Jesus will now offer His Great Sacrifice, He wants me to join with Him in His offering. If my prayers are with His, they will please God more and be much stronger than if I prayed by myself.

Prayer before Mass

My Jesus, I offer my prayers with Yours. Then God will like them more and give me all the things He sees necessary for me to have. I will offer this Mass:

(1) for God’s honor and glory, that everyone may know Him and love Him;

(2) to thank Him for all He has done for us;

(3) to ask forgiveness for all my sins;

(4) to receive the graces and blessings I need for myself and others.

(Say what you want our Lord to give you through this Mass.)

The Beginning of Mass

Make the sign of the Cross with the priest and say:

✠ In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

I confess to Almighty God, etc.

When the priest goes up to the altar say:

Dear Jesus who hast said “Come to Me, all ye who are burdened and oppressed, and I will refresh you,” help me to know Thee better and to love Thee more.

The Introit

The priest goes to the right or Epistle side of the altar.

My God, I am glad that by this Mass Thou wilt be praised and loved as much as Thou dost deserve, because Jesus will love and praise Thee, and He is God. I want to do what He does, and to give Thee glory with Him. 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.

The Kyrie Eleison

Priest: Lord have mercy on us.

Server: Lord have mercy on us.

Priest: Lord have mercy on us.

Server: Christ have mercy on us.

Priest: Christ have mercy on us.

Server: Christ have mercy on us.

Priest: Lord have mercy on us.

Server: Lord have mercy on us.

Priest: Lord have mercy on us.

The Gloria in Excelsis

Glory be to God on high, 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; Thou who takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayers; Thou who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For Thou alone art holy: Thou only art the Lord: Thou alone, O Jesus Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father.

The priest kisses the altar, and turning to the people says:

Dominus vobiscum. (The Lord be with you.)

The server answers for us:

Et cum spiritu tuo. (And with Thy spirit.)

The Collect

The priest collects the prayers of the people and offers them to God.

My God, we are giving Thee the best of all gifts, Thy own beloved Son. Give us for His sake all we need. Keep us from sin. Save us from all dangers of soul and body. Let holy Mary and all the Angels and Saints pray for us that we may safely reach Heaven. Through Christ our Lord.

The Epistle

My Jesus, I thank Thee for all Thou hast done to make me happy. For having come into this world to save me. For being a man like me. For being scourged at the pillar, and crowned with thorns, and nailed to the wood of the Cross. For having died for me on the Cross, risen again and ascended to Heaven to prepare there a place for me.

I thank Thee for having made me a Catholic. For having hidden Thyself in the Blessed Sacrament to come to me and be the Food of my soul. Dear Lord, what can I do for Thee in exchange? I will try to do always what I know Thou dost expect of me.

The server says:

Deo gratias. (Thanks be to God.)

The Missal or book is carried to the left or Gospel side of the altar. All stand to hear the words of Jesus Christ Himself. We make the sign of the Cross on our forehead, to show that we believe what Jesus Christ has taught us, on our lips to show we will never speak against it, on our heart to show we love it and will do what He tells us.

The Gospel

O Lord Jesus, Who hast delivered unto us the message of the Gospel, grant that I receive it into my mind, embrace it with my will, preserve it in my memory and practice it in my daily life; and being now privileged to hear Thy voice, may be also at Thy right hand on the last day, and hear Thee say, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

At the end of the Gospel the server says:

Laus tibi Christe. (Praise be to Thee, O Christ.)

The Nicene Creed

This is not said every day.

I believe in one God, and that in this one God there are Three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. I believe that to save us from sin and hell and to teach us the way to Heaven, God the Son was made Man (kneel out of reverence for our Lord’s Incarnation) and died upon the Cross. The third day He rose again, and ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father, and He shall come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, and all that the Church teaches.

The Offertory or Offering

The First Principal Part of the Mass

On the altar stands the chalice or cup, with a little golden plate on it, called a paten. These are covered with a silk veil. The Priest takes off the veil, and holds up with both hands the paten on which lies a host—the bread which is to be changed into the Body of Our Lord. Then he pours wine and water into the chalice and offers it also to God.

My God, I believe that the host the Priest is offering to Thee will soon be changed into the Body of Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that the wine in the chalice will soon be changed into His Precious Blood. I offer these to Thee with the Priest and with them I offer my body and soul and everything I have.

The Lavabo

This means washing. The priest washes his hands to show how pure we ought to be when we come near our Blessed Lord.

My God, keep me from sin. When I do wrong, help me to make a good act of contrition and to say: “My God, I am sorry for having displeased Thee because Thou art so good.” Then the sin will be removed. If I do this, my soul will always be pure and pleasing to Thee.

“Orate Fratres”

This means: “Brethren, pray.” The priest turns to the people and asks them to pray with him.

Brethren, pray that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God the Father Almighty.

The server answers for us:

May the Lord receive the sacrifice from thy hand, to the praise and glory of His Name, to our benefit and that of all His holy Church.

The Secret Prayers

My God, I pray to Thee, for all the people who will die this day. Have mercy on them and keep them from hell. Heart of Jesus, once in agony, have mercy on the dying.

The Preface

The most solemn part of the Mass is here. When the bell rings, we say the same words the Angels sing in Heaven:

“Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Blessed is He who cometh in the Name of the Lord.”

Blessed be God. Blessed be His holy Name. Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man. Blessed be Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the altar.

The Canon of the Mass

All is still around the altar. Many Angels have come down from Heaven, and are waiting to adore their God when He arrives. The Priest prays in a low voice. We must be attentive and pray with him.

Prayer for the Living

My God, bless our Holy Father the Pope and all our Bishops and Priests. Bless my family, brothers, sisters, and relations, and all for whom I should pray. Have mercy on our country, on all poor sinners, on the sick and the sorrowful. My Jesus, mercy. My Jesus, mercy.

The Consecration and Elevation

The Second Principal Part of the Mass

The bell rings once to tell us the solemn moment has come. The Priest takes the bread in his hands. He says the words of Consecration, the very words of our Lord at the Last Supper: “This is My Body,” and at once the bread is changed into the Body of Jesus Christ. The Priest falls on his knees to adore our Lord really present, and then lifts up the Sacred Host for the people to see and adore It. Look up for a moment on that Sacred Host and say with faith and with love:

“My Lord and my God!”

The bell is rung three times. The Priest is saying over the wine our Lord’s words: “This is My Blood.” There is no wine in the chalice now; the Blood of our Lord is there instead. The bell rings again three times. The chalice is lifted up. Raise your eyes to it. Then bow down to adore the Precious Blood that is there.

Jesus is now on the altar. He is there for us, to hear us tell Him what we want and to help us. He has said: “Ask, and you shall receive.” In your own words, beg of Him the things needed both for yourself and for others.

Prayer for the Dead

Have pity, my God, on the poor Souls in Purgatory who have to remain in agony because of the sins they committed in this world. They cannot help themselves, but I can help them by my prayers. Eternal rest give to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus. I offer Thee the Sacred Heart of Jesus to pay their debt. Have pity on them and receive them soon in Heaven.

(Repeat the names of those for whom you wish to pray.)

The Pater Noster, “Our Father”

Say slowly and reverently our Lord’s own Prayer:

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.

The Agnus Dei, “Lamb of God”

Thou art called a lamb, dear Jesus, because of Thy gentleness. But my sins have hurt Thee, O Gentle Lamb of God! Forgive me. I am sorry. I will try never more to offend Thee.

The Priest’s Communion

The Third Principal Part of the Mass

The bell rings. We say three times:

“Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof; say but the word and my soul shall be healed.”

Those who are to receive Communion go to the rails, and the server says: I confess, etc.

The Priest bows down and consumes the Sacred Host. Then he receives the Precious Blood from the chalice. Mass is not heard until this has been done.

When the Priest’s Communion is finished, he turns to the communicants and says:

May the Almighty God have mercy upon you, and forgiving you your sins bring you to life everlasting.

Server: Amen.

May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon, ✠ absolution, and forgiveness of our sins.

Server: Amen.

Holding the Blessed Sacrament before the people he says:

Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him who taketh away the sins of the world.

“Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof, say but the word and my soul shall be healed.”

This prayer is said three times. Strike your breast each time.

The priest goes down the altar steps and gives Holy Communion to those kneeling at the rails, saying to each:

May the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve thy soul to life everlasting.

If you are not going to Holy Communion make a Spiritual Communion at this time. A Spiritual Communion is a wish to receive our Lord.

I believe, dear Jesus, that Thou art really present in the most holy Sacrament. I adore Thee. I love Thee. I desire to receive Thee. Come into my heart and never leave me. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

The Conclusion of the Mass

The Communion and Post-Communion

Whilst the priest is saying these prayers, say:

Help me, dear Jesus, to love Thee with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, with all my strength. O my God, keep me all my life from mortal sin.

The Blessing

The Last Gospel

A good father had two sons. One day the younger son said to his father: “Father, give me now the share of your things I shall have when you are dead.” The father said nothing, and gave him his share. And not many days after, the younger son gathering all together, went into a far country, and there wasted all he had in riotous living.

And after he had spent all, there came a great famine in that country, and he was in want. And he went to one of the citizens to ask for work. And he sent him into his farm to feed the pigs. The boy was so hungry that he would gladly have eaten the husks that were given to the pigs, for no one had pity on him.

Then in his trouble he began to think of his home. “How many servants in my Father’s house,” he said, “have more bread than they want, and I here am dying with hunger. I will arise and go to my father and say to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against God and against thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son, make me like one of thy hired servants.’”

And rising up, he came to his father. And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and was filled with pity, and running to him, fell upon his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him: “Father, I have sinned against God and against thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son.” And the father said to the servants: “Bring forth quickly the first robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet, and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it, and let us rejoice and make merry, because this my son was dead and is come to life again, he was lost and is found.”

Thanks be to God, our kind Father, who will always receive us when we ask of Him forgiveness.