Richard Ginder





FOR THE

VISITOR

AT

MASS

by

Richard Ginder

THE QUEEN’S WORK
3115 South Grand Boulevard

St. Louis 18, Missouri



SUMMARY

"Catholics have never told me about

the Mass" is a common complaint of non-

Catholics. Should they happen to attend

Mass, seldom if ever is it explained to

them. Here Father Ginder explains briefly

and simply what the Mass is, what the

actions of the priest signify, and why

Catholics regard the Mass as the highest

and the greatest act of worship.

Imprimi potest:

Peter Brooks, S. J.

Praep. Prov. Missourianae

Nihil obstat

:

F. J. Holweek

Censor Librorum

Imprimatur:

P Joannes J. Glennon
Archiepiscopus Sti. Ludovici

St{. Ludovici, die g Dcccmbris ig^i

Twenty-second printing, November 1952

Anv financial profit made by the Central

Office of the Sodality will be used for the

advancement of the Sodality Movement and

the cause of Catholic Action.

Copyright 1940

THE QUEEN’S WORK



For the Visitor at Mass

hy

RICHARD CINDER

Y
OU are about to witness what is to

a Catholic the most sublime act on

earth. The Catholics around you believe

that Jesus Christ will shortly be present on

the altar and will offer Himself to the ever-

lasting Father as He did nineteen centuries

ago. In fact the Mass, which you are about

to witness, is to a Catholic the bloodless

repetition of Christas sacrifice on Calvary.

Sacrifice has been the essence of all re-

ligions from the very beginning. It per-

meates the Old Testament. So the early

Christians, who when they were Jews of-

fered animals in sacrifice, found it easy

to accept the Sacrifice of the Mass. It was

only in the sixteenth century that groups

of Christians began to reject the idea of

sacrifice and to substitute a communion

table for the altar.

The sacrificing priest exercises what we

Catholics call the power of orders. The

Church took Christ’s words at the Last

Supper literally
—

‘‘Do this for a commemo-

ration of me”—and since then has by the
imposition of a bishop’s hands delegated

priests to offer the sacrifice of Christ in the

name of the people. The power of orders

comes, not from the people, but from Christ

Himself through the hands of the ordaining

bishop.

— 3 —



You may have noticed wnen you were

coming into the church that the people on

entering dipped their fingers into an urn

of water and traced the sign of the cross

on themselves. The water has been blessed

and is known as holy water; the holy-water

urn at the church door is the last relic of

the washing of the feet which early Chris-

tians performed before they entered a

church.

Visible in the center of the altar is a

curtained door. Beyond this door is a little

compartment — called a tabernacle — in
which is kept consecrated altar breads (un-

leavened bread) — called Hosts or the
Blessed Sacrament—which Catholics believe
is the body and blood of Jesus Christ. These

are for the devotion of the faithful and for

the Holy Communion of those at Mass and

those who are sick and those who are dying.

A light is kept burning always before the
tabernacle, which contains the real presence

of Jesus Christ, and people entering and

leaving the Church always touch one knee

to the ground—genuflect—toward the altar.
The fact of the real presence of Jesus

Christ in the Catholic Church explains why

those of the faith kneel for a moment at

their place and look so intently at the altar

and why they never speak in church—even
when no services are being conducted

—

except in a whisper.

In front of the tabernacle and on either

side of the altar are printed cards framed

and covered with glass. On these altar

cards are some of the prayers which the

— 4—



priest says while he is performing more

or less complicated ceremonial actions dur-

ing the Mass. Ordinarily the priest stands

at the center of the altar and reads most

of the prayers from a large Mass book

—

called the missal—but now and then his
hands are occupied, for instance in bless-

ing or in holding the chalice. At such times

he cannot easily turn his head or manipu-

late the pages of the missal, so he reads

from the card in the center. The cards at

the sides supply the prayers for those times

when the missal is not within convenient

reach.

On either side of the tabernacle are can-

dles—two or six. Two are lighted for a low
Mass, which is read, and six for a high

Mass, .which is sung. Originally candles

on the altar served the very practical pur-

pose of providing light—for example in the
catacombs. Today the candles are largely

ceremonial.

In the sacristy—a room adjacent to the
enclosure which contains the altar — the
priest puts on the special ceremonial robes

-—vestments—that are worn during Mass.

These robes are essentially the ceremonial

adaptation of the everyday dress of the an-

cient Romans. In the early Christian

churches, which were unheated, the priest

wore a skullcap in order to keep warm.

Later three flaps were added to the skull-

cap to facilitate its removal (for example

the priest takes off his hat at the mention

of the name of Jesus). The priest will be

wearing such a three-cornered hat (biretta)

— 5



wh^n, vested, he will enter the sanctuary

—

the enclosure which contains the altar

—

from the sacristy.

The vestments of the priest at Mass will

be in a color expressive of the event com-

memorated by the Mass:

Gold—on occasions of solemn joy.
White—on occasions of joy; feast days

(special days of commemoration) of Our

Lord, the Virgin Mary, and the saints.

Rose—on one Sunday in Advent (the
more than three weeks preceding Christ-

mas) and one Sunday in Lent (the forty

days preceding Easter)

.

Red—at Masses of the Holy Spirit or
feast days of the martyrs.

Green—in seasons expressive of hope:
on the Sundays after the Epiphany (the

coming of the Magi) and after Pentecost

(the coming of the Holy Spirit to the

Apostles).

Violet—in seasons of penance: Holy In-
nocents’ day, at Masses for peace, on vigils

(days preceding special feasts), and

throughout Advent and Lent.

Black—on Good Friday and at Masses
offered for the souls of the dead.

Mass will be read or sung in Latin, the

language of the Roman Empire in the

early days of the Church. The great ad-

vantage of the use of the Latin is that it

is a dead language, and therefore its

words are not subject to changes in mean-

ings. Many of the people around you have

English translations of the missal. Others

will recite the rosary. Still others will



simply meditate on the significance of the

action taking place on the altar before

them. It is not necessary for a person at

Mass to understand Latin. God under-

stands it, and the first purpose of sacrifice

is honor to God.

MASS BEGINS

The priest enters the sanctuary, carrying

the sacrificial cup (explained later). He is

preceded by one or more altar boys, each of

whom wears a cassock and a surplice. The

cassock is a long loose robe which was a

common over-all garb in Europe, as may

be seen in Renaissance paintings. The sur-

plice is a short white linen garment de-

vised by the monks to cover the furs which

they had to wear for warmth during the

early-morning services in their chapels.

These altar boys, who respond to the

prayers of the priest, represent the people.

The people stand

—

through respect and

politeness—-when the priest enters. The
priest gives his biretta to an altar boy,

genuflects toward the altar, mounts the

steps leading to the altar, and puts the

chalice (the sacrificial cup) with its pall

(cover) upon the altar. The chalice and

pall are covered with a veil (napkin) of

the same color as the vestments.

The priest goes to the right and puts

bookmarks in those places in the missal to

which he will refer during the Mass.

He descends to the foot of the altar. The

people kneel. Here he recites Psalm 42

—

‘‘Judge me, O God . . —(Psalm 43 in
most of the non-Catholic versions of the

— 7 —



Bible). Then he bows low and according

to a formula called the confiteor makes a

general confession of his sins. He stands

erect again, and then the altar boys make

the same confession on behalf of the peo-

ple. The priest begs God^s forgiveness for

all.

He slowly goes up to the altar and kisses

it through respect for Jesus Christ, whom

the altar represents.

He goes to the right, reads a verse from

the Scriptures, then the doxology (a short

prayer in honor of the holy Trinity), and

then the verse again.

Returning to the center, he and the altar

boys alternate in reciting nine verses of a

prayer in Greek whose translation is ‘‘Lord,

have mercy on us; Christ, have mercy on

us.’'

At this point he may, depending on the

rank and nature of the feast, recite the an-

gelic hymn or greater doxology, which be-

gins, “Glory be to God in the highest . .

This prayer dates from the second century.

At a high Mass the prayer is intoned by

the priest and sung by the choir. At the

conclusion of this prayer . . .

The priest kisses the altar, faces the peo-

ple, extends his hands, and says, **Domimis

vobiscum ”
—
“The Lord be with you,” to

which the altar boys reply, *^Et cum spiritu

tuo
*'—“And with thy spirit.”
Going to the right, the priest bows to the

cross in the center and says, “Oremiis”

—

“Let us pray.” Then he reads one or several

prayers—called collects—of varying lengths,
— 8—



at the end of which the altar boys reply,

The priest reads these prayers

with his hands extended—an early Christ-
tian attitude of prayer—^perhaps because of
the beseeching character of the posture,

perhaps to represent Christas arms extended

on the cross.

Lowering his hands to touch the missal,

the priest then reads the epistle. This is a

lesson from the Old Testament, from the

Acts of the Apostles, from the epistles, or

from the Apocalypse (Revelation). After

this . . .

One of the altar boys takes a place near

the celebrant (the priest who is offering the

Mass), who reads a few selected verses

from the Scriptures, verses appropriate to

the feast.

The priest goes to the center of the altar,

where he bows and asks God to purify his

heart and his lips for the reading of the

Gospel. In the meantime an altar boy has

carried the missal to the left side of the

altar.

The priest goes to the missal. The people

rise—through respect for the Gospel—and
ail make a small sign of the cross on fore-

head, on lips, and on heart. The priest

reads from the Gospel a lesson which varies

with the feast. On finishing ...

He kisses the missal and moves it toward

the center. If the day is a Sunday or a

solemn occasion, the priest may pause at

this point, make the parish announcements,

read the Gospel of the day in English, and

preach a sermon. If the priest does not

9 —



pause for this purpose, or at the conclusion

of the sermon . .

.

He goes to the center, where he may,

again depending on the nature of the feast,

recite the Nicene Creed, a profession of

faith formulated in the year 325. The peo-

ple stand during the recitation of the creed

and genuflect with the priest at the words

**Et incamatus esf *
—

‘‘And [He] was in-

carnate.” Following the creed or, if the

creed has not been said, following the

Gospel . .

.

The priest kisses the altar and greets the

people again with the words **Dominus

vohiscum*^ — “The Lord be with you.” The
altar boys respond with “E't cum spiritu

two”—-“And with thy spirit,” and the con-

gregation sits down.

The priest faces the altar again and, re-

maining in the center, says, “Oremws”

—

“Let us pray.” Now begins the sacrificial

part of the Mass. So far the Mass has been

principally instructive in order to put the

people in the proper disposition :^or what is

to follow. In the early centuries at this

particular point of the Mass non-Catholics

and candidates for baptism were asked to

leave. What was to follow was only for the

initiated.

While the priest has been saying this

prayer, ushers have been taking up a col-

lection from among the congregation. In

the early days of the Church the faithful

offered instead of money bread and wine

for the church, the priests, and the poor.

— 10—



This collection is taken up only on Sundays

and holydays.

The priest takes the veil and the pall off

the chalice and puts them to one side. In

some churches a bell is rung at this point

to mark the beginning of this more solemn

part of the Mass. Now the celebrant re-

moves the paten (sacrificial plate), which

covers the chalice. Oh the paten rests a

large round wafer of unleavened bread—
the Host. This the priest elevates before

him, offers it to God, and then places it on

the altar. He picks up the chalice and . . .

Going to the right side, where the altar

boys have been waiting with a cruet of

water and one of wine, takes the wine cruet

and pours into the chalice a little wine,

which symbolizes the divine nature of

Christ. Then he blesses the water, which

symbolizes the human nature of Christ,

and carefully pours a drop or two into the

chalice.

He returns to the center, where he raises

the chalice and, as he did with the Host,

prays that almighty God will accept it ‘‘for

our salvation and that of the whole world.’’

Then he puts the chalice down, covers it

with the pall, and, bending low, professes

his own and the people’s humility before

God. Standing erect again, he invokes the

blessing of the Holy Spirit and makes the

sign of the cross over the chalice and the

Host.

Now he goes to the right side, where the
altar boys have been waiting with water, a

basin, and linen. He washes and dries his

— 11 —



fingers, reciting meanwhile six verses of

Psalm 25 (Psalm 26 in non-Catholic ver-

sions of the Bible).

Returning to the center, he bows and asks

the most blessed Trinity (God the Father,

God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) to

accept this sacrifice for the honor of God

and the saints and for the salvation of the

people.

Turning to face the people, he says,

**Orate, fratres**—‘‘Pray, brethren,” beg-
ging the congregation to add their prayers

to his own that the sacrifice may be ac-

ceptable to God the Father almighty. The

altar boys make the response in the name of

the people.

Still at the center, he reads silently one

or several prayers, which vary with the

feast of the day, placing the offering of the

sacrifice under the patronage of Our Lord.

He concludes the last prayer aloud so

that the faithful may ratify it:

V. “Per omnia saecula saeculoriwi
**

—

“World without end;”

R. “Amen.”

V. **Dominus vobiscnm
**—“The Lord be

with you.”

R. **Et cum spiritu tuo”—“And with thy
spirit.”

V. **Sursum corda*' — “Lift up your
hearts.”

R. **Habemus ad Dominum **—“We have
lifted them up unto the Lord.”

V. **Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro**
—“Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.”

— 12



R. **Dignum et justum —‘‘It is meet
and just.”

The priest continues aloud with the

preface, a prayer developing the idea of

thanksgiving in the light of the feast of

the day and of the season, asking that with

his prayer and those of the people all may

be permitted to join the heavenly choirs

praising God face to face: “And therefore

with the angels and archangels, the thrones

and dominions, and the whole host of the

heavenly army we sing the hymn of thy

glory, saying again and again. . .” Bowing

humbly before the altar, he continues in

the sublime words of Isaias the prophet

and of the Psalms: “Holy, holy, holy.

Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are

full of thy glory. Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is He that cometh in the name of

the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.” This is

called the Sanctus.

A bell is rung three times by one of the
altar boys at the words “Holy, holy, holy.”

This is the signal for the people to kneel,

since the action on the altar now begins to

penetrate more deeply into the mysteries

of the heavenly court.

The priest is no longer free to turn and

beg the prayers of his congregation. He is

preoccupied with the approaching sacrifice.

He kisses the altar and makes the sign

of the cross three times over the bread

and the wine. He prays now for the uni-

versal Church, for the Holy Father, for

the bishop, for those who need his prayers

or to whom he has promised a remem-

— 13 —



brance, and finally for those who are assist-

ing at the Mass (a Catholic never merely

attends Mass; he assists at Mass). The

celebrant goes on to unite himself and his

people with the Virgin Mary and the saints,

adoring God, with Christ, in heaven.

The bell is rung once as the priest ex-

tends his hands over the bread and the

wine—called the oblation. This ringing of
the bell is to warn the people that the conse-

cration (the changing of the bread and

wine into the body and blood of Christ) is

about to take place.

The priest prays again for the accept-

ance of the offering. Again he makes the

sign of the cross three times over the

bread and the wine together; then he

makes the sign of the cross separately over

the Host and over the chalice. The Church

is now very still, the people around you

intent on the altar. In an instant— ac-
cording to the belief of those around you

—the priest will transform the bread into
the body of Christ and the wine into His

blood. The change will not be visible, but

we have Christ’s word for it that the

change will take place.

The celebrant bends over the Host and

pronounces the sacred words: ‘Take and

eat ye all of this
;
for this is my body.**

He genuflects in adoration before the

Host, which has become God between his

fingers, and the bell is rung. He raises the

Host high so that the faithful may adore

their Savior, and the bell is rung again.

He genuflects again, and the bell is rung a

third time.

— 14 —



Without pausing, he goes on to the con-

secration of the wine in the chalice: ^‘Take

and drink ye all of this; for this is the

chalice of my bloody of the new and eternal

Testament: the mystery of faith: which

shall he shed for you and for many unto

the remission of sins. As often as ye do

these things, ye shall do them in remem-

brance of me/’

Again he genuflects, adoring the blood

of Christ before him, and the bell is rung.

He raises the chalice for the adoration of

the people, and the bell is rung again. He

genuflects again, and the bell is rung the

third time.

This is the essence of the sacrifice—this
mystical separation of Christ’s body and

blood. The priest has with the sword of

his miraculous words made a cleavage, as

it were, yet Christ lives whole and entire

under the appearance of the bread and the

wine. Christ the victim rests immolated

(sacrificed) on the altar before him. This

is a mystery whose roots are in eternity.

We accept this mystery on the word of
God Himself.

The priest continues to pray, his hands

extended. Through reverence for the body

of Christ he keeps the thumb and the fore-

finger of each hand pressed together until

they have been washed over the chalice

after he has received Holy Communion.

(This will be explained later.)

‘Now he can present to the divine ma-

jesty “a pure Host, a holy Host, a spotless

Host, the holy bread of eternal life, and

— 16 —



the chalice of everlasting salvation.” In

his prayers he associates this offering of

the sacrifice with the sacrifices of Abel,

Abraham, and Melchisedech, which in the

Old Testament found acceptance with God.

Bowing again in humility, he prays that

‘'these things [this sacrifice] ... be car-

ried up by the hands of thy holy angel to

thine altar on high, in the sight of thy

divine majesty. . . He kisses the altar,

which is hallowed now by the divine pres-

ence of Christ, blesses the sacrifice, and

then makes the sign of the cross on his own

person.

He joins his hand? thoughtfully and

prays for those who have died in the faith.

Then striking his breast, he prays: “And

to us sinners, thy servants, hoping in the

multitude of thy mercies, vouchsafe to

grant some part and fellowship with . . .

all thy saints. . . . Through Christ Our

Lord. Through whom, O Lord, thou dost

always create, sanctify, quicken, bless, and

give us these good things.” While he says

these words, he makes the sign of^the cross

three times over the sacrifice.

He genuflects and raises his voice again

that the faithful may ratify his prayer:

V. “Per omnia saecula saeciilorum **

—

“Forever and ever.”

R. “Amen.”

The celebrant recites the Lord’s Prayer,

looking at the Host before him, and con-

cludes :

V. **Et ne nos inducas in tentationem
**

—

“And lead us not into temptation.”

— 16



R. ^"Sed libera nos a 7nalo**
—‘^Rut deliver

us from evil.”

Silently the priest paraphrases this peti-

tion of the people for deliverance from

evil. Toward the end of his prayer he

makes the sign of the cross on himself with

the paten, kisses it, and, after genuflecting,

concludes aloud:

V. **Per omnia saecula saeculorum** —
^‘Forever and ever.”

R. ^^Amenr

V. ^^Pax Doinini sit semper vohiscum
**

—

‘*The Peace of the Lord be always with

you.”

R. ''Et cum spiritu tuo''—‘‘And with thy
spirit.”

The priest divides the Host into three

parts, drops the smallest part into the

chalice, and places the other two parts

on the paten. While he is doing this, he

recites the prayer: “May this mixture and

consecration of the body and blood of Our

Lord Jesus Christ avail us that receive it

unto life everlasting. Amen.”

He genuflects again, strikes his breast

three times, and says:

“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.”

The celebrant bows over the altar and in

preparation for Holy Communion (the par-

taking of the Host in the manner of food),

which he is about to receive, addresses

— 17—



three prayers to Christ in the Host on the

paten before him. With the first prayer he

asks for peace, with the second for holi-

ness, and with the third he asks that the

body and blood of Christ, which he —
though unworthy — is about to receive, may
heal and keep him, body and soul.

The bell is rung three times as the priest,

after genuflecting, takes the Host between

his fingers and recites three times the

prayer of the centurion (the soldier in the

Gospel who asked Christ to heal his son),

a prayer beautifully adapted to Holy Com-

munion: ‘^Lord, I am not worthy that thou

shouldst enter under my roof; say but the

word and my soul shall be healed.”

At each ringing of the bell, the people

strike their breasts in deepest humility.

The priest hows over the altar and con-

sumes the Host (receives Holy Commun-

ion). After a moment of thanksgiving he

genuflects and gathers up any little par-

ticles which may have dropped on the altar,

scraping the linen with the paten. These

particles he brushes into the chalice, which

he now raises to his lips; he consumes the

contents.

The people who intend to receive Holy

Communion approach the altar rail. (If no

one intends to receive Holy Communion,

skip to page 19). The priest unlocks the

tabernacle and takes out the ciborium (an-

other chalice), which is covered with a lid

and a veil. In the ciborium are kept a num-

ber of smaller Hosts that are consecrated at

Mass as they are needed for the people’s

18—



Holy Communion. While he has been doing

this, the altar boys have been reciting the

confiteor for the people. The priest places

the ciborium on the altar, uncovers it, genu-

flects, and, turning sidewise—lest he have
his back to the Blessed Sacrament—asks
God to absolve the people from their sins.

Turning back to the altar, he takes the

ciborium and, facing the congregation, holds

one of the Hosts over the chalice and re-

peats these words of St. John the Baptist:

“Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who

taketh away the sins *of the world.^'

Once more there is a triple repetition of

the words of the centurion : “Lord, I am not

worthy that thou shouldst enter under my

roof; say but the word and my soul shall

be healed.”

The priest, followed by an altar boy, goes

down to the communion rail and lays a

Host on the tongue of each person there,

saying each time: “May the body of Our

Lord Jesus Christ preserve thy soul to life

everlasting. Amen.” The altar boy holds

a communion plate under the chin of each

person in order to catch any particles of

the Blessed Sacrament that might fall.

When he has finished distributing Holy

Communion, the priest returns to the altar

and simply replaces the lid on the ciborium,

covers it with its veil, and puts it back in

the tabernacle. Then the Mass continues.

If no one approaches the rail for com-

munion, the ceremonies described beginning

with the paragraph **The people who intend

to receive Holy Communion . . .” on page

— 19 —



18 are omitted. The priest has consumed

the precious blood of Christ. Now he ex-

tends the chalice toward the altar boys,

who have taken their place at the right.

One altar boy pours a little wine into the

chalice. The priest moves the chalice with

a rotary gesture to rinse it before he drinks

the contents.

Now holding the chalice, he walks to the

right. One altar boy pours over the thumbs

and forefingers of the priest and into the

chalice a drop or so of wine; the other

pours in a little water.

The celebrant returns to the center and

drinks the wine and the water. He wipes

the inside of the chalice and covers it with

the paten, the pall, and the veil, so that it

looks now as it did when the priest entered

with it at the beginning of the Mass.

Meanwhile one of the altar boys has car-

ried the missal to the right side. The priest

now walks to the missal, reads an appropri-

ate verse called the communion— it is
taken from the Bible — and, returning to
the center, greets the people with the

familiar **Dominus vohiscum** — ‘^The Lord
be with you.”

Returning to the right, he bows to the

tabernacle and says, **Oremus'* — ‘‘Let us
pray.” The prayers that follow are called

postcommunion prayers, which vary accord-

ing to the feast of the day and the season.

The priest returns to the center and,

turning to the people, says:

V. **Domintis vobiscum** — “The Lord be
with you.”

—-20—



R. **Et cum spiritu tuo **
—

‘‘And with thy

spirit.”

V. “/^e 7nissa esV*— “Go, the Mass is
ended.”

R. **Deo gratias
**—“Thanks be to God.”

Turning toward the altar, the priest bows

low and addresses a final prayer to the

blessed Trinity that the sacrifice may have

been pleasing to God and fruitful for the

people.

He kisses the altar, turns to the people,

and makes the sign of the cross over them,

saying: “May almighty God bless you; the

Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.”

The people rise while the priest crosses

to the left and reads (from the card)

verses from the opening of St. John’s

Gospel. Everyone genuflects with him at

the verse, “E’t verbum caro factum est-*

—

“And the Word was made flesh.”

If it has been a high Mass (sung), the

priest leaves the altar at once; if a low

Mass, he goes to the foot of the altar and

recites the prayers after Mass:

“Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is

with thee; blessed art thou amongst women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,

Jesus.”

The people conclude with: “Holy Mary,

Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now

and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

This prayer, called the “Hail, Mary,” is

said three times.

Then the priest and the people recite

together

:

— 21 —



holy queen, mother of mercy.

Hail our life, our sweetness, 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 vale of tears.

Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine

eyes of mercy toward us. And after this

our exile show unto us the blessed fruit

of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, 0 loving,

0 sweet Virgin Mary.”

V. “Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.”

R. “That we may be made worthy of

the promises of Christ.”

The priest says, “Let us pray,” and then

recites the following prayer.

“O God, our refuge and our strength,

look down in mercy on thy people who cry

to thee
;
and by the intercession of the

glorious and immaculate Virgin Mary

Mother of God, of St. Joseph her spouse,

of thy blessed Apostles Peter and Paul,

and of all the saints, in mercy and good-

ness hear the prayers which we pour forth

for the conversion of sinners and for the

liberty and exaltation of our holy mother

the Church. Through the same Christ Our

Lord.” To which the people respond,

“Amen.” Then the priest continues:

“Holy Michael Archangel, defend us in

the day of battle; be our safeguard against

the wickedness and snares of the Devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;

and do thou, prince of the heavenly host,

by the power of God thrust down to hell

Satan and all wicked spirits, who wander

— 22—



through the world for the ruin of souls/'

To which the people respond, ‘‘Amen."

Then is recited three times:

V. “Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,"

R. “Have mercy on us."

The late Pope Pius XI asked that these

prayers after Mass be offered especially for

the relief of the Church in Russia.

The priest now ascends to the altar and

gets the chalice. He descends to the foot

of the altar, turns and genuflects, puts on

his biretta (hat), and returns to the

sacristy. Until he has left the sanctuary,

the people stand—through politeness.
All the Catholics will, as they leave their

pews, genuflect to the Blessed Sacrament

in the tabernacle before they turn to walk

out. You might genuflect too as an act of

devotion, if you think it will make you less

conspicuous. To know how to do this,

watch your neighbor.

CONCLUSION

During the Mass you may have been puz-

zled by the crosses and blessings, the actions

and gestures. But you must remember that

Mass is the reenactment of the Last Supper

in which Christ, through His priest, by the

separate consecration of bread and wine,

offers anew the sacrifice of Calvary.

Nineteen centuries of love and devotion

have elaborated ceremonies, like a beautiful

setting, around the central gem—the conse-
cration. If you want more explanation of the

Mass, ask your Catholic friends or a priest.

— 23 —



Pamphlets on»,»

• • • the Bible

. • • the Mass

. • • the Sacraments

Are the Gospels True?

An Adult’s Confession Booklet

Attention, Godparents!

Confession Is a Joy?

How to Pray the Mass

A Layman Looks at the Mass

Sacrament of Catholic Action

Say, Catholic! What Do You Know

About the Sacraments?

Well, What Is the Mass?

When We Go to Confession

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