Roman Missal and Resources

Can we re-distribute?

A recent meeting of the National Liturgy Advisers group discussed the current situation concerning the shortage of Roman Missals and Lectionaries.

To relieve this situation it would be helpful to re-distribute books excess to your requirements, to those needing copies.

Where parishes are being amalgamated there may be some books that are surplus to the new settings. Please contact the person responsible for liturgy in your diocese who may be able to assist others needing copies of the Roman Missal and/or the Lectionary.

Thank you.

Fr Paul Turner Workshops

The “Heart” of the Church: Pope Francis’ Catechesis on the Holy Mass 

Pope Francis offered a fifteen-part catechesis on the Mass from November 2017 to April 2018, during his weekly General Audience at the Vatican.  His purpose was “to rediscover…the beauty that is hidden in the Eucharistic celebration and that, once revealed, gives full meaning to each person’s life” (Nov. 8, 2017).  In his catechesis, the Holy Father drew on a variety of sources: Sacred Scripture, liturgical texts, the documents of the Second Vatican Council, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the Church Fathers.  Covered in this two-part series, however, will be the Pope’s personal insights about the Mass: Part I focuses on the Introductory Rites and Liturgy of the Word, while Part II will treat his reflections on the Liturgy of the Eucharist and, by means of the Concluding Rites, the mission to which the Eucharist commits the People of God.

This section is credited to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

The Introductory Rites and Liturgy of the Word (Part I)

Initial Considerations – November 8–December 13, 2017

The Pope begins with a simple yet profound premise: “Mass is prayer; rather, it is prayer par excellence, the loftiest, the most sublime, and at the same time the most ‘concrete.’  In fact it is the loving encounter with God through his Word and the Body and Blood of Jesus.  It is an encounter with the Lord” (Nov. 15).  “Without Christ we are condemned to be dominated by everyday weariness, with its worries, and by fear of the future.  The Sunday encounter with the Lord gives us the strength to experience the present with confidence and courage, and to go forth with hope.  For this reason we Christians go to encounter the Lord on Sunday, in the Eucharistic celebration” (Dec. 13).  “[T]he greatest grace,” said the Holy Father, “[is] being able to feel that the Mass, the Eucharist, is the privileged moment to be with Jesus and, through him, with God and with brothers and sisters” (Nov. 15).  This is so because “[t]he Eucharist is a wondrous event in which Jesus Christ, our life, makes himself present.  Participating in the Mass ‘is truly living again the redemptive passion and death of our Lord.  It is a visible manifestation: the Lord makes himself present on the altar to be offered to the Father for the salvation of the world’” (Nov. 8).  For this reason, Pope Francis advises, “As we enter the church to celebrate Mass, let us think about this: I am going to Calvary, where Jesus gave his life for me.  In this way the spectacle disappears; the small talk disappears; the comments and these things that distance us from something so beautiful as the Mass, Jesus’ triumph” (Nov. 22). 

Introductory Rites – December 20, 2017–January 10, 2018

Pope Francis first draws out the profound meaning of the Sign of the Cross.  “The Mass begins with the Sign of the Cross.  The whole prayer moves, so to speak, within the space of the Most Holy Trinity – ‘In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit’ – which is the space of infinite communion; it has as its beginning and end the love of the Triune God, made manifest and given to us in the Cross of Christ.  In fact his Paschal Mystery is the gift of the Trinity, and the Eucharist flows ever from his pierced Heart” (Dec. 20).  The Penitential Act acknowledges the twofold nature of sin.  “It is good to emphasize that we confess to being sinners both to God and to our brothers and sisters: this helps us understand the dimension of sin which, while separating us from God, also divides us from our brothers and sisters, and vice versa.  Sin severs: sin severs the relationship with God and it severs the relationship with brothers and sisters, relationships within the family, in society and in the community: sin always severs; it separates; it divides” (Jan. 3, 2018).  The Pope also highlights the importance of silence in liturgical prayer.  In the Collect, “[t]he priest says ‘let us pray’ and then there is a brief silence, and each one thinks about the things they need, that they wish to ask for in the prayer.  The silence is not confined to the absence of words but rather to preparing oneself to listen to other voices: the one in our heart and, above all, the voice of the Holy Spirit” (Jan. 10).

Liturgy of the Word – January 31–February 14, 2018

Emphasis on the living dialogue between God and his people marks the Holy Father’s catechesis on the Liturgy of the Word.  “The pages of the Bible cease to be writings and become living words, spoken by God.  It is God, who through the reader, speaks to us and questions us, we who listen with faith” (Jan. 31).  Similarly, we must listen to the Gospel “with an open heart, because it is the living Word.  Saint Augustine writes: ‘The Gospel is the mouth of Christ.  He is seated in heaven, but he has not stopped speaking on earth’” (Feb. 7).  Pope Francis vividly describes the power of the Word of God: it “makes a pathway within us.  We listen to it with our ears and it passes to our hearts; it does not remain in our ears; it must go to the heart.  And from the heart, it passes to the hands, to good deeds.  This is the path which the Word of God follows: from our ears to our heart and hands” (Jan. 31).  “The Lord speaks for everyone, Pastors and the faithful… The Lord comforts, calls, brings forth sprouts of a new and reconciled life.  And this is through his Word.  His Word knocks at the heart and changes hearts!” (Feb. 14).

In the Homily, the priest or deacon “is not doing something of his own, but is preaching, giving voice to Jesus; he is preaching the Word of Jesus” (Feb. 7).  This, too, is a place for silence: “Therefore, after the homily, a moment of silence allows the seed received to settle in the soul, so that intentions to heed what the Spirit has suggested to each person may sprout” (Feb. 14).  Preparation is also important.  “How do we prepare a homily, dear priests, deacons, bishops?,” asks the Pope. “With prayer, by studying the Word of God and by making a clear and brief summary” (Feb. 7).  Next comes the Profession of Faith, or Creed, which highlights “an essential nexus between listening and faith.  They are linked.  Indeed, this – faith – does not arise from human imagination, but, as Saint Paul recalls, ‘comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ’ (Rom 10:17).  Thus, faith is nourished by what is heard and leads to the Sacrament” (Feb. 14).  Finally, the Universal Prayer (Prayer of the Faithful) concludes the Liturgy of the Word, exhorting us “to turn our gaze to God, who takes care of all his children” (Feb. 14).

The Liturgy of the Word is integral to the celebration of the Mass, says Pope Francis, “because we gather precisely to listen to what God has done and still intends to do for us.  It is an experience which occurs ‘live’ and not through hearsay because ‘when the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his own word, proclaims the Gospel’ (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 29; cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium, nos. 7, 33)” (Jan. 31).

The Liturgy of the Eucharist and Concluding Rites (Part II)

Liturgy of the Eucharist – February 28–March 21, 2018 In his catechesis on the Liturgy of the Eucharist, Pope Francis emphasizes that “through its holy signs, the Sacrifice of the new covenant sealed by Jesus on the altar of the Cross is made continually present by the Church (cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, 47). The Cross was the first Christian altar, and when we approach the altar to celebrate Mass, our memory turns to the altar of the Cross where the first sacrifice was made” (Feb. 28, 2018). 

When the bread and wine are brought up, “we present to him the offering of our life so that it may be transformed by the Holy Spirit in the Sacrifice of Christ and become with him a single spiritual offering pleasing to the Father… May the spirituality of self-giving that this moment of Mass teaches us illuminate our days, our relationships with others, the things we do, the suffering we encounter, helping us to build up the earthly city in the light of the Gospel” (Feb. 28). Then, “in the prayer over the offerings… the priest asks God to accept the gifts offered by the Church, invoking the fruit of the extraordinary exchange between our poverty and his richness” (Feb. 28). 

Turning to the Eucharistic Prayer, the Holy Father explains its constituent parts, and then concludes, “No one and nothing is forgotten in the Eucharistic Prayer, but every thing is attributed to God, as is recalled by the doxology which concludes it. No one is forgotten” (Mar. 7). This prayer teaches us “to cultivate three attitudes that should never be lacking in Jesus’ disciples. The three attitudes: first, learn ‘to give thanks, always and everywhere,’ and not only on certain occasions, when all is going well; second, to make of our life a gift of love, freely given; third, to build concrete communion, in the Church and with everyone. Thus, this central Prayer of the Mass teaches us, little by little, to make of our whole life a ‘Eucharist,’ that is, an act of thanksgiving” (Mar. 7). 

Pope Francis begins his catechesis on the Communion Rite by posing a question from the Our Father: “when you say ‘Father,’ do you feel that he is Father, your Father, the Father of mankind, the Father of Jesus Christ? Do you have a relationship with this Father? When we pray the ‘Our Father,’ we connect with the Father who loves us, but it is the Spirit who gives us this connection, this feeling of being God’s children” (Mar. 14). The Rite of Peace similarly challenges us, for “Christ’s peace cannot take root in a heart incapable of experiencing fraternity and of restoring it after it has been wounded. Peace is granted by the Lord: he grants us the grace to forgive those who have offended us” (Mar. 14). Next, the Fraction of Bread, which the Pope recalls as “the revelatory gesture that allowed the disciples to recognize him after his Resurrection… In the Eucharistic Bread, broken for the life of the world, the prayerful assembly recognizes the true Lamb of God, namely, Christ the Redeemer, and implores him: ‘Have mercy on us… grant us peace’” (Mar. 14). 

In his catechesis on Holy Communion, the Pope emphasizes that it is a transformative encounter. “Can I say that when I receive communion during Mass, the Lord encounters my frailty? Yes! We can say so because this is true! The Lord encounters our frailty so as to lead us back to our first call: that of being in the image and likeness of God. This is the environment of the Eucharist. This is prayer” (Nov. 15, 2017). He continues along this theme: 

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Although we are the ones who stand in procession to receive Communion… in reality it is Christ who comes towards us to assimilate us in him. There is an encounter with Jesus! To nourish oneself of the Eucharist means to allow oneself to be changed by what we receive. Saint Augustine helps us understand this when he talks about the light he received when he heard Christ say to him: ‘I am the food of strong men; grow, and you shall feed upon me; nor shall you convert me, like the food of your flesh, into you, but you shall be converted into me’ (Confessions VII, 10, 16: PL 32, 742). Each time we receive Communion, we resemble Jesus more; we transform ourselves more fully into Jesus. (Mar. 21, 2018) 

When we receive the Body and Blood of Christ, our reply of “Amen” implies a commitment. “You reply ‘Amen’ to the priest who distributes the Eucharist saying ‘the Body of Christ’; that is, you recognize the grace and the commitment involved in becoming the Body of Christ. Because when you receive the Eucharist, you become the Body of Christ” (Mar. 21). This, says the Pope, is another place for silence. “After Communion, silence, silent prayer helps us treasure in our hearts the gift which we have received. To slightly extend that moment of silence, speaking to Jesus in our hearts, helps us a great deal, as does singing a psalm or a hymn of praise (cf. GIRM, 88) that can help us be with the Lord” (Mar. 21). 

Concluding Rites – April 4, 2018 The Holy Father concludes by highlighting the transformative power of the Mass, beginning with the Prayer After Communion: “On behalf of everyone, with that prayer the priest turns to God to thank him for having shared the banquet and to ask that what was received may transform our lives. The Eucharist makes us strong in order to produce fruit in good works to live as Christians” (Mar. 21). He adds, “We must not forget that we celebrate the Eucharist in order to become Eucharistic men and women. What does this mean? It means allowing Christ to act within our deeds: that his thoughts may be our thoughts, his feelings our own, his choices our choices too. And this is holiness: doing as Christ did is Christian holiness” (Apr. 4). What, then, is the power of the Eucharist in the life of the believer? In the life of the Church? “Every time I leave Mass, I must exit better than how I entered, with more life, with more strength, with more willingness to bear Christian witness” (Apr. 4). 

“Without Christ we are condemned to be dominated by everyday weariness, with its worries, and by fear of the future. The Sunday encounter with the Lord gives us the strength to experience the present with confidence and courage, and to go forth with hope. For this reason we Christians go to encounter the Lord on Sunday, in the Eucharistic celebration” (Dec. 13, 2017). Finally, the Mass lifts our gaze from the daily path we trod to the glory that awaits us in heaven. “Carrying in earthen vessels the treasure of the union with Christ (cf. 2 Cor 4:7), we constantly need to return to the holy altar, until in heaven, we will fully taste the beatitude of the marriage supper of the Lamb (cf. Rev 19:9)” (Apr. 4, 2018). 

Pope Francis sees the Mass as “a loving encounter” (Nov. 15), “a privileged moment” (Nov. 15), “a wondrous event” (Nov. 8), “Jesus’ triumph” (Nov. 22). May his catechesis lead the People of God to a more loving and faith-filled encounter with the Lord in the Eucharist. 

Excerpts from the General Audiences of Pope Francis, © 2017, 2018 Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission. All rights reserved. The Holy Father’s catechesis is available at http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/audiences.index.html.

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