Mass (liturgy)

This article is about mass as a ceremony. For other uses, see Mass (disambiguation).

A Medieval Low Mass by a bishop.

Mass is the term used to describe a celebration of the Eucharist in the Western liturgical rites of the Catholic Church, the Old Catholic Churches, the Anglo-Catholic tradition of Anglicanism, and some largely High Church Lutheran regions. In Scandinavian and Baltic countries, the Lutheran Eucharistic service is also known as "the Mass".

The four parts of Mass are in order Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, and Concluding Rites.

Origin

The term comes from the Late-Latin word missa (dismissal), a word used in the concluding formula of Mass in Latin: "Ite, missa est" ("Go, it is the dismissal"). Dismissal means that someone is allowed to leave. In this case, people are being allowed to leave because Mass is finished. In another sense, it also means that people are allowed to leave to go on a mission to tell other people about Jesus and Christianity.

Catholic Church

Mass is the most important ceremony and form of worship in the Catholic Church. The Eucharist is thought to be the most important part of Christian life because the blood and the body of Christ are then received in the form of bread and wine as a sacrifice.

A Sunday Mass is about an hour long. On other days, it is about half an hour. A Mass can be longer or shorter depending on how many people there are taking Communion.

A good Catholic is supposed to go to Mass every Sunday and on some other holy days. Even though Mass can be on other days, a Catholic is still supposed to go to one on Sunday.

There are four parts in a Catholic Mass. They are in the same order all around the world but in different languages: Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, and Concluding Rites.

Introductory Rites

The priest enters, and everyone does the sign of the cross. He greets everyone in the congregation. The people confess their sins together and ask the Lord for mercy. They then sing the hymn "Gloria" and the priest says a prayer called the collect.

Liturgy of the Word

Some parts of the Bible are read. They are a first reading (which can be from the Old or the New Testament), a psalm, a second reading from the New Testament, and a reading from the Gospel. The priest then makes a short sermon (homily). Afterwards, the Apostles' Creed is said. Finally, some intercessory prayers can be made on behalf on another person.

Liturgy of the Eucharist

During the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the bread and the wine are offered at the altar. The priest consecrates them by saying that they are the body (bread) and blood (wine) of Jesus. The Catholic Church teaches that they are then turned into the actual blood and body of Christ (transubstantiation) even though they still look, smell, and taste like bread and wine.

Then, the Lord's Prayer is said. Next, people in the congregation do a sign of peace (usually a nod or handshake while saying "peace" or "peace be with you") with one another to show that they are now one family in Christ. The bread and the wine are then eaten in a process called Communion. Only baptized Catholics who are sorry for their sins are allowed to take part in Communion.

After Communion, there is a prayer to give thanks to God.

Concluding Rites

There may be announcements about important things that ar going on in the parish during this time.

Finally, the priest blesses everyone and dismisses them.

Other websites

Roman Catholic doctrine

• Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1322-1419
• History of the Roman rite of the Mass
• Why Fast Before Communion? by Fr. William Saunders Archived 2007-12-13 at the Wayback Machine
• Catholic Apologetics of America
• Links to documents on the Mass Archived 2012-02-24 at the Wayback Machine
• Mass times in the world
• The Annotated Mass

Present form of the Roman rite of the Mass

• The Order of Mass Archived 2011-07-02 at the Wayback Machine
• Fr. Larry Fama's Instructional Mass Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine
• Today's Mass readings Archived 2007-03-20 at the Wayback Machine (New American Bible version)
• The Readings of the Mass (Jerusalem Bible version)
• Mass Readings Archived 2007-12-17 at the Wayback Machine (text in official Lectionary for Ireland, Australia, Britain, New Zealand etc.)

Tridentine form of the Roman rite of the Mass

• The Holy Mass: A Pictorial Guide with Text

Anglican Doctrine and practice

• The Anglican Missal online Archived 2009-02-24 at the Wayback Machine

Lutheran doctrine

• Article 24 of the Augsburg Confession Archived 2008-09-15 at the Wayback Machine, regarding the Mass
• Article 23 of the Defense of the Augsburg Confession Archived 2008-07-24 at the Wayback Machine, regarding the Mass