I wish to celebrate Mass and confect the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the rite of the holy Church, to the praise of almighty God and all of the Church Triumphant, for my well being and that of all of the Church Militant, for all those commended to my prayers in general and in specific, and for the favorable state of the holy Church. Amen.
Give strength, O Lord, to my hands by this washing, so that I may
serve You without sin, either physical or mental.
Lord, put the helmet of salvation on my head, that I may be defended
against the incursions of the devil.
Make me white, O Lord, and cleanse my mouth, so that, washed in the
Blood of the Lamb, I may offer you praise forever.
(Donning the cincture, he says: )
Bind me up, O lord, with the cincture of purity, and extinguish the
flames of lust in me; that the virtues of continence and chastity may
find root in me.
(Putting on the Stole, he says: )
Adorn me, O Lord, with the stole of immortality, which was lost with
the lies of our first parents; that, however unworthy I may be to go
into your sacred mysteries, I may merit eternal joy through them.
(Putting on the Chasuble, he says: )
O Lord, You who said: "My yoke is easy, and my load is light"; make me worthy to bear that yoke and that burden, that I may earn your grace.
Amen.
Cel: Sprinkle me ...
Res: ...with Hyssop,
O Lord, and I shall be cleansed; Wash me, and I will be whiter than
snow.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
according to Your Great mercy.
(In Eastertide - Palm Sunday to Trinity Sunday - is said: )
Cel: I saw water . .
.
Res: flowing from the right side of the Temple -
Alleluia!
And
all to whom that water came were saved, and they shall say: Alleluia!
Give praise to
the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endures forever!
(and it continues: )
All: Glory be to the Father , and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, throughout all Ages of Ages, Amen.
Cel: "Sprinkle me .
. ."
or "I saw water . . ."
Cel: O Lord, show
Your mercy on us.
Res: And grant us Your
salvation.
Cel: O Lord, hear my
prayer,
Res: And let my cry
come unto You.
Cel: The Lord be with
you.
Res: And with your
spirit.
Cel: Let us pray:
Graciously hear us, O holy Lord, Father Almighty, Eternal God; and
send Your holy angel from heaven, who may keep, cherish, protect,
visit, and defend all who are assembled in this place. This we ask
through Jesus Christ Our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the
Holy Spirit, ever one God, throughout all ages of ages,
Amen.
Cel: In the name of
the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
All: Amen
Cel: Judge me, O
God, and
defend my cause against the ungodly people: deliver me from the
deceitful and
the wicked man.
All: For You are the
God of my strength; why have You put me from You, and why go I so
heavily
while the enemy oppresses me?
Cel: Send out Your
light and Your truth that they may lead me: and bring me unto Your holy
mountain, and to Your dwelling-place.
All: And I will go unto
the Altar of God, to God who gives joy to my soul.
Cel: On the harp I will
give thanks unto You, O God, my God.
Why are you sad, O my soul, and why do you disturb me?
All: O put your trust
in God; for I will yet give Him thanks: Who is the help of my
countenance, and my God.
Cel: Glory be to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
All: As it was in the
beginning is now, and ever shall be world without end, Amen
Cel: My brothers and sisters, in order to prepare ourselves to celebrate these sacred mysteries, let us call to mind our sins.
{We pause a few moments to recall our sins, then is said:}
All: I confess to Almighty God, one in the Holy Trinity, to Blessed Mary, Ever-Virgin, to Blessed Michael the Archangel, to Blessed John the Baptist, to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the saints, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned by thought, word, and deed . . .
{We strike our breast three times, saying:}
Through my fault; Through my fault; Through my great fault.
Therefore I ask Blessed Mary, Ever-Virgin, Blessed Michael the Archangel, Blessde John the Baptis, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray to the Lord Our God for me.
Cel: May Almighty
God have
mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen
Cel: May Our Lord
Jesus Christ absolve you, and by His authority I absolve you from your
sins, in the Name of the Father + and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Cel: O God, You
shall again
revive us
All: And Your people will rejoice
in You.
Cel: Show us, O Lord,
Your mercy.
All: And grant us Your salvation
Cel: O Lord, hear our
prayer
All: And let our cry come unto You.
Cel: The Lord be with
you.
All: And with Your spirit
Cel: Let us pray
{He then goes up to the Altar, kisses it if there are relics contained in it), and says quietly:}
Lord, by the merits of {Your saint(s) whose relics are here, and of} all the saints, graciously forgive us our sins,
Amen.
Amen.
Cel: Glory be to the
Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
All: as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be, world without end,
Amen.
ord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten son
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
You take away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us
You take away the sins of the world,
Receive our prayers
You sit at the right hand of the Father,
Have mercy on us.
For You alone are holy, You alone are Lord, You alone are most high,
O Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
Cel: The Lord be
with you
Res: And with Your
spirit.
...through Christ Our Lord
Res: Amen.
Lector: A reading from the book of ..., beginning at the __ Chapter and the __ Verse.
{O.T. Reading, from the Lectionary}
...The Word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God.
Lector: A reading from the Letter of St. ...... to ......, beginning at the __ Chapter and the __ Verse
...The Word of the Lord
All: Thanks be to God.
All Stand
Choir: Alleluia.....
Lector: {Gospel Acclamation, from the Lectionary}
Choir: Alleluia.....
Gospeller: Cleanse my heart and my lips, that I may worthily proclaim Your Holy Gospel, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen
{The Gospeller then turns to the Bishop or the principal Celebrant, and says quietly:}
Gospeller: Give me your blessing, Father. ("Your Grace" if the Bishop is present) {Jube, domne, benedicere}
{The Bishop or Celebrant then says}
Cel: May the Lord be in Your heart and on Your lips, that you may worthily proclaim His Gospel; In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
Amen
{Here the Gospeller makes the sign of the cross on the page where the Gospel is written}
Gospeller: + The continuation (or beginning) of the holy
Gospel according to.........
All: Glory be to You, O Lord
Gospeller: The
Gospel of
the Lord.
All: Praise be to You, Lord Jesus
Christ.
{Then the Gospeller kisses the Gospel book, and says in a low voice:}
Gospeller: By the words of
the Gospel
May
our sins be wiped away!
{All sit for the SERMON, which ends:}
Preacher: . . . in the Name of the Father + and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen
[All Stand]
Cel: I believe in one God,
All: the Father, the Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. I believe in
one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the
Father; God from God, Light from Light; true God from true God;
Begotten, not made; one
in Being with the Father, Through Him all things were made. For us men,
and
for our salvation, he came down from heaven;
And on the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father; He will come again with glory, to judge the living and the dead; And His kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father; With the Father and the Son, He is worshipped and glorified; He has spoken through the Prophets.
And I believe in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
Cel: Let us pray
with all
our hearts and minds to the Lord, saying:
Lord, hear our prayer
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Cel: For peace in
our time,
for the welfare of the Holy Church, and for all people,
let us pray to the Lord:
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Cel: For the
Patriarch of the West, (Name), for all Patriarchs, for all Bishops
{especially our Bishop, N}, pastors {especially our pastor, N.},
That they may, by their life and doctrine, set forth God's true
and lively Word, and rightly and duly administer His Holy
Sacraments,
let us pray to the Lord:
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Cel: For peace in
the Middle
East, the home of 3 great world religions,
let us pray to the Lord:
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Cel: For the
President, the leaders of all nations, and for all who are in
authority,
let us pray to the Lord:
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Cel: For all those
who, in this transitory life, are in sorrow, sickness, need,
or any other adversity, {especially N.},
let us pray to the Lord
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Cel: And if anyone
has a special person or thing to pray for, speak up, and we will all
pray together.
. . . let us pray to the Lord:
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Cel: For these
things, and for all of the unspoken prayers, deep in our hearts, let us
pray to the Lord:
All: Lord, hear our prayer.
Cel: Having affirmed our ancient Faith, and having prayed together, let us now remember the words of Our Lord: "And whenever you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father, who is in heaven, may forgive you. {Mark 11:25}
{Then, spreading his arms in the "Orans" gesture, he says:}
Cel: O Lord, Jesus
Christ, You said to Your apostles, my peace I leave you, my peace I
give unto you, regard not our sins, but the faith of Your Church; and
grant us that peace and
unity which are agreeable to Your will, You who live and reign for ever
and
ever,
Amen.
{Addressing the people, he says:}
Cel: Let us offer to each other the sign of peace.
{All exchange the Sign of Peace, as the custom of the particular place may be.}
Cel: The Lord be
with you.
All: And with
your spirit.
[All Sit]
Cel: Accept, O Holy Father, Almighty and eternal God, this spotless Host, which I, Your unworthy servant offer unto You, my living and true God; for my innumerable sins, offenses and negligences and for all here present; as also for all faithful Christians, living and dead; that it may avail us and them unto life everlasting, Amen.
{He makes a cross with the paten and slides the Host(s) off onto the Corporal. He puts the Paten under the right edge of the Corporal, covers the part sticking out with the Chalice Purificator, and leaves them there until after the Our Father. The Celebrant or Deacon then goes to the side of the altar, where the Servers bring Wine and Water; pours some wine into the Chalice, then makes the Sign of the Cross over the water, saying:}
Cel: O God, grant that by the mystery of this Water {he pours a little water into the Wine} and Wine, we may be made partakers of His divinity, who took part in our humanity, namely, Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You, in unity with the Holy Spirit, God, throughout all ages of ages, Amen
{Then, returning to the center of the Altar
and
raising the Chalice toward Heaven
with both hands, he says:}
Cel: We offer unto You, O Lord, the Chalice of Salvation, praying Your mercy, that it may ascend before Your divine Majesty with a pleasing fragrance, for our salvation, and for that of the whole world. Amen
{He then makes the Sign of the Cross with the Chalice, sets it on the Corporal, and covers it with the Pall; bows slightly before the altar, and says:}
Cel: Grant that the sacrifice we offer with humility and a contrite heart this day, may be pleasing to You, O Lord our God.
{He then raises his eyes to heaven and blesses the offerings saying:}
Bell
Cel: Come, O Sanctifier, Almighty, Eternal God, and bless this + sacrifice prepared for the glory of Your Holy Name.
{The Servers bring water, a bowl and a
towel; they pour a little water
over the fingers of the Celebrant and any Concelebrants,
while the Celebrant says these words from Psalm 25:}
Cel: I will wash my hands
among the innocents, O Lord, and so will I go about Your altar,
That
I may hear the voice of thanksgiving; and tell of all Your wondrous
works.
Server: Amen
Cel: Receive, O Holy Trinity, this oblation which we make to You in memory of the Passion, Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in honor of Blessed Mary, Ever-Virgin, and all the saints; that it may be for their honor, and our salvation; and that they may intercede for us in heaven, whose memory we celebrate on earth. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen
Cel: Pray, my
brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to
God the Father Almighty.
All: May the Lord accept this
sacrifice from your hands, to the praise and glory of His name, For our
good, and that of all His Church.
Cel:
. . . world without end.
All: Amen
[ALL STAND]
Cel: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
Cel: Lift up your hearts
All: We lift them up unto the
Lord.
Cel: Let us give thanks to the
Lord our God
All: It is right to give Him thanks
and praise.
{He here reads the Proper Preface from the Mass Book, ending with:}
Cel: And therefore, with Angels & Archangels, with Thrones, Powers, Dominations, Cherubim and Seraphim, and with the whole company of Heaven, we laud and glorify Your Holy Name, evermore praising You and saying:
[All Kneel]
Lord God of Hosts;
Heaven and earth are filled with Your Glory
Hosanna in the Highest
Blessed is he + who comes in the Name
of the Lord
Hosanna in the Highest
Cel: Communicating with, and venerating the memory, first of the ever-glorious Virgin Mary, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ; likewise of the blessed Apostles, Martyrs and Confessors, and with all the hosts of saints, who, for the Glory of Your Name and the coming of Your Kingdom, lived, suffered, and died. May the remembrance of these saints help us to follow their example, and so make us worthy of Your grace and love. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen
{Spreading his hands, thumbs interlocked,
over the oblation, he says:}
Cel: Which oblation
we pray You, O God, to bless + approve + ratify and +
accept; that it may be made for us the +
Body and + Blood of Your most beloved
Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord.
All: My Lord and My God!
{ The Celebrant then genuflects, the Bell is rung the third time, and Celebrant, concelebrators and servers rise to their feet, while he continues:}
Cel: In like manner, when the supper was done, taking also this excellent chalice into His holy and venerable hands, again giving You thanks, He blessed + and gave it to His disciples, saying:
Take and drink of this all of you,
FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD
OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL TESTAMENT,
THE MYSTERY OF FAITH;
WHICH SHALL BE SHED FOR YOU
AND FOR MANY,
UNTO THE REMISSION OF SINS.
As often as ye do these things, do them in remembrance of Me
{Holding the Chalice, the Celebrant, concelebrators and servers genuflect and adore. The Bell is rung once. Then the Celebrant rises, the Bell is rung the second time, the concelebrants and servers remain kneeling, and the Celebrant shows the Chalice of the Precious Blood to the people, who say:}
All: My Lord and My Salvation!
{The Celebrant then genuflects, the Bell is rung,
and the concelebrators and servers rise with him,
as he continues:}
Cel: Let us proclaim
the Mystery of Faith
All: {One
of the following:}
1) Dying, You destroyed
our Death;
Rising, You renew our Life;
Come in Glory, Lord Jesus!
2) Christ has died; Christ has Risen; Christ will come again!
3) When we eat this
Bread, and drink this Cup,
We proclaim Your death, Lord Jesus,
Until you come in Glory!
Cel: We offer you, O Lord and Heavenly Father, the memorial Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ commanded, and we ask that these gifts be carried by the hands of Your holy angel to Your highest altar. And we pray you to look on these offerings with a gracious and joyful countenance, and accept them, as you accepted the gifts of Your servant Abel, the sacrifice of our Patriarch Abraham, and the gifts which Your High Priest Melchizedek offered up to You: a holy sacrifice, an immaculate host:
Cel: We offer unto you, Father, this acceptable and unbloody sacrifice, and we call upon you to send down your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts. Make this Bread the Precious Body + and this Wine the Precious Blood + of Your Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
All (singing)
Cel: We pray You, Almighty Father, that as many of us as shall receive from this Altar {Here he kisses the altar} the most sacred Body + and Blood + of Your Son may be filled with every grace {Blessing + himself} and benediction. Through the same Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Cel: Be mindful, O
Lord, of Your servants {, especially N. & N.},
as well as all who have gone before us in the sign of Faith, and rest
in the sleep of peace. To these, O Lord, and to all that sleep in
Christ, grant, we pray You, a place of refreshment, light and peace,
through the same Christ our Lord.
All: Amen
Cel: Also, to us
sinners, Your servants, confiding in the multitude of Your mercies, we
pray You to grant us some part and fellowship with Your holy Apostles
and Martyrs; and with all Your saints: into whose company we pray You
to admit us, not in consideration of our merit, but of Your gracious
pardon, through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen
Cel: Through whom, O Lord, You always create, sanctify +, vivify +, bless + and give us all these good things.
Through + Him, and with + Him, and in + Him
{and twice between himself and the Chalice:}
Is to You, God the Father +
Almighty,
In the unity of the Holy + Spirit
{Here he elevates the Chalice on high, holding the Host over it, as he says:}
All honor and glory, for ever and ever
All: Amen
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 them that trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Cel: Deliver us, we pray You, O Lord, from all evils, past , present, and to come; and by the intercession of the blessed and ever glorious Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, and of the holy apostles Peter and Paul and Andrew and all the Saints,
Mercifully grant us + peace in our days,
{Here he slides the Paten under the Host,
uncovers the Chalice, genuflects,
and breaks the Host into two pieces over the Chalice, saying:}
Through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son Our Lord,
Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God, throughout
all
ages of ages
All: Amen
Cel: The peace + of the Lord +
be always + with you.
All: And with Your spirit
Cel: May this mingling and hallowing of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring us who receive it unto life everlasting.
All: Amen
Lamb of God,
You take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us
Lamb of God,
You take away the sins of the world,
grant us your peace.
All Stand
Cel: O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, who, according to the will of the Father, and through the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, by Your death revived the world; deliver us by this Your most sacred Body and Blood from all our sins, and from every evil; and grant that we may always fulfill Your holy will, you who reign, God, for all ages of ages.
All: Amen
Cel: I will take the bread of heaven, and call upon the name of the Lord.
Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof,
but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.
or
Domine non sum dignus, ut intres sub tectum meum,
sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima mea
{Genuflecting and receiving reverently both
parts of the Host he says:}
Cel: May the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul to life everlasting. Amen
{Before taking the Chalice, he says:}
Cel: What shall I render to the Lord for all the things that He has rendered unto me? I will take the Chalice of salvation, and will call upon the name of the Lord. Praising, I will call upon the Lord, and so shall I be saved from my enemies.
Cel: May the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul to life everlasting,
Amen.
THE COMMUNION OF THE PEOPLE
{Celebrant genuflects, then holding a Host
over the Chalice,
he displays them to the people and says:}
Cel: Behold the Lamb of God
Behold Him who takes away the sins of the world
Happy are we who are called to his supper
All: I believe and I confess, Lord, that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God, who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. I also believe that this is truly Your pure Body and that this is truly Your precious Blood. Therefore, I pray You to have mercy upon us, and forgive our sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, known and unknown. And make us worthy without condemnation to partake of Your pure Mysteries for the forgiveness of sins and for life eternal.
All: Amen.
{The people then come forward to receive Communion. As he gives communion, he says:}
Cel: The Body + (and)(Blood) of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Communicant: Amen
{After communion is finished, the Celebrant brushes any crumbs from the Paten and Server's paten into the Chalice with the Purificator, and drinks the remainder of the wine, saying:}
Cel: Grant, O Lord, that what we have taken with our mouths, we may receive with a pure mind, that of a temporal gift it may become to us an eternal remedy.
{He may extend the chalice to the Server,
asking for more wine to make a second ablution.}
{He (and any concelebrants) then go to the
side, and the Server pours water over their fingers into the Chalice.
He returns to the Altar, drinks the water, wipes the Chalice, and says:}
Cel: May Your body, O Lord, which we have received, and Your Blood which we have drunk, cleave unto our hearts; and grant that no stain of sin may remain in us who have been fed with this pure and holy sacrament, You, who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever One God, throughout all ages of ages, Amen.
{He puts the Purificator on the Chalice, the Paten on top of that, the Pall atop the Paten, folds the Corporal and puts it in the Burse, then unfolds the Chalice veil, and puts it over the Pall, and the Burse on top of all.}
{The Last Gospel and Prayers after Mass may
be omitted
on most occasions, skipping to the DISMISSAL}
Cel: The Lord be with you
All: And with your spirit
Cel: +The Beginning of the Gospel according to St. John
All: Glory be to Thee, O Lord
IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shone in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. That was the true light, which enlightens every man that comes into this world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto his own, and His own received him not. But to as many as received him, he gave the power to become the sons of God, to those that believe in his name. Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
{Here all genuflect}
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt
among us,
{and rise again}
And we saw his glory -- glory as of the only begotten of the Father -- full of grace and truth.
All:
Thanks be to God
All:
Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou
among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb, Jesus. Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our
death, AMEN.
Cel:
Let us pray.
All: St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the snares and wickednesses of the devil. We humbly beseech God to command him, and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the Divine Power, thrust down into Hell Satan and all the evil spirits who roam through the world, seeking the ruin of souls.
All:
Amen
Cel: The Lord be with you
All: And with Your
spirit
{If a Bishop, he says:}
All: Amen
Cel: The Mass is ended
Let
us go in peace,
To
love & serve the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God!
In the "People's Mass", the Confiteor is shortened by half from the LPV Penitiential Rite, and an explicit Absolution is added, after the pattern of the BCP, which, however, puts it later in the rite.
We return again to the LPV, until the Collect for Purity. There is ample pre-1549 precedent for use of this Collect in approximately this position, but I confess that I included it because I love it, its language, and its message so much -- from my experience of the BCP Liturgy - both 1549 & 1928.
I have indicated that the Propers be read from the "Mass Book", and by this I mean the Novus Ordo Roman Missal - for reasons of penury and laziness. Roman Missals are widely available and, for the most part, reasonably priced. To prepare and distribute such a Missal would be beyond my ability or ambition.
In the Gloria, I have translated "Qui tollis/sedes" as "You take/sit", rather than "Who taketh (takes) away / sitteth (sits)", or worse "Thou that ..." - principally for euphony. I trust that the meaning remains the same.
In the Liturgy of the Word, I have adopted the NO pattern, for the following reasons:
1) More of the Bible gets read over the 3-year cycle.
2) The people get the opportunity to read the Word of God before the congregation -- and it is my observation that they greatly appreciate this.
3) It makes me work harder at preparing sermons - working in the ideas of 3 readings and a Psalm, instead of just two. Also, it somewhat hinders recycling old sermons. By the time a set of readings come around again, I generally have forgotten my thought processes from 3 years before, and can approach it with a fresh outlook.
4) Again - penury and laziness. Roman Mass materials are cheap and everywhere.
The Gospel is properly said by the Deacon or Priest, and for that reason, I have retained the LPV "Munda cor meum" and "Jube, domne, benedicere" rituals.
The Sermon is also properly the domain of the Priest -- or Licensed Preacher.
In the Creed, I have omitted the "filioque", both as a gesture to the Orthodox, and out of historical recognition that it was wrongly, if honestly, added by the Spanish church in the 6th Century. It ought not to be an issue that divides the Churches.
The particular pattern of kneeling during the Creed, I have adopted from the practice that I and my Bishop (+H. Ernest Caswell) worked out while doing the 1559 BCP Masse at the Northern California Renaissance Pleasure Faire from about 1971 to 1991. The LPV genuflects at the words "et Caro factum est", then rises immediately. I extended it forward in homage to the Incarnation, and prolonged it (with a pause of reflection after "was buried"), principally to bring the action of rising up in line with the words "...rose again, according to the Scriptures".
The Bidding Prayer I have taken from the BCP, principally for its language, which is excellent.
Broadly, I make no apologies for including a "huggy" peace, nor for putting it just after the Creed and before the Offertory. The Ambrosian Liturgy, still offered in Milan, I am informed, also has the Adjuration to Forgiveness and the Peace in this place. Where it was (after the Pater Noster), it broke the flow of reverence for the Precious Body & Blood, and disturbed many people.
The Offertory (and rubrics) are straight from the LPV.
I have shortened the Lavabo to two verses of the Psalm, since that is about how long it takes to wash and dry one's fingers. No sense prolonging the prayer beyond the action.
In the Preface, I have formatted the ending exclamation to stress the 3-fold "Holy", which is the accurate translation of Isaiah's exclamation: "Kadosh; Kadosh; Kadosh (full stop) Yahweh Tsebaoth". The LPV Latin rightly makes it: "Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus; (full stop) Dominus Deus Sabaoth", while the NO mucks it up as "Holy, Holy, Holy Lord" - blowing the Trinitarian reference altogether.
In the Canon, I have retained the multiple Signs of the Cross both before and after the Consecration, agreeing with Jungmann's Mass of the Roman Rite that this was done to point out and demonstrate the gifts and their sacredness, rather than to sanctify them, as the Sign of the Cross is used to do in other situations - it is a formal and liturgical pointing, and assists the concentration on the profundity of what we are doing.
In the Consecration, I have retained the LPV wording ("Mystery of Faith" and "...and for many"). The former for tradition's sake, and the latter, because it is an accurate translation of the Latin, and what the Church has meant by the words since at least the 7th Century. The Orthodox, as I understand it, also interpret the Greek this way, rather than as "...for all" the way Modernists do. To me, the theology is not the issue - saying "for all" makes as good sense, because we are sent out to preach Salvation to all mankind. It is simply a matter of keeping faith with the Fathers of the Church, and all of the generations before us.
I have, however, included the NO Proclamation of the Mystery of Faith. It is an effective and pious affirmation, and a good way to include the congregation in the celebration.
I have included an Anamnesis, after the pattern of the Anglican BCP liturgy -- and it works!
The post-Consecration (there are several pre-Consecration ones) Epiklesis I have taken from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and placed approximately where it is in that Rite. This is explicitly a gesture of fellowship with the Orthodox.
The Great AMEN (with the profound bow which accomapnys it), I have added as an outward sign of the devotion that we should rightly pay to the Precious Body & Blood on the Altar. I was not aware that any liturgy did that at this place, until I dropped in at my local Greek Orthodox parish (St. Nicholas, San Jose, CA), and saw the priest do just that, to my great delight!
The Novus Ordo places the Great Amen after the Doxology and the Minor Elevation. I have retained both rituals, but left the Amen to be a minor one.
In a parish where I once served, it was the custom to have a list of the deceased members on the altar, and to touch (or point to) this list during the Commemoration of the Dead. This is an ancient and honorable custom - done at Rome from Apostolic times to the present - and I highly recommend it.
After the Ecce Agnus Dei, I have added a Communion Prayer lifted (and somewhat edited) from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. It is both beautiful and instructive -- and the latter is needed in these days when (reportedly) many less than 50% of Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist. I wanted to make a very firm and explicit statement about that topic, and St. John had written this wonderful prayer -- so I stole it.
In many Roman parishes, it has become customary for the congregation to hold hands during the Our Father. This is deprecated by the Roman General Instructions for the Roman Mass (GIRM), and by conservatives in general. I do not have strong feelings about it one way or another, and have left it to the custom of the particular place, whether to do it or not.
The above topic reflects a dichotomy in late 20th/early 21st Century thinking about the Liturgy - whether it is to be a Service of Adoration, and an occasion for individual prayer and contemplation; or whether it is to be a more-or-less joyous expression of the community of believers assembled at one place and time -- essentially the difference between the psychological categories of "introvert" and "extrovert". In my view, both expressions are valid, and both need to be included - the precise mix and order in the liturgy are not yet clear, though.
In the Communion, I do not have any particular preference for "on the tongue" versus "in the hand" - having seen the latter work well in Anglican venues. I think that kneeling for Communion expresses reverence for the Eucharist, but I am not doctrinaire on the subject. As to "Host Only", "Host & Cup", or "Intinction on the tongue", I am neutral - whatever suits the custom of the place, so long as it be reverent and express Catholic belief about the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Bread & Wine seems good to me.
It has become the custom in many communities to add a "Second Sermon" - usually a nag about money or parish administrivia - after the Communion. In my view, this sort of thing should go before the "Scripture" sermon (just after the Gospel), or be delayed until after Mass. Talking secular trivia just after Communion breaks the concentration of the congregation on what should be the most important part of the Mass - receiving Jesus Christ into one's mouth, heart & soul.
I have included the Last Gospel and Prayers at the foot of the Altar, but think that they might profitably be included only once or twice a year, rather than at every Mass, as they lengthen it by several minutes.
As of today, I have added a reference to the recently deceased Servant of the Servants of God and Patriarch of the West, Karol Wojtyla -- John Paul II -- to the list of Saints commemorated in my liturgy. This is the first step in the Orthodox practice of canonization -- to include his name in the Canon -- and to invite other Churches to do the same, until the devotion has spread throughout the whole Catholic Church. I was minded to do this by the cries of the people of Rome and the pilgrims at his funeral Mass: "Santo, Santo!", whenever there was a pause in the Liturgy. Vox populi interdum vox Dei.+Samuel B. Bassett
The Feast of St. Anicetus,
Pope & Martyr
April 17th, 2005