Let's Go to Mass

 1.  We walk through the doors.

2.  We bless ourselves with water from the holy water font.  Dipping our fingers into the water, bless ourselves and say, "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

3.  Quietly because you don't want to distract people in prayer, greet people.  You may ask an usher to find you a seat but if the church isn't crowded you can go to sit wherever you want.

4.  Look for the Tabernacle with its Sanctuary Light.

5.  Face the Tabernacle and genuflect while blessing yourself, before entering the pew.

6.  Kneel in the pew and greet God in prayer.

7.The Entrance Procession will begin and everyone stands and sings.

8.  Note that everyone bows to the altar.  The priest will kiss the altar and everyone: altar servers,   lectors, cantor, and deacon take their position and sit.

 

9. The priest greets us.  We respond, "And with your spirit." 

10.  The priest may say the prayer The Confiteor or something like it. He immediately goes into the Kyrie, Eleison.  This is an echo prayer.  We are the echo.

Lord have mercy.

Lord have mercy.

Christ have mercy.

Christ have mercy.

11.  Next everyone sings the Gloria.  This Gloria prayer is sometimes just prayed without singing.

12.  The priest then prays a short from the book the altar server hands him.  

13.  After, everyone sits down to listen to the Liturgy of the Word.