Catholic Church of the East
Archdiocese of
Saint James the Apostle
Eucharist Celebration
THE ORDER OF MASS
INTRODUCTORY RITES
[stand]
Entrance Procession:
[After the people have assembled, an opening song or entrance antiphon is sung or recited as the priest and the ministers enter the church and process to the altar; after reverencing the altar (sometimes also using incense), they go to their chairs.]
Greeting:
Priest: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. [All together make the sign of the cross.]
All: Amen.
Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All: And also with you.
Option B:
Priest: The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
All: Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
or
All: And also with you.
Option C:
Priest: The Lord be with you.
[or Bishop: Peace be with you.]
All: And also with you.
[The priest or another minister may then briefly introduce the Mass of the day, saying something about the readings, the feast, and/or the special occasion being celebrated.]
Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling Holy Water:
Priest: Dear friends, this water will be used to remind us of our baptism. Let us ask God to bless it, and to keep us faithful to the Spirit he has given us. [or similar words of introduction]
[After blessing the water, the priest moves through the church sprinkling all of the people while an antiphon or other song is sung. When the sprinkling and the song is finished, the priest concludes this rite as follows:]
Priest: May almighty God cleanse us of our sins, and through the Eucharist we celebrate make us worthy to sit at his table in his heavenly kingdom.
All: Amen.
[This rite is commonly celebrated during the Easter Season, but may also be used at other times. When it is used, the Penitential Rite is omitted, and the Mass continues with the Gloria (on most Sundays and solemnities) or with the Opening Prayer (during Advent and Lent, and on weekdays).]
Penitential Rite:
Priest: As we prepare to celebrate the mystery of Christ's love, let us acknowledge our failures and ask the Lord for pardon and strength.
or Coming together as God's family, with confidence let us ask the Father's forgiveness, for he is full of gentleness and compassion.
or My brothers and sisters, to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins.
[or similar words of introduction, followed by a period of silent reflection.]
Kyrie:[The following acclamations are sung or recited, either in English or Greek, unless they have already been used, as in option C above.]
Gloria:
Opening Prayer:
Priest: Let us pray.
[After a time of silent prayer, the priest sings or says the Opening Prayer, which is different for each Mass.
At the end, the people proclaim their consent.]
All: Amen.
[sit]
LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading:
Lector: A reading from the Book (or Letter, or Acts) of ...
[Different readings are prescribed for each day.
At the end of the reading, the lector proclaims, and the people respond:]
Lector: The Word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God!
Responsorial Psalm
Second Reading:
[A second reading is prescribed for all Sundays and major feasts, but not for most weekdays or minor feasts.
The lector's introduction and conclusion and the people's response are the same as in the First Reading, above.]
[stand]
Alleluia or Gospel Acclamation:
Gospel:
Before the Gospel Proclamation:
Deacon (or Priest): The Lord be with you. All: And also with you.
Deacon (or Priest): A reading from the Holy Gospel according to...
All: Glory to you, Lord!
After the Gospel Proclamation:
Deacon (or Priest): The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!
[sit]
Homily:
[The bishop, priest, or deacon then speaks to the people, usually focusing on that day's scriptures and/or on the feast or special occasion being celebrated at that Mass; but the homily may also be based on any liturgical text from the Mass.]
[stand]
Profession of Faith:
[On Sundays and solemnities, the Nicene Creed is normally recited by everyone after the homily. The Apostles' Creed may be used instead, esp. in celebrations of Masses with children.]
General Intercessions / Prayer of the Faithful:
Lector: …let us pray to the Lord.
All: Lord, hear our prayer. [or a similar response, repeated after each petition]
[sit]
Hymn:
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Presentation of the Gifts / Preparation of the Altar:
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life.
All: Blessed be God for ever.
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink.
All: Blessed be God for ever.
[stand]
Priest: Pray, my brothers and sisters, that our sacrifice
may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
All: 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 Church.
Prayer over the Gifts:
All: Amen.
Eucharistic Prayer:
Institution Narrative (recalling the words of Jesus at the Last Supper)
Memorial Acclamation:
Priest: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
Doxology and Great Amen:
Priest: Through him, with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.
All:
[stand]
COMMUNION RITE
Lord's Prayer:
Priest: Let us pray with confidence to the Father in the words our Savior gave us.
or Jesus taught us to call God our Father, and so we have the courage to say:
or Let us ask our Father to forgive our sins and to bring us to forgive those who sin against us.
or Let us pray for the coming of the kingdom as Jesus taught us.
All: 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.
Priest: Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
All: For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.
Sign of Peace:
Priest: Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you. Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Priest: The Peace of the Lord be with you always.
All: And also with you.
Deacon or Priest: Let us offer each other a sign of peace.
[The ministers and all the people exchange an embrace, handshake, or other appropriate gesture of peace with those near them, according to local custom.]
Breaking of the Bread:
All:
[kneel]
[This text may be sung or recited, and may be repeated several more times until the breaking of bread and the preparation of the communion vessels is finished; but the last phrase is always "Grant us peace."]
Communion:
Priest: This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper.
All: Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.
Communion Minister: The body and blood of Christ. Communicant: Amen.
Communion Song:
[sit]
Period of Silence or Song of Praise:
[stand]
Prayer after Communion:
Priest: Let us pray.
[All pray in silence for a while, unless a period of silence has already been observed. Then the priest sings or says the Prayer after Communion, which is different for each Mass. At the end, the people proclaim their consent.]
All: Amen.
CONCLUDING RITE
[stand]
Greeting:
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Blessing:
Dismissal:Deacon or Priest: Go in the peace of Christ.
or The Mass is ended, go in peace.
or Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God!
[Announcements, etc.]:[If there are any announcements, acknowledgments, reflections, eulogies, or similar actions, these are best included here, after the Prayer after Communion and before the Concluding Rite.
The people may remain standing, or may be invited to sit, depending on the length of the announcements or activity.]
[Recessional and Closing Song]:
[Although it is traditional in many countries and many parishes to sing a final song or to have some instrumental music played as the priest and ministers process out of the church, this is not prescribed in the Order of Mass.]
