayer characterizes it as a private

prayer of the priest.

64. The Last Blessing

May God almighty bless
you: the Father, the Son, and

the Holy Ghost.

Amen .

This blessing recalls the ascen-

sion of Christ, just as the Ite Missa

Est recalls His grand commission.



30

from God, whose name was John, This man came as a witness,

to bear witness concerning the light, that all might believe

through Him. He was not himself the light, but was to bear
witness to the light. It was the true light that enlightens every

man who comes into the world. He was in the world, and the
world was made through him, and the world knew him not. He
came unto his own, and his own received him not. But to as

many as received Him He gave the power of becoming sons of
God; to those who believe in His name: who were born not of

blood, nor of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man, but

of God. AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, AND
DWELT AMONG US. And we saw His glory— glory as of
the only-begotten of the Father— full of grace and of truth.

Thanks be to God .

The Gospel of St. John is one of the latest additions to the Mass.
Originating as a private devotion of the priests, it found its way into the
Mass itself. Note that these words of the divine writer express the entire

scope of salvation from the eternal reality of God through the incarnation
and salvation by Christ. At the words of the Gospel which declare Christ’s

birth, the priest genuflects.

Hail Mary, full of grace!

the Lord is with thee; blessed

art thou among women, and

blessed is the fruit of thy womb,

Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of

God, pray for us sinners, now

and at the hour of our death.

Amen
.
(Three times)

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother

of Mercy; our life, our sweet-

ness, and our hope! To thee do
we cry, poor banished children
of Eve; to thee do we send up

our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn

then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us;

and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy

womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!

66. Prayers After Mass

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ .



31

Let us pray. O God our refuge and our strength, look down
with mercy on Thy people who cry to Thee. And through the

intercession of the glorious and immaculate Virgin Mary,

Mother of God, of Saint Joseph, her spouse, of the holy apostles,

Peter and Paul, and of all the saints, mercifully and graciously

hear the prayers which we offer to thee for the conversion of
sinners and for the freedom and prosperity of Holy Mother the

Church, through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Saint Michael the archangel, defend us in battle. Be our

protection against the malice and snares of the devil. Restrain

him, O God, we beseech Thee, and do thou, O prince of the
heavenly host, by the divine power, cast into hell Satan and the

other evil spirits who roam about the world seeking the ruin

of souls.

Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Have mercy on us
.
(Three times)

These prayers were prescribed by Pope Leo XIII in 1884 with the

addition of the Sacred Heart invocations by Pope Pius X in 1904. They are
omitted after high Masses and on certain other occasions.

PURPOSE OF THE MASS CHARTS

As noted in the teachers’ manual, the primary purpose of

charts on the Mass is to show graphically the interrelation of

its parts with themselves and to the whole. This is the function

of the Basic Mass Chart.

Column one of the chart indicates the large divisions of

the Mass and their origin. It shows incidentally the essential

identity of Mass with the Paschal Supper.

Column two indicates the sequence of the main prayers,

ordinary and proper pieces being identified.

Column three classifies the content of the prayer groups.

Use of the chart as a point of departure for instruction and

questioning is facilitated by the numerical points of reference for

each column and each line.

The Mass-Growth Chart has a single purpose, which is to
show graphically that Mass is the Last Supper sacrificial action
enriched with appropriate ceremonials and prayers under the

wise guidance of the Church,



32

GROWTH OF THE MASS PRAYERS

A.D. 33 200 400 600 800 1000 1300 1570 1900

EPISTLE
GRADUAL TRACT
GOSPEL SERMON

CONSECRATION

Introit

Kyrie

Gloria

Collects

Psalm 42

Confiteor

Creed

Offertory Anthem

Offertory

^Canon**

BREAKING BREAD

COMMUNION

Lavabo

Secret

Preface

Sanctus

Te Igitur

In Primis

Memento

Communicantes

Unde Et Memores

Supra Quae

Supplices Te

Memento

Nobis Quoque

Per Ipsum

Agnus Dei

Communion Prayers

Communion Anthem
Postcommunion

Last Gospel

Prayers

Prayers

*
“All the elements of our Canon were already present in the Eucharistic prayer of the

fourth and fifth centuries, although the arrangement is somewhat different.” Parsch p. 189.

“Our present Canon has been in use since about A. D. 600.” Parsch p. 192.



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LIGHT ON THE LITURGY— PART II
The principal parts of the Mass and their appli-

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