The Order of Mass

This is the official English text of the Order of Mass. It has been approved by
the Hierarchies of England and Wales, of Scotland, and of Ireland. C. = Celebran
t P. = People + = People make the sign of the Cross
The Introductory Rite
C. In the name of the Father, + and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. P. Amen.
The Greeting One of the following formulas is used: 1. C. The grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with
you all. P. And also with you. 2. C. The grace and peace of God our Father and t
he Lord Jesus Christ be with you. P. Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesu
s Christ. Or: And also with you. 3. C. The Lord be with you. P. And also with yo
u. The Act of Penance One of the following formulas is used: 1. C. My brothers o
r sisters (or similar wording), to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mys
teries, let us call to mind our sins. (Pause.) P. I confess to almighty God, and
to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault (all s
trike their breast) in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in
what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels an
d saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
2. C. My brothers or sisters (or similar wording), to prepare ourselves to celeb
rate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins. After a pause the Celeb
rant continues: Lord, we have sinned against you: Lord, have mercy.
P. Lord, have mercy. C. Lord, show us your mercy and love. P. And grant us your
salvation. 3. C. My brothers or sisters (or similar wording), to prepare ourselv
es to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins. After a paus
e the Celebrant continues: You were sent to heal the contrite: Lord, have mercy.
P. Lord, have mercy. C. You came to call sinners: Christ, have mercy. P. Christ
, have mercy. C. You plead for us at the right hand of the Father: Lord, have me
rcy. P. Lord, have mercy. The Act of Penance is followed by the Absolution. C. M
ay almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasti
ng life. P. Amen. The Kyrie follows if it has not already been included in one o
f the Acts of Penance. C. Lord, have mercy. P. Lord, have mercy. C. Christ, have
mercy. P. Christ, have mercy. C. Lord, have mercy. P. Lord, have mercy. If it i
s to be said, the Gloria now follows: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to
his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worshi
p you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only
Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: h
ave mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our pra
yer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the M
ost High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Am
en. C. Let us pray.
At the end of the Opening Prayer: P. Amen.
The Liturgy of the Word
At the conclusion of the Readings the Lector says: This is the word of the Lord.
P. Thanks be to God. After the first Reading the Responsorial Psalm is recited
or sung. The people join in the repeated response. If it is to be said, the Alle
luia precedes the Gospel. At the beginning of the Gospel: C. The Lord be with yo
u. P. And also with you. C. A reading + from the holy Gospel according to (Matth
ew, Mark, Luke or John). P. Glory to you, Lord. At the conclusion of the Gospel:
C. This is the Gospel of the Lord. P. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. The cel
ebrant may now say the Homily. If it is to be said, the Creed now follows: We be
lieve in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all th
at is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of Go
d, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God fr
om true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all t
hings were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: (all
bow) by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the virgin Mary,
and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffere
d death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Sc
riptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom wi
ll have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who
proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipe
d and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy cath
olic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sin
s. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen. The Bidding Prayers now follow. At the end of each intercession one of the
following formulas is used: 1. C. Lord, in your mercy, P. Hear our prayer. 2. C
. Lord, hear us. P. Lord, graciously hear us.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist
The Offertory Antiphon may be sung as the gifts are brought to the altar. C. Ble
ssed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this brea
d to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for
us the bread of life. P. Blessed be God forever. (Omitted if singing is in progr
ess.) C. Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we ha
ve this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become
our spiritual drink. P. Blessed be God forever. (Omitted if singing is in progr
ess.) After washing his hands the Celebrant says: Pray, my brothers and sisters,
that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father (or s
imilar wording). P. May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the prai
se and glory of his name, for our good, and the good of all his Church. The Cele
brant then reads the Prayer over the Gifts, at the end of which: P. Amen. The Eu
charistic Prayer C. The Lord be with you. P. And also with you. C. Lift up your
hearts. P. We lift them up to the Lord. C. Let us give thanks to the Lord our Go
d. P. It is right to give him thanks and praise.
The Celebrant then reads the Preface, at the end of which the people join with h
im saying the Sanctus: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and
earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes i
n the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. After the Consecration: C. Let u
s proclaim the mystery of faith. The people proclaim in one of the following for
mulas: 1. Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. 2. Dying you
destroyed our death rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory. 3.
When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus,
until you come in glory. 4. Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set u
s free. You are the Savior of the world. At the end of the Eucharistic Prayer th
e Celebrant says the Doxology: Through him, with him, in him, in the unity of th
e Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever
. P. Amen. The Communion Rite C. Let us pray with confidence to the Father in th
e words our Saviour gave us (or similar wording): P. Our Father, who art in heav
en, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is i
n 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 del
iver us from evil. C. Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in o
ur day. In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as w
e wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
P. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. C. 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. P. Amen. C. The peac
e of the Lord be with you always. P. And also with you. The people may now excha
nge a sign of peace, according to local custom. While the Host is broken, the pe
ople say: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. La
mb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, y
ou take away the sins of the world: grant us peace. The Celebrant turns to the c
ommunicants and holding up the sacred Host says: This is the Lamb of God who tak
es away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper. P.
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be heale
d. Communion Minister: The Body of Christ. Communicant: Amen. Communion Minister
: The Blood of Christ. Communicant: Amen. The distribution of the sacred Blood t
o the people may be omitted, according to local custom. C. Let us pray. At the e
nd of the Postcommunion Prayer: P. Amen.
The Concluding Rite
C. The Lord be with you. P. And also with you. C. May almighty God bless you, th
e Father, + and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. P. Amen. The Celebrant dismisses t
he people with one of the following formulas: 1. Go in the peace of Christ. 2. T
he Mass is ended, go in peace. 3. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. P. Tha
nks be to God.