The Catholic's pocket prayer-book/Manner of serving at Mass

Manner of Serving at Mass.

---

Consider it a great privilege to be allowed to serve the Priest at Mass. Where the angels tremblingly adore, you are their companion. You represent the faithful and respond for them. Diligently learn the prayers, and everything pertaining to so holy a ministry. Make a genuflexion whenever you pass the altar where the Blessed Sacrament is kept—with one knee, when it is enclosed in the tabernacle; with both, when it is exposed on the altar. Do everything about the altar with the greatest care and devotion; avoid undue haste, looking about, laughing and talking. "This is no other but the house of God and the gate of heaven."

The Priest commences the Mass at the foot of the altar, standing. The Clerk must remember that his place is always on the side opposite to the book; if the book is at the Epistle side, the right hand side if we face the altar, his place is on the Gospel side, or to the left of the Priest. Kneeling, then, at the foot of the altar, to the left of the Priest, answer him as follows:

Priest. † In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.

Clerk. Amen.

P. Introibo ad altare Dei.

C. Ad Deum qui lætificat juventutem meam.

P. Judica me, Deus, et discerne causam meam de gente non sancta; ab homine iniquo et doloso erue me.

C. Quia tu es Deus, fortitudo mea, quare me repulisti, et quare tristis incedo, dum affligit me inimicus?

P. Emitte lucem tuam et veritatem tuam: Ipsa me deduxerunt, et adduxerunt in montem sanctum tuum et in tabernacula tua.

C. Et introibo ad altare Dei: ad Deum qui lætificat juventutem meam.

P. Confitebor tibi in cithara, Deus, Deus meus: quare tristis es anima mea, et quare conturbas me?

C. Spera in Deo, quoniam adhuc confitebor illi: salutare vultus mei, et Deus meus.

P. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.

C. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

P. Introibo ad altare Dei.

C. Ad Deum qui lætificat juventutem meam.

P. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.

C. Qui fecit cœlum et terram.

P. Confiteor Deo, etc.

Bow the head when the Priest begins this, and continue bent until you have finished the Confiteor.

C. Miseratur tui omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis tuis, perducat te ad vitam æternam.

P. Amen.

C. Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, beatæ Mariæ semper Virgini, beato Michaeli Archangelo, beato Joanni Baptistæ, Sanctis Apostolis Petro et Paulo, omnibus Sanctis, et tibi, Pater (here turn your head toward the Priest and then go on), quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, verbo et opere (striking your breast thrice), mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginem, beatum Michaelem Archangelum, beatum Joannem Baptistam, Sanctos Apostolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes Sanctos, et te, Pater (here turn again toward the Priest), orare pro me ad Dominum Deum nostrum.

P. Misereatur vestri, etc.

C. Amen.

P. Indulgentiam, absolutionem, etc.

C. Amen.

P. Deus tu conversus, vivificabis nos.

C. Et plebs tua lætabitur in te.

P. Ostende nobis, Domine, misericordiam tuam.

C. Et salutare tuum da nobis.

P. Domine, exaudi orationem meam.

C. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.

P. Dominus vobiscum.

C. Et cum spiritu tuo.

While the Priest is ascending to the altar, take care the alb or cassock does not get under his feet; and here you may rise to kneel on the lowermost step of the altar.

P. Kyrie eleison.

C. Kyrie eleison.

P. Kyrie eleison.

C. Christe eleison.

P. Christe eleison.

C. Christe eleison.

P. Kyrie eleison.

C. Kyrie eleison.

P. Kyrie eleison.

After the Gloria, or, when it is omitted, after the Kyrie.

P. Dominus vobiscum.

C. Et cum spiritu tuo.

At the end of the prayer, Oremus.

P. Per omnia sæcula sæculorum.

C. Amen.

At the end of the Epistle say, Deo gratias, and rise to remove the book to the Gospel side of the altar; and, there placing it turned a little toward the middle, return to the opposite or Epistle side. Stand in your place while the Gospel is read.

P. Dominus vobiscum.

C. Et cum spiritu tuo.

P. Sequentia sancti, etc.

Here make the sign of the cross: 1. Upon your forehead. 2. Upon your mouth. 3. Upon your breast, and say, Gloria tibi, Domine.

At the end of the Gospel, say:

C. Laus tibi, Christe!

At the words in the Creed, et incarnatus, etc., kneel.

P. Dominus vobiscum.

C. Et cum spiritu tuo.

Going to the middle of the altar, kneel and make a reverence; then taking the wine in the right, and the water in the left hand, present the wine with your right hand, and receive it again with your left, that you may present the water cruet with your right, making a reverence to the driest before and after. This done, put the towel neatly folded on the end of the altar. Then holding the cruet in your right hand, and the plate with your left, pour water on the tip of the Priest's fingers; then placing the cruets in their former situation, and having received back the towel, return to your place on the Epistle side of the altar, after having knelt and made a reverence in the middle, as you did before.

P. Oratre, fratres, etc.

C. Suscipiat Dominus Sacrificium de manibus tuis, ad laudem et gloriam nominis sui, ad utilitatem quoque nostram, totiusque Ecclesiæ suæ sanctæ.

P. Per omnia sæcula sæculorum.

C. Amen.

P. Dominus vobiscum.

C. Et cum spiritu tuo.

P. Sursum corda.

C. Habemus ad Dominum.

P. Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.

C. Dignum et justum est.

When the Priest says: Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, etc., ring the bell each time he pronounces it.

When the Priest spreads his hands over the chalice, ring the bell, and then proceed to the centre of the altar, where kneeling, whilst the Priest elevates the host and chalice, ring the bell with your right, and hold up the vestments with your left hand, then return to your former place.

P. Per omnia sæcula sæculorum.

C. Amen.

P. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem.

C. Sed libera nos a malo.

P. Per omnia sæcula sæculorum.

C. Amen.

P. Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

C. Et cum spiritu tuo.

When the Priest says: Domine, non sum dignus, with your head bent, ring the bell at each time he pronounces those words; and when you see the Priest has received the chalice, it there be any to communicate, give them the cloth, then, kneeling at the Epistle end of the altar, say the Confiteor, etc. After the blessed Sacrament is replaced in the tabernacle, go to the credence-table, take the wine in your right, and water in your left hand, and with your right serve him with the wine only; then retire a little back to make way for the Priest to come nearer to the end of the altar with the chalice, holding his forefingers and thumbs over it. Pour first the wine, then the water over them, till he makes a motion for you to stop; then putting the cruets in their places, proceed to the centre of the altar, kneel and make your reverence. Remove the book from the Gospel side to the Epistle side of the altar, retire to the Gospel side, and kneel at your place.

P. Dominus vobiscum.

C. Et cum spiritu tuo.

P. Per omnia sæcula sæculorum.

C. Amen.

P. Dominus vobiscum.

C. Et cum spiritu tuo.

P. Ite missa est: or, Benedicamus Domino.

C. Deo gratias.

Note.—In Masses for the dead the Priest says:

P. Requiescant in pace.

C. Amen.

If the book be left open, remove it to the Gospel side. Kneel in the middle of the altar to receive the Priest's blessing.

Note.—In Masses for the dead the blessing is not given.

P. Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus.

C. Amen.

Then rise.

P. Dominus vobiscum.

C. Et cum spiritu tuo.

P. Initium: or, Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum, etc.

C. Gloria tibi, Domine.

At the end of the Gospel say:

Deo gratias.