General Instruction of the Roman Missal

3

4

Foreword to this Edition

The liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council have enjoyed great success in bringing many

Catholics closer to the perfect sacrifice of praise that Christ the Lord offered from the wood of

The first stages of the postconciliar reform of the Mass were marked by Pope Paul VI’s

This last document, which described the form for the new Order of Mass, was further revised in

March 27, 1975.

Redemption and was published in spring 2001. This long-awaited revision includes a new edition

The translation was confirmed by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the

Sacraments on March 17, 2003 (Prot. N. 2235/02/L).

The translation is published in this volume as a revision of the Bishops’ Committee on the

Liturgy’s Liturgy Documentary Series 2, which first appeared in 1970 and was intended to aid a

edition will assist in that same goal in our present day.

Like its preceding editions, it has been published in order to give life to a dream. It was the dream

of reformers such as St. Hippolytus, St. Gregory, and St. Leo. It was the dream of Pope Paul VI

and clearly remains the vision of Pope John Paul II, who calls us to "an ever deeper grasp of the

liturgy of the Church, celebrated according to the current books and lived above all as a reality in

the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

that it serves. Finally, it is the vision of the Church itself: the dream of God’s people joined to

Christ in Baptism and made "ever more holy by conscious, active, and fruitful participation in

Msgr. James P. Moroney

Executive Director

USCCB Secretariat for the Liturgy

CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP

AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENTS

Prot. N. 2235/02/L

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

At the request of His Excellency, the Most Reverend Wilton D. Gregory, Bishop of Belleville,

President of the Conference of Bishops of the United States of America, in a letter of November

13, 2002, and in virtue of the faculties granted to this Congregation by the Supreme Pontiff

copy.

Two copies of the printed text should be forwarded to this Congregation.

All things to the contrary notwithstanding.

From the offices of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments,

March 17, 2003.

+ Francis Cardinal Arinze + Franciscus Pius Tamburrino

Prefect Archbishop-Secretary

UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS

DECREE OF PUBLICATION

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

States Conference of Catholic Bishops on November 12, 2002, and was subsequently confirmed

by the Holy See by decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the

Sacraments on March 17, 2003 (Prot. N. 2235/02/L).

of the United States of America.

Given at the General Secretariat of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,

Washington, D.C., on March 19, 2003, the Feast of Saint Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin

Mary.

Most Reverend Wilton D. Gregory Reverend Monsignor William P. Fay

Bishop of Belleville General Secretary

President

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

General Instruction of the Roman Missal

Including Adaptations for the Dioceses of the United States of America

Preamble

1. When he was about to celebrate with his disciples the Passover meal in which he

instituted the sacrifice of his Body and Blood, Christ the Lord gave instructions that a large,

furnished upper room should be prepared (Lk 22:12). The Church has always regarded this

command as applying also to herself when she gives directions about the preparation of people's

hearts and minds and of the places, rites, and texts for the celebration of the Most Holy

Eucharist. The current norms, prescribed in keeping with the will of the Second Vatican

Ecumenical Council, and the new Missal that the Church of the Roman Rite is to use from now

on in the celebration of Mass are also evidence of the great concern of the Church, of her faith,

and of her unchanged love for the great mystery of the Eucharist. They likewise bear witness to

the Church’s continuous and unbroken tradition, irrespective of the introduction of certain new

features.

2. The sacrificial nature of the Mass, solemnly asserted by the Council of Trent in

which offered these significant words about the Mass: "At the Last Supper our Savior instituted

the Eucharistic Sacrifice of his Body and Blood, by which he would perpetuate the Sacrifice of

the Cross throughout the centuries until he should come again, thus entrusting to the Church, his

What the Council thus teaches is expressed constantly in the formulas of the Mass. This

teaching, which is concisely expressed in the statement already contained in the ancient

Sacramentary commonly known as the Leonine—"As often as the commemoration of this

developed in the Eucharistic Prayers. For in these prayers the priest, while he performs the

commemoration, turns towards God, even in the name of the whole people, renders him thanks,

and offers the living and holy Sacrifice, namely, the Church’s offering and the Victim by whose

sacramental renewal in the Mass, which Christ the Lord instituted at the Last Supper and

commanded the Apostles to do in his memory, are one and the same, differing only in the manner

of offering, and that consequently the Mass is at once a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, of

propitiation and satisfaction.

3. Moreover, the wondrous mystery of the Lord’s real presence under the eucharistic

words of consecration, by which Christ becomes present through transubstantiation, but also by

that interior disposition and outward expression of supreme reverence and adoration in which the

Eucharistic Liturgy is carried out. For the same reason the Christian people is drawn on Holy

Thursday of the Lord’s Supper, and on the solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of

Christ, to venerate this wonderful Sacrament by a special form of adoration.

4. Further, the nature of the ministerial priesthood proper to a Bishop and a priest, who

offer the Sacrifice in the person of Christ and who preside over the gathering of the holy people,

is evident in the form of the rite itself, by reason of the more prominent place and office of the

priest. The meaning of this office is enunciated and explained clearly and at greater length, in the

Preface for the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, the day commemorating the institution of the

priesthood. The Preface brings to light the conferral of the priestly power accomplished through

the laying on of hands; and, by listing the various duties, it describes that power, which is the

continuation of the power of Christ the High Priest of the New Testament.

5. In addition, the nature of the ministerial priesthood also puts into its proper light another

reality, which must indeed be highly regarded, namely, the royal priesthood of the faithful, whose

spiritual sacrifice is brought to completeness through the ministry of the Bishop and the priests

Eucharist is an action of the whole Church, and in it each one should carry out solely but

completely that which pertains to him or her, in virtue of the rank of each within the People of

God. In this way greater consideration will also be given to some aspects of the celebration that

have sometimes been accorded less attention in the course of time. For this people is the People

of God, purchased by Christ’s Blood, gathered together by the Lord, nourished by his word. It is

a people called to bring to God the prayers of the entire human family, a people giving thanks in

Christ for the mystery of salvation by offering his Sacrifice. Finally, it is a people made one by

by sharing in the Communion of Christ’s Body and Blood. Though holy in its origin, this people

nevertheless grows continually in holiness by its conscious, active, and fruitful participation in

6. In setting forth its instructions for the revision of the Order of Mass, the Second Vatican

which the Missal of Trent was promulgated in 1570, also ordered, among other things, that some

are used it can be seen how both Roman Missals, although separated by four centuries, embrace

one and the same tradition. Furthermore, if the inner elements of this tradition are reflected upon,

it also becomes clear how outstandingly and felicitously the older Roman Missal is brought to

fulfillment in the new.

7. In a difficult period when the Catholic faith on the sacrificial nature of the Mass, the

ministerial priesthood, and the real and permanent presence of Christ under the eucharistic

species were placed at risk, Saint Pius V was especially concerned with preserving the more

recent tradition then unjustly being assailed, introducing only very slight changes into the sacred

rite. In fact, the Missal of 1570 differs very little from the very first printed edition of 1474,

which in turn faithfully follows the Missal used at the time of Pope Innocent III. Moreover, even

though manuscripts in the Vatican Library provided material for the emendation of some

expressions, they by no means made it possible to inquire into "ancient and approved authors"

farther back than the liturgical commentaries of the Middle Ages.

8. Today, on the other hand, countless learned studies have shed light on the "norm of the

holy Fathers" which the revisers of the Missal of Saint Pius V followed. For following the

publication first of the Sacramentary known as the Gregorian in 1571, critical editions of other

ancient Roman and Ambrosian Sacramentaries were published, often in book form, as were

ancient Hispanic and Gallican liturgical books which brought to light numerous prayers of no

slight spiritual excellence that had previously been unknown.

In a similar fashion, traditions dating back to the first centuries, before the formation of the rites

of East and West, are better known today because of the discovery of so many liturgical

documents. Moreover, continuing progress in the study of the holy Fathers has also shed light upon the

theology of the mystery of the Eucharist through the teachings of such illustrious Fathers of

Christian antiquity as Saint Irenaeus, Saint Ambrose, Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, and Saint John

Chrysostom.

9. For this reason, the "norm of the holy Fathers" requires not only the preservation of

what our immediate forebears have passed on to us, but also an understanding and a more

profound study of the Church’s entire past and of all the ways in which her one and only faith

has been set forth in the quite diverse human and social forms prevailing in the Semitic, Greek,

and Latin areas. Moreover, this broader view allows us to see how the Holy Spirit endows the

People of God with a marvelous fidelity in preserving the unalterable deposit of faith, even amid

a very great variety of prayers and rites.

10. The new Missal, therefore, while bearing witness to the Roman Church’s rule of prayer

marks in its own right a step of great importance in liturgical tradition.

Indeed, when the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council reaffirmed the dogmatic pronouncements

of the Council of Trent, they spoke at a far different time in world history, so that they were able

to bring forward proposals and measures of a pastoral nature that could not have even been

foreseen four centuries earlier.

11. The Council of Trent already recognized the great catechetical value contained in the

celebration of Mass but was unable to bring out all its consequences in regard to actual practice.

In fact, many were pressing for permission to use the vernacular in celebrating the eucharistic

Sacrifice; but the Council, weighing the conditions of that age, considered it a duty to answer this

request with a reaffirmation of the Church’s traditional teaching, according to which the

Eucharistic Sacrifice is, first and foremost, the action of Christ himself, and therefore its proper

efficacy is unaffected by the manner in which the faithful take part in it. The Council for this

reason stated in firm but measured words, "Although the Mass contains much instruction for

people of faith, nevertheless it did not seem expedient to the Fathers that it be celebrated

"the rite of the Roman Church, in which part of the Canon and the words of consecration are

spoken in a low voice, is to be condemned, or that the Mass must be celebrated only in the

nevertheless, on the other hand, the Council did direct pastors of souls to put appropriate

catechesis in its place: "Lest Christ’s flock go hungry . . . the Holy Synod commands pastors and

all others having the care of souls to give frequent instructions during the celebration of Mass,

either personally or through others, concerning what is read at Mass; among other things, they

should include some explanation of the mystery of this most holy Sacrifice, especially on

12. Therefore, when the Second Vatican Council convened in order to accommodate the

Church to the requirements of her proper apostolic office precisely in these times, it examined

Catholic would now deny the lawfulness and efficacy of a sacred rite celebrated in Latin, the

Council was also able to grant that "the use of the vernacular language may frequently be of great

measure has been so great everywhere that it has led, under the leadership of the Bishops and the

Apostolic See itself, to permission for all liturgical celebrations in which the people participate to

be in the vernacular, for the sake of a better comprehension of the mystery being celebrated.

13. Indeed, since the use of the vernacular in the Sacred Liturgy may certainly be considered

an important means for presenting more clearly the catechesis regarding the mystery that is

inherent in the celebration itself, the Second Vatican Council also ordered that certain

prescriptions of the Council of Trent that had not been followed everywhere be brought to

Above all, the Second Vatican Council, which urged "that more perfect form of participation in

the Mass by which the faithful, after the priest’s Communion, receive the Lord’s Body from the

the sake of a fuller participation in the holy Eucharist "the faithful present at each Mass should

14. Moved by the same desire and pastoral concern, the Second Vatican Council was able to

give renewed consideration to what was established by Trent on Communion under both kinds.

And indeed, since no one today calls into doubt in any way the doctrinal principles on the

complete efficacy of eucharistic Communion under the species of bread alone, the Council thus

gave permission for the reception of Communion under both kinds on some occasions, because

this clearer form of the sacramental sign offers a particular opportunity of deepening the

15. In this manner the Church, while remaining faithful to her office as teacher of truth

safeguarding "things old," that is, the deposit of tradition, fulfills at the same time another duty,

that of examining and prudently bringing forth "things new" (cf. Mt 13:52).

Accordingly, a part of the new Missal directs the prayers of the Church in a more open way to

the needs of our times, which is above all true of the Ritual Masses and the Masses for Various

Needs, in which tradition and new elements are appropriately harmonized. Thus, while many

expressions, drawn from the Church’s most ancient tradition and familiar through the many

editions of the Roman Missal, have remained unchanged, many other expressions have been

accommodated to today’s needs and circumstances. Still others, such as the prayers for the

Church, the laity, the sanctification of human work, the community of all peoples, and certain

needs proper to our era, have been newly composed, drawing on the thoughts and often the very

phrasing of the recent documents of the Council.

Moreover, on account of the same attitude toward the new state of the present world, it seemed

that in the use of texts from the most ancient tradition, so revered a treasure would in no way be

harmed if some phrases were changed so that the style of language would be more in accord with

the language of modern theology and would truly reflect the current discipline of the Church.

Thus, not a few expressions bearing on the evaluation and use of the earthly goods of the earth

have been changed, as have also not a few allusions to a certain form of outward penance

belonging to past ages of the Church.

Finally, in this manner the liturgical norms of the Council of Trent have certainly been completed

and perfected in many respects by those of the Second Vatican Council, which has brought to

realization the efforts of the last four hundred years to bring the faithful closer to the Sacred

Liturgy especially in recent times, and above all the zeal for the Liturgy promoted by Saint Pius

X and his successors.

Chapter I

The Importance and Dignity of the Eucharistic Celebration

16. The celebration of Mass, as the action of Christ and the People of God arrayed

hierarchically, is the center of the whole Christian life for the Church both universal and local, as

which God sanctifies the world in Christ and of the worship that the human race offers to the

the course of the year, the mysteries of redemption are recalled so as in some way to be made

17. It is therefore of the greatest importance that the celebration of the Mass—that is, the

Lord’s Supper—be so arranged that the sacred ministers and the faithful taking part in it,

sake of which Christ the Lord instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of his Body and Blood and

18. This will best be accomplished if, with due regard for the nature and the particular

circumstances of each liturgical assembly, the entire celebration is planned in such a way that it

leads to a conscious, active, and full participation of the faithful both in body and in mind, a

participation burning with faith, hope, and charity, of the sort which is desired by the Church

and demanded by the very nature of the celebration, and to which the Christian people have a

19. Even if it is sometimes not possible to have the presence and active participation of the

Celebration always retains its efficacy and dignity because it is the action of Christ and the

Church, in which the priest fulfills his own principal office and always acts for the people’s

salvation. It is therefore recommended that the priest celebrate the Eucharistic Sacrifice even daily, if

20. Because, however, the celebration of the Eucharist, like the entire Liturgy, is carried out

taken to choose and to arrange those forms and elements set forth by the Church that, in view of

the circumstances of the people and the place, will more effectively foster active and full

participation and more properly respond to the spiritual needs of the faithful.

21. This Instruction aims both to offer general guidelines for properly arranging the

22. The celebration of the Eucharist in a particular Church is of utmost importance.

For the diocesan Bishop, the chief steward of the mysteries of God in the particular Church

In celebrations at which the Bishop presides, and especially in the celebration of the Eucharist led

by the Bishop himself with the presbyterate, the deacons, and the people taking part, the

mystery of the Church is revealed. For this reason, the solemn celebration of Masses of this sort

must be an example for the entire diocese.

The Bishop should therefore be determined that the priests, the deacons, and the lay Christian

faithful grasp ever more deeply the genuine meaning of the rites and liturgical texts and thereby be

led to an active and fruitful celebration of the Eucharist. To the same end, he should also be

vigilant that the dignity of these celebrations be enhanced. In promoting this dignity, the beauty

of the sacred place, of music, and of art should contribute as greatly as possible.

23. Moreover, in order that such a celebration may correspond more fully to the

prescriptions and spirit of the Sacred Liturgy, and also in order to increase its pastoral

effectiveness, certain accommodations and adaptations are specified in this General Instruction

and in the Order of Mass.

24. These adaptations consist for the most part in the choice of certain rites or texts, that is,

of the chants, readings, prayers, explanations, and gestures that may respond better to the needs,

preparation, and culture of the participants and that are entrusted to the priest celebrant.

Nevertheless, the priest must remember that he is the servant of the Sacred Liturgy and that he

himself is not permitted, on his own initiative, to add, to remove, or to change anything in the

25. In addition, certain adaptations are indicated in the proper place in the Missal and pertain

respectively to the diocesan Bishop or to the Conference of Bishops, in accord with the

26. As for variations and the more substantial adaptations in view of the traditions and

Chapter II

The Structure of the Mass, Its Elements and Its Parts

I. THE GENERAL STRUCTURE OF THE MASS

27. At Mass—that is, the Lord’s Supper—the People of God is called together, with a priest

presiding and acting in the person of Christ, to celebrate the memorial of the Lord, the Eucharistic

gathering of the holy Church: "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their

midst" (Mt 18:20). For in the celebration of Mass, in which the Sacrifice of the Cross is

person of the minister, in his word, and indeed substantially and continuously under the

28. The Mass is made up, as it were, of two parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy

of the Eucharist. These, however, are so closely interconnected that they form but one single act

and conclude the celebration.

II. THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF THE MASS

29. 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.

Therefore, all must listen with reverence to the readings from God’s word, for they make up an

element of greatest importance in the Liturgy. Although in the readings from Sacred Scripture

God’s word is addressed to all people of every era and is understandable to them, nevertheless, a

fuller understanding and a greater effectiveness of the word is fostered by a living commentary on

30. Among the parts assigned to the priest, the foremost is the Eucharistic Prayer, which is

the high point of the entire celebration. Next are the orations: that is to say, the collect, the

prayer over the offerings, and the prayer after Communion. These prayers are addressed to God

in the name of the entire holy people and all present, by the priest who presides over the

"presidential prayers."

31. It is also up to the priest, in the exercise of his office of presiding over the gathered

assembly, to offer certain explanations that are foreseen in the rite itself. Where it is indicated in

the rubrics, the celebrant is permitted to adapt them somewhat in order that they respond to the

understanding of those participating. However, he should always take care to keep to the sense

of the text given in the Missal and to express them succinctly. The presiding priest is also to

direct the word of God and to impart the final blessing. In addition, he may give the faithful a

very brief introduction to the Mass of the day (after the initial Greeting and before the Act of

Penitence), to the Liturgy of the Word (before the readings), and to the Eucharistic Prayer (before

the Preface), though never during the Eucharistic Prayer itself; he may also make concluding

comments to the entire sacred action before the dismissal.

32. The nature of the "presidential" texts demands that they be spoken in a loud and clear

there should be no other prayers or singing, and the organ or other musical instruments should be

silent.

33. The priest, in fact, as the one who presides, prays in the name of the Church and of the

assembled community; but at times he prays only in his own name, asking that he may exercise

his ministry with greater attention and devotion. Prayers of this kind, which occur before the

reading of the Gospel, at the Preparation of the Gifts, and also before and after the Communion

of the priest, are said quietly.

dialogues between the priest and the faithful gathered together and the acclamations are of great

bring about communion between priest and people.

35. The acclamations and the responses of the faithful to the priest’s greetings and prayers

constitute that level of active participation that the gathered faithful are to contribute in every

form of the Mass, so that the action of the entire community may be clearly expressed and

36. Other parts, very useful for expressing and fostering the faithful’s active participation,

that are assigned to the whole assembly that is called together include especially the Act of

Penitence, the Profession of Faith, the Prayer of the Faithful, and the Lord’s Prayer.

37. Finally, concerning the other formulas,

b. Others accompany another rite, such as the chants at the Entrance, at the Offertory,

38. In texts that are to be spoken in a loud and clear voice, whether by the priest or the

deacon, or by the lector, or by all, the tone of voice should correspond to the genre of the text

itself, that is, depending upon whether it is a reading, a prayer, a commentary, an acclamation, or

a sung text; the tone should also be suited to the form of celebration and to the solemnity of the

gathering. Consideration should also be given to the idiom of different languages and the culture of

different peoples.

In the rubrics and in the norms that follow, words such as "say" and "proclaim" are to be

understood of both singing and reciting, according to the principles just stated above.

39. The Christian faithful who gather together as one to await the Lord’s coming are

instructed by the Apostle Paul to sing together psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (cf. Col 3:16).

Singing is the sign of the heart’s joy (cf. Acts 2:46). Thus Saint Augustine says rightly, "Singing

40. Great importance should therefore be attached to the use of singing in the celebration of

the Mass, with due consideration for the culture of the people and abilities of each liturgical

assembly. Although it is not always necessary (e.g., in weekday Masses) to sing all the texts that

are of themselves meant to be sung, every care should be taken that singing by the ministers and

the people is not absent in celebrations that occur on Sundays and on holy days of obligation.

In the choosing of the parts actually to be sung, however, preference should be given to those

that are of greater importance and especially to those to be sung by the priest or the deacon or

41. All other things being equal, Gregorian chant holds pride of place because it is proper to

the Roman Liturgy. Other types of sacred music, in particular polyphony, are in no way

excluded, provided that they correspond to the spirit of the liturgical action and that they foster

Since faithful from different countries come together ever more frequently, it is fitting that they

know how to sing together at least some parts of the Ordinary of the Mass in Latin, especially

42. The gestures and posture of the priest, the deacon, and the ministers, as well as those of

the people, ought to contribute to making the entire celebration resplendent with beauty and

noble simplicity, so that the true and full meaning of the different parts of the celebration is

is determined by this General Instruction and the traditional practice of the Roman Rite and to

what serves the common spiritual good of the People of God, rather than private inclination or

arbitrary choice.

A common posture, to be observed by all participants, is a sign of the unity of the members of

the Christian community gathered for the Sacred Liturgy: it both expresses and fosters the

intention and spiritual attitude of the participants.

43. The faithful should stand from the beginning of the Entrance chant, or while the priest

the Gospel itself is proclaimed; during the Profession of Faith and the Prayer of the Faithful;

end of Mass, except at the places indicated below.

They should, however, sit while the readings before the Gospel and the responsorial Psalm are

proclaimed and for the homily and while the Preparation of the Gifts at the Offertory is taking

place; and, as circumstances allow, they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after

Communion is observed.

In the dioceses of the United States of America, they should kneel beginning after the singing or

occasion by reasons of health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some other

good reason. Those who do not kneel ought to make a profound bow when the priest genuflects

With a view to a uniformity in gestures and postures during one and the same celebration, the

faithful should follow the directions which the deacon, lay minister, or priest gives according to

whatever is indicated in the Missal.

44. Among gestures included are also actions and processions: of the priest going with the

deacon and ministers to the altar; of the deacon carrying the Evangeliary or Book of the Gospels

to the ambo before the proclamation of the Gospel; of the faithful presenting the gifts and coming

forward to receive Communion. It is appropriate that actions and processions of this sort be

carried out with decorum while the chants proper to them occur, in keeping with the norms

prescribed for each.

Its purpose, however, depends on the time it occurs in each part of the celebration. Thus within

the Act of Penitence and again after the invitation to pray, all recollect themselves; but at the

conclusion of a reading or the homily, all meditate briefly on what they have heard; then after

Communion, they praise and pray to God in their hearts.

Even before the celebration itself, it is commendable that silence to be observed in the church, in

the sacristy, in the vesting room, and in adjacent areas, so that all may dispose themselves to

carry out the sacred action in a devout and fitting manner.

III. THE INDIVIDUAL PARTS OF THE MASS

46. The rites preceding the Liturgy of the Word, namely the Entrance, Greeting, Act of

preparation.

Their purpose is to ensure that the faithful who come together as one establish

communion and dispose themselves to listen properly to God’s word and to celebrate the

Eucharist worthily.

In certain celebrations that are combined with Mass according to the norms of the

liturgical books, the Introductory Rites are omitted or performed in a particular way.

47. After the people have gathered, the Entrance chant begins as the priest enters with the

deacon and ministers. The purpose of this chant is to open the celebration, foster the unity of

those who have been gathered, introduce their thoughts to the mystery of the liturgical season or

festivity, and accompany the procession of the priest and ministers.

48. The singing at this time is done either alternately by the choir and the people or in a

similar way by the cantor and the people, or entirely by the people, or by the choir alone. In the

dioceses of the United States of America there are four options for the Entrance Chant: (1) the

antiphon from the Roman Missal or the Psalm from the Roman Gradual as set to music there or

in another musical setting; (2) the seasonal antiphon and Psalm of the Simple Gradual; (3) a song

from another collection of psalms and antiphons, approved by the Conference of Bishops or the

Diocesan Bishop, including psalms arranged in responsorial or metrical forms; (4) a suitable

If there is no singing at the entrance, the antiphon in the Missal is recited either by the faithful, or

by some of them, or by a lector; otherwise, it is recited by the priest himself, who may even

adapt it as an introductory explanation (cf. above, no. 31).

49. When they reach the sanctuary, the priest, the deacon, and the ministers reverence the

altar with a profound bow.

As an expression of veneration, moreover, the priest and deacon then kiss the altar itself; as the

occasion suggests, the priest also incenses the cross and the altar.

50. When the Entrance chant is concluded, the priest stands at the chair and, together with the

whole gathering, makes the Sign of the Cross. Then he signifies the presence of the Lord to the

community gathered there by means of the Greeting. By this Greeting and the people’s response,

the mystery of the Church gathered together is made manifest.

After the greeting of the people, the priest, the deacon, or a lay minister may very briefly

introduce the faithful to the Mass of the day.

51. Then the priest invites those present to take part in the Act of Penitence, which, after a

brief pause for silence, the entire community carries out through a formula of general confession.

The rite concludes with the priest’s absolution, which, however, lacks the efficacy of the

Sacrament of Penance.

On Sundays, especially in the Season of Easter, in place of the customary Act of Penitence, from

as part of the Act of Penitence. Since it is a chant by which the faithful acclaim the Lord and

implore his mercy, it is ordinarily done by all, that is, by the people and with the choir or cantor

having a part in it.

As a rule, each acclamation is sung or said twice, though it may be repeated several times, by

reason of the character of the various languages, as well as of the artistry of the music or of other

each acclamation.

in the Holy Spirit, glorifies and entreats God the Father and the Lamb. The text of this hymn

a cantor or by the choir; but it is sung either by everyone together, or by the people alternately

with the choir, or by the choir alone. If not sung, it is to be recited either by all together or by

two parts of the congregation responding one to the other.

It is sung or said on Sundays outside the Seasons of Advent and Lent, on solemnities and feasts,

and at special celebrations of a more solemn character.

54. Next the priest invites the people to pray. All, together with the priest, observe a brief

silence so that they may be conscious of the fact that they are in God’s presence and may

formulate their petitions mentally. Then the priest says the prayer which is customarily known

as the Collect and through which the character of the celebration is expressed. In accordance with

the ancient tradition of the Church, the collect prayer is usually addressed to God the Father,

ending, in the following manner:

The people, uniting themselves to this entreaty, make the prayer their own with the acclamation

There is always only one collect used in a Mass.

55. The main part of the Liturgy of the Word is made up of the readings from Sacred

Scripture together with the chants occurring between them. The homily, Profession of Faith, and

Prayer of the Faithful, however, develop and conclude this part of the Mass. For in the readings,

redemption and salvation and offering them spiritual nourishment; and Christ himself is present

God’s word their own, and they also affirm their adherence to it by means of the Profession of

Faith. Finally, having been nourished by it, they pour out their petitions in the Prayer of the

Faithful for the needs of the entire Church and for the salvation of the whole world.

56. The Liturgy of the Word is to be celebrated in such a way as to promote meditation, and

so any sort of haste that hinders recollection must clearly be avoided. During the Liturgy of the

Word, it is also appropriate to include brief periods of silence, accommodated to the gathered

assembly, in which, at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, the word of God may be grasped by the

heart and a response through prayer may be prepared. It may be appropriate to observe such

periods of silence, for example, before the Liturgy of the Word itself begins, after the first and

57. In the readings, the table of God’s word is prepared for the faithful, and the riches of the

readings, by which light is shed on the unity of both Testaments and of salvation history.

Moreover, it is unlawful to substitute other, non-biblical texts for the readings and responsorial

58. In the celebration of the Mass with a congregation, the readings are always proclaimed

from the ambo.

59. By tradition, the function of proclaiming the readings is ministerial, not presidential. The

readings, therefore, should be proclaimed by a lector, and the Gospel by a deacon or, in his

absence, a priest other than the celebrant. If, however, a deacon or another priest is not present,

the priest celebrant himself should read the Gospel. Further, if another suitable lector is also not

present, then the priest celebrant should also proclaim the other readings.

After each reading, whoever reads gives the acclamation, to which the gathered people reply,

honoring the word of God that they have received in faith and with grateful hearts.

60. The reading of the Gospel is the high point of the Liturgy of the Word. The Liturgy itself

teaches that great reverence is to be shown to it by setting it off from the other readings with

special marks of honor: whether the minister appointed to proclaim it prepares himself by a

blessing or prayer; or the faithful, standing as they listen to it being read, through their

acclamations acknowledge and confess Christ present and speaking to them; or the very marks of

reverence are given to the Book of the Gospels.

61. After the first reading comes the responsorial Psalm, which is an integral part of the

Liturgy of the Word and holds great liturgical and pastoral importance, because it fosters

meditation on the word of God.

The responsorial Psalm should correspond to each reading and should, as a rule, be taken from

the Lectionary. It is preferable that the responsorial Psalm be sung, at least as far as the people’s response is

concerned. Hence, the psalmist, or the cantor of the Psalm, sings the verses of the Psalm from the

ambo or another suitable place. The entire congregation remains seated and listens but, as a rule,

takes part by singing the response, except when the Psalm is sung straight through without a

response. In order, however, that the people may be able to sing the Psalm response more

readily, texts of some responses and Psalms have been chosen for the various seasons of the year

or for the various categories of Saints. These may be used in place of the text corresponding to

the reading whenever the Psalm is sung. If the Psalm cannot be sung, then it should be recited in

such a way that it is particularly suited to fostering meditation on the word of God.

In the dioceses of the United States of America, the following may also be sung in place of the

musical setting; or an antiphon and Psalm from another collection of the psalms and antiphons,

including psalms arranged in metrical form, providing that they have been approved by the

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops or the Diocesan Bishop. Songs or hymns may not

be used in place of the responsorial Psalm.

indicated by the rubrics is sung, as required by the liturgical season. An acclamation of this kind

constitutes a rite or act in itself, by which the assembly of the faithful welcomes and greets the

Lord who is about to speak to them in the Gospel and professes their faith by means of the

chant. It is sung by all while standing and is led by the choir or a cantor, being repeated if this is

appropriate. The verse, however, is sung either by the choir or by the cantor.

in the Lectionary. It is also permissible to sing another psalm or tract, as found in the

63. When there is only one reading before the Gospel,

before the Gospel or the psalm alone may be used;

64. The Sequence, which is optional except on Easter Sunday and on Pentecost Day, is sung

the nurturing of the Christian life. It should be an exposition of some aspect of the readings from

Sacred Scripture or of another text from the Ordinary or from the Proper of the Mass of the day

and should take into account both the mystery being celebrated and the particular needs of the

66. The Homily should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it

to a concelebrating priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to the deacon, but never to

or a priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate.

There is to be a homily on Sundays and holy days of obligation at all Masses that are celebrated

with the participation of a congregation; it may not be omitted without a serious reason. It is

recommended on other days, especially on the weekdays of Advent, Lent, and the Easter Season,

as well as on other festive days and occasions when the people come to church in greater

After the homily a brief period of silence is appropriately observed.

people may respond to the word of God proclaimed in the readings taken from Sacred Scripture

and explained in the homily and that they may also call to mind and confess the great mysteries

of the faith by reciting the rule of faith in a formula approved for liturgical use, before these

mysteries are celebrated in the Eucharist.

68. The Creed is to be sung or said by the priest together with the people on Sundays and

Solemnities. It may be said also at particular celebrations of a more solemn character.

If it is sung, it is begun by the priest or, if this is appropriate, by a cantor or by the choir. It is

sung, however, either by all together or by the people alternating with the choir.

If not sung, it is to be recited by all together or by two parts of the assembly responding one to

the other.

69. In the Prayer of the Faithful, the people respond in a certain way to the word of God

which they have welcomed in faith and, exercising the office of their baptismal priesthood, offer

prayers to God for the salvation of all. It is fitting that such a prayer be included, as a rule, in

Masses celebrated with a congregation, so that petitions will be offered for the holy Church, for

civil authorities, for those weighed down by various needs, for all men and women, and for the

70. As a rule, the series of intentions is to be

a. For the needs of the Church;

b. For public authorities and the salvation of the whole world;

c. For those burdened by any kind of difficulty;

d. For the local community.

Nevertheless, in a particular celebration, such as Confirmation, Marriage, or a Funeral, the series

of intentions may reflect more closely the particular occasion.

71. It is for the priest celebrant to direct this prayer from the chair. He himself begins it with

a brief introduction, by which he invites the faithful to pray, and likewise he concludes it with a

prayer. The intentions announced should be sober, be composed freely but prudently, and be

succinct, and they should express the prayer of the entire community.

The intentions are announced from the ambo or from another suitable place, by the deacon or by

The people, however, stand and give expression to their prayer either by an invocation said

together after each intention or by praying in silence.

72. At the Last Supper Christ instituted the Paschal Sacrifice and banquet by which the

Sacrifice of the Cross is continuously made present in the Church whenever the priest,

representing Christ the Lord, carries out what the Lord himself did and handed over to his

For Christ took the bread and the chalice and gave thanks; he broke the bread and gave it to his

disciples, saying, "Take, eat, and drink: this is my Body; this is the cup of my Blood. Do this in

memory of me." Accordingly, the Church has arranged the entire celebration of the Liturgy of the

Eucharist in parts corresponding to precisely these words and actions of Christ:

1. At the Preparation of the Gifts, the bread and the wine with water are brought to the

altar, the same elements that Christ took into his hands.

2. In the Eucharistic Prayer, thanks is given to God for the whole work of salvation, and

the offerings become the Body and Blood of Christ.

3. Through the fraction and through Communion, the faithful, though they are many,

receive from the one bread the Lord’s Body and from the one chalice the Lord’s Blood

in the same way the Apostles received them from Christ’s own hands.

73. At the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist the gifts, which will become Christ’s

Body and Blood, are brought to the altar.

prepared by placing on it the corporal, purificator, Missal, and chalice (unless the chalice is

prepared at the credence table).

The offerings are then brought forward. It is praiseworthy for the bread and wine to be presented

by the faithful. They are then accepted at an appropriate place by the priest or the deacon and

carried to the altar. Even though the faithful no longer bring from their own possessions the bread

and wine intended for the liturgy as in the past, nevertheless the rite of carrying up the offerings

still retains its force and its spiritual significance.

It is well also that money or other gifts for the poor or for the Church, brought by the faithful or

collected in the church, should be received. These are to be put in a suitable place but away from

the eucharistic table.

74. The procession bringing the gifts is accompanied by the Offertory chant (cf. above, no.

37b), which continues at least until the gifts have been placed on the altar. The norms on the

manner of singing are the same as for the Entrance chant (cf. above, no. 48). Singing may always

accompany the rite at the offertory, even when there is no procession with the gifts.

75. The bread and wine are placed on the altar by the priest to the accompaniment of the

prescribed formulas. The priest may incense the gifts placed upon the altar and then incense the

cross and the altar itself, so as to signify the Church’s offering and prayer rising like incense in

the sight of God. Next, the priest, because of his sacred ministry, and the people, by reason of

their baptismal dignity, may be incensed by the deacon or another minister.

76. The priest then washes his hands at the side of the altar, a rite that is an expression of his

desire for interior purification.

77. Once the offerings have been placed on the altar and the accompanying rites completed,

the invitation to pray with the priest and the prayer over the offerings conclude the preparation

of the gifts and prepare for the Eucharistic Prayer.

In the Mass, only one Prayer over the Offerings is said, and it ends with the shorter conclusion:

The people, uniting themselves to this entreaty, make the prayer their own with the acclamation,

78. Now the center and summit of the entire celebration begins: namely, the Eucharistic

Prayer, that is, the prayer of thanksgiving and sanctification. The priest invites the people to lift

up their hearts to the Lord in prayer and thanksgiving; he unites the congregation with himself in

the prayer that he addresses in the name of the entire community to God the Father through

Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the meaning of the Prayer is that the entire

congregation of the faithful should join itself with Christ in confessing the great deeds of God and

in the offering of Sacrifice. The Eucharistic Prayer demands that all listen to it with reverence and

in silence.

79. The chief elements making up the Eucharistic Prayer may be distinguished in this way:

the entire holy people, glorifies God the Father and gives thanks for the whole work

of salvation or for some special aspect of it that corresponds to the day, festivity, or

season.

sung or said by all the people with the priest.

power of the Holy Spirit that the gifts offered by human hands be consecrated, that

is, become Christ’s Body and Blood, and that the spotless Victim to be received in

Communion be for the salvation of those who will partake of it.

Christ, the Sacrifice is carried out which Christ himself instituted at the Last Supper,

when he offered his Body and Blood under the species of bread and wine, gave them

to his Apostles to eat and drink, and left them the command to perpetuate this same

mystery.

the Lord through the Apostles, keeps the memorial of Christ, recalling especially his

blessed Passion, glorious Resurrection, and Ascension into heaven.

here and now gathered—offers in the Holy Spirit the spotless Victim to the Father.

The Church’s intention, however, is that the faithful not only offer this spotless

through Christ the Mediator, into unity with God and with each other, so that at last

in communion with the entire Church, of heaven as well as of earth, and that the

offering is made for her and for all her members, living and dead, who have been called

to participate in the redemption and the salvation purchased by Christ’s Body and

Blood.

80. Since the Eucharistic Celebration is the Paschal Banquet, it is desirable that in keeping

with the Lord’s command, his Body and Blood should be received by the faithful who are

properly disposed as spiritual food. This is the sense of the fraction and the other preparatory

rites by which the faithful are led directly to Communion.

81. In the Lord’s Prayer a petition is made for daily food, which for Christians means

preeminently the eucharistic bread, and also for purification from sin, so that what is holy may,

in fact, be given to those who are holy. The priest says the invitation to the prayer, and all the

faithful say it with him; the priest alone adds the embolism, which the people conclude with a

doxology. The embolism, enlarging upon the last petition of the Lord’s Prayer itself, begs

deliverance from the power of evil for the entire community of the faithful.

The invitation, the Prayer itself, the embolism, and the doxology by which the people conclude

these things are sung or said aloud.

82. The Rite of Peace follows, by which the Church asks for peace and unity for herself and

for the whole human family, and the faithful express to each other their ecclesial communion and

mutual charity before communicating in the Sacrament.

As for the sign of peace to be given, the manner is to be established by Conferences of Bishops in

accordance with the culture and customs of the peoples. It is, however, appropriate that each

person offer the sign of peace only to those who are nearest and in a sober manner.

83. The priest breaks the Eucharistic Bread, assisted, if the case calls for it, by the deacon or a

concelebrant. Christ’s gesture of breaking bread at the Last Supper, which gave the entire

Eucharistic Action its name in apostolic times, signifies that the many faithful are made one body

(1 Cor 10:17) by receiving Communion from the one Bread of Life which is Christ, who died and

rose for the salvation of the world. The fraction or breaking of bread is begun after the sign of

peace and is carried out with proper reverence, though it should not be unnecessarily prolonged,

nor should it be accorded undue importance. This rite is reserved to the priest and the deacon.

The priest breaks the Bread and puts a piece of the host into the chalice to signify the unity of

the Body and Blood of the Lord in the work of salvation, namely, of the living and glorious Body

congregation responding; or it is, at least, recited aloud. This invocation accompanies the fraction

and, for this reason, may be repeated as many times as necessary until the rite has reached its

84. The priest prepares himself by a prayer, said quietly, that he may fruitfully receive

Christ’s Body and Blood. The faithful do the same, praying silently.

The priest next shows the faithful the Eucharistic Bread, holding it above the paten or above the

chalice, and invites them to the banquet of Christ. Along with the faithful, he then makes an act

of humility using the prescribed words taken from the Gospels.

85. It is most desirable that the faithful, just as the priest himself is bound to do, receive the

Lord’s Body from hosts consecrated at the same Mass and that, in the instances when it is

permitted, they partake of the chalice (cf. below, no. 283), so that even by means of the signs

Communion will stand out more clearly as a participation in the sacrifice actually being

86. While the priest is receiving the Sacrament, the Communion chant is begun. Its purpose is

to express the communicants’ union in spirit by means of the unity of their voices, to show joy

of heart, and to highlight more clearly the "communitarian" nature of the procession to receive

Communion. The singing is continued for as long as the Sacrament is being administered to the

ended in a timely manner.

Care should be taken that singers, too, can receive Communion with ease.

87. In the dioceses of the United States of America there are four options for the Communion

States Conference of Catholic Bisho