Where possible, the translations given are the exact equivalent currently used in the Novus Ordo. This choice was made in order to provide a translation that may be more familiar than the one that is found in Latin hand missals, and to highlight how much of the Latin Mass is already familiar to many Catholics. The translations in the 2011 revision of the Roman Missal are very faithful to the Latin, with a few minor adjustments made for syntax in the English.
Note that even in places where the translated text is the same across Forms, the rubrics (priest's actions) are significantly altered and reduced in the Ordinary Form.
Many prayers in this part of the Mass are said in secret (in a low voice or silently) and much of it happens quickly, so most of the Latin texts are not given here. A full side-by-side of the Latin texts of the Mass and their translations can be found here.
CONTINUATION OF THE ROMAN CANON
The priest stands with his hands held apart:
Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of the blessed Passion, the Resurrection from the dead, and the glorious Ascension into heaven of Christ, Your Son, our Lord, we, Your servants and Your holy people, offer to Your glorious majesty from the gifts that You have given us,
Making the Sign of the Cross thrice over both Species:
this pure + Victim, this holy + Victim, this spotless + Victim,
Signing first the Host and then the chalice:
the holy Bread + of eternal life and the Chalice + of everlasting salvation.
*Liturgy Note: Compare this quintuple signing of the Offering to the same signing done before the consecration.
Extending his hands:
Be pleased to look upon these offerings with a serene and kindly countenance and to accept them, as once You were pleased to accept the gifts of Your servant Abel the just, the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith, and the offering of Your high priest Melchizedek, a holy sacrifice, a spotless victim.
He bows low, joining his hands on the altar:
In humble prayer we ask You, almighty God, command that these gifts be borne by the hands of Your holy Angel to Your altar on high in the sight of Your divine majesty,
He kisses the altar:
so that all of us, who through this participation at the altar receive the most holy Body and Blood of Your Son,
He stands upright and signs himself:
may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Remember also, Lord, Your servants who have gone before us with the sign of faith and rest in the sleep of peace.
He joins his hands and calls to mind the dead for whom he intends to pray. He extends his hands:
Grant them, O Lord, we pray, and all who sleep in Christ, a place of refreshment, light, and peace.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
He strikes his breast as he says aloud,
"Nobis quoque peccatóribus"
(To us also, Your servants, who, though sinners,)
(To us also, Your servants, who, though sinners,)
With his hands held apart he continues quietly:
hope in Your abundant mercies, graciously grant some share and fellowship with Your holy Apostles and Martyrs: with John the Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas, Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter, Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia, and all Your saints. Admit us, we beseech You, into their company, not weighing our merits, but granting us Your pardon through Christ our Lord,
He signs the Host and the chalice:
through Whom You continue to make all these good things, O Lord; You sanctify + them, fill them + with life, bless + them, and bestow them upon us.
With the Host in his right hand and the chalice in his left, he makes the Sign of the Cross with the Host over the Precious Blood:
Through + Him, with + Him, and in + Him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
The bells ring as he elevates both Species slightly:
all glory and honor is Yours
He concludes aloud, "per omnia sæcula sæculórum. Amen."
(forever and ever. Amen.)
(forever and ever. Amen.)
This is the end of the Roman Canon.
THE PATER NOSTER
He continues:
"Oremus. Praecéptis salutáribus móniti, et divína institutióne formáti, audémus dicere:"
(Let us pray. Instructed by Your saving precepts and following Your divine instruction, we dare to say:)
(Let us pray. Instructed by Your saving precepts and following Your divine instruction, we dare to say:)
With his hands held apart (the orans posture), he says the Pater Noster (Our Father) until "et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem."
(And lead us not into temptation.)
(And lead us not into temptation.)
The servers conclude, "Sed líbera nos a malo."
(But deliver us from evil.)
(But deliver us from evil.)
The priest says quietly, "Amen."
With the paten between his first and second fingers, he prays silently:
Deliver us, we beseech You, O Lord, from all evils, past, present, and to come, and by the intercession of the blessed and glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of God, together with Your blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and Andrew, and all the saints, [he signs himself with the paten] mercifully grant peace in our days,
He kisses the paten, reverencing this "new sepulchre" which holds the Body of Christ:
that through the bounteous help of Your mercy we may be always free from sin and secure from all disturbance.
He breaks the Host in half:
Through the same Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God,
Through the same Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God,
The right half of the Host rests on the paten as he breaks a Particle off of the left half:
forever and ever.
He makes the Sign of the Cross thrice over the chalice with the Particle and says aloud:
P: "Pax Domini + sit semper + nobíscum. +" (The peace of the Lord + be with you + always. +)
S: "Et cum spíritu tuo." (And with your spirit.)
S: "Et cum spíritu tuo." (And with your spirit.)
Placing the Particle into the chalice, he says silently:
May the mingling and consecration of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ be to us who receive it effectual to life everlasting. Amen.
THE COMMUNION
Bowing slightly and striking his breast with his right hand at each repetition:
"Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi, miserére nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi, miserére nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi, dona nobis pacem."
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi, miserére nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi, dona nobis pacem."
(Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.)
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.)
Bowing, his hands folded on the altar, he prays silently:
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who said to Your Apostles, Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you, look not upon my sins but upon the faith of Your Church, and mercifully grant her peace and unity according to Your will, Who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, Who according to the Will of the Father, through the cooperation of the Holy Ghost, has by Your death given life to the world, deliver me by this, Your most holy Body and Blood, from all my transgressions and from all evils; make me always adhere to Your commandments and never suffer me to be separated from You; Who with the same God the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns, God forever and ever. Amen.
Let not the partaking of Your Body, O Lord Jesus Christ, which I, though unworthy, presume to receive, turn to my judgment and condemnation, but through Your goodness may it be unto me a safeguard and a healing remedy of both soul and body; Who lives and reigns with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God forever and ever. Amen.
Genuflecting:
I will take the Bread of heaven and call upon the Name of the Lord.
He takes the Host in his left thumb and index finger, the paten between his first and second fingers. The bells ring as he strikes his breast and says thrice the words of the centurion:
"[Audibly] Domine non sum dignus [quietly] ut intres sub tectum meum, sed tantum dic verbo et sanábitur anima mea."
(Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.)
Matthew 8:8
(Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.)
Matthew 8:8
He makes the Sign of the Cross with the Host over the paten:
May the Body of Our Lord [he bows his head] Jesus Christ preserve my soul unto everlasting life. Amen.
He bows low, consumes both halves of the Host, and stands for a moment in silent prayer.
He uncovers the chalice, genuflects, and uses the paten to gather up any Particles of the Host that may have remained on the corporal. Placing them in the chalice:
What shall I render to the Lord for all the things He has rendered to me? I will take the chalice of salvation and I will call upon the name of the Lord. Praising, I will call upon the Lord, and I shall be saved from my enemies.
Psalm 116 (DR 115):12-13, Psalm 18 (DR 17):3
Psalm 116 (DR 115):12-13, Psalm 18 (DR 17):3
He makes the Sign of the Cross with the chalice in his right hand:
May the Blood of Our Lord [he bows his head] Jesus Christ preserve my soul unto everlasting life. Amen.
Holding the paten in his left hand under the chalice, he consumes the Precious Blood.
As soon as the priest has received the Precious Blood, the servers bow low and recite the Confiteor as they did at the beginning of Mass.
With his left hand resting on the corporal, the priest turns halfway and gives the absolution as he did earlier, again absolving any venial sins that may have been committed since the first Confiteor.
*Liturgy Note: This is the first time the priest has turned toward the people since before the Preface. He does not turn toward us all the way so as not to turn his back on Our Lord lying on the altar. It would also not be possible for him to face the congregation in a way that would allow the left hand to stay in a neutral position while maintaining the canonical digits.
He takes a Host from the ciborium.
He turns to face the congregation and lifts Our Lord high for all to see and says aloud:
"Ecce Agnus Dei. Ecce qui tollit peccáta mundi."
(Behold the Lamb of God. Behold Him Who takes away the sins of the world.)
(Behold the Lamb of God. Behold Him Who takes away the sins of the world.)
Three times the people strike their breast and say:
"Domine non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum, sed tantum dic verbo et sanábitur anima mea."
(Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.)
(Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.)
Holy Communion is distributed, starting with the servers. The priest makes the Sign of the Cross with the Host over the communicant:
"Corpus Domini nostri Jesu Christi custódiat ánimam tuam in vitam aetérnam. Amen."
(May the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ preserve your soul unto everlasting life. Amen.)
(May the Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ preserve your soul unto everlasting life. Amen.)
*Liturgy Note: In this Form of the Mass, Holy Communion may be received only on the tongue while kneeling. (Those with physical limitations may stand as needed.) The communicant does not say "Amen." If one is not prepared to receive the Eucharist for any reason, he may go forward and hold a finger over his lips and the priest will give him a blessing.
Additionally, only priests and deacons may distribute Holy Communion in this Form of the Mass as only consecrated hands may touch the Eucharist.
THE ABLUTIONS AND POSTCOMMUNION
*Terminology: "Ablution" is taken from the Latin ab (away) and a form of lavere (to wash). The term originally referred to the cleansing of something, specifically with water. This part of the Mass is also called the "purification of the vessels."
After Communion has been distributed, the priest returns to the altar and carefully collects any Particles on the paten into the chalice.
He places the ciborium in the tabernacle and purifies any additional empty vessels. At this Mass, another ciborium was purified. After this, he pours a little wine into the chalice:
Grant, O Lord, that what we have taken with our mouth, we may receive with a pure mind: and that from a temporal gift it may become for us an eternal remedy.
He takes the chalice to the Epistle side and holds his fingers over it as the servers pour water and wine over them:
May Your Body, O Lord, which I have received, and Your Blood which I have drunk, cleave to my inmost parts and grant that no stain of sin may remain in me, whom these pure and holy sacraments have refreshed. Who lives and reigns world without end. Amen.
Returning to the center of the altar, he dries his fingers which, until now, have only been separated to hold the Host. He drinks the mixture of Particles, water, and wine in the chalice and wipes it with the purificator.
*Liturgy Note: The priest always drinks from the same side of the chalice so that none of the Precious Blood is left on the rim. All chalices have a cross on their base to mark this spot.
Bottom to top: Chalice, purificator, paten, pall. These will be covered with the chalice veil. The burse will be placed on top.
He reassembles the sacred vessels and folds the corporal and places it back in the burse. The vessels are covered with the chalice veil and placed at the center of the altar as they were at the beginning of Mass. As this is done, a server moves the Missal from the Gospel side to the Epistle side.
He goes to the Epistle side and says the Communion antiphon. He returns to the center of the altar and kisses it. He turns to face the people and brings his hands apart and folds them again.
P: "Dóminus vobíscum." (The Lord be with you.)
S: "Et cum spiritu tuo." (And with your spirit.)
S: "Et cum spiritu tuo." (And with your spirit.)
He returns to the Epistle side, faces the altar, and bows slightly as he says, "Orémus." (Let us pray.)
*Liturgy Note: This Dominus vobiscum is especially meaningful, since now the Lord truly be with us who have received Him.
He prays the final Proper, called the Postcommunion. It is similar in purpose and structure to the Collect at the beginning of the Mass. In it we ask God to give us the fruits and graces of the Sacrament we have just received, specifically through the intercession of the saint being commemorated or the merits of the feast celebrated that day. As with the Collect, there may be more than one Postcommunion prayed if there are two feasts on the same day, and some parishes always say a second Postcommunion praying for the Pope.
We have already privately welcomed and thanked Our Lord in the time since we received Him, and the Postcommunion is our collective thanksgiving on behalf of ourselves and the whole Church.
THE FINAL BLESSING
The priest returns to the center of the altar and turns to face the people.
P: "Dóminus vobíscum." (The Lord be with you.)
S: "Et cum spíritu tuo." (And with your spirit.)
P: "Ite, missa est." (Go, you are dismissed.)
S: "Deo grátias." (Thanks be to God.)
S: "Et cum spíritu tuo." (And with your spirit.)
P: "Ite, missa est." (Go, you are dismissed.)
S: "Deo grátias." (Thanks be to God.)
*Liturgy Note: On any day that the Gloria is not said, the priest does not turn to face the people and the Ite is not said. Instead, he turns to face the altar again and says, "Benedicámus Dómino." (Let us bless the Lord.)
He bows with his hands folded on the altar and prays silently:
May the homage of my duty be pleasing to You, O holy Trinity, and grant that the sacrifice which I, though unworthy, have offered in the sight of Thy majesty may be acceptable to Thee, and through Thy mercy be a propitiation for me and for all those for whom I have offered it.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
He kisses the altar a final time. The congregation kneels as he makes the priestly gesture once more, opening and lifting his hands before bringing them together and bowing slightly as he says, "Benedícat vos omnípotens Deus:"
(May the almighty God bless you:)
(May the almighty God bless you:)
He turns to face the congregation and gives the final blessing, signing them with the Cross.
"Pater, et Filius, et Spíritus Sanctus."
(The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.)
(The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.)
THE LAST GOSPEL
The people stand as the priest returns to the Gospel side. He makes the Sign of the Cross first on the altar and then on his forehead, lips, and heart as he says,
P: "Inítium sancti Evangélii secúndum Joánnem." (The beginning of the holy Gospel according to John.)
S: "Gloria tibi, Dómine." (Glory to You, O Lord.)
S: "Gloria tibi, Dómine." (Glory to You, O Lord.)
*Liturgy Note: The Missal contains the Word of God and the altar represents Christ. The altar card is simply a tool that has no symbolism on its own, so the altar, not the altar card, is signed here. During a Mass where the Blessed Sacrament remains on the altar at the Last Gospel (e.g. Holy Thursday), the altar is not signed; symbols and representations of the Word and the Presence of God are not necessary when the Word is really present in the Holy Eucharist.
He then reads John 1:1-14, called the Last Gospel.
*Liturgy Note: The Last Gospel is a good example of organic liturgical development. In the Middle Ages, the faithful would often ask the priest to read a portion of the Gospel over them after Mass as a blessing. These verses of John 1 were a favorite of many. Over time, the priest began to recite John 1 at the altar at the end of Mass and would complete it from memory as he left the sanctuary. In 1570, Pope Pius V formally added its recitation to the Mass.
Everyone genuflects at the words, "et Verbum caro factum est." (The Word was made flesh.)
At the end of the Last Gospel, the servers say a final time, "Deo gratias." (Thanks be to God.)
*Liturgy Note: Occasionally an important feast falls on a Sunday, resulting in two sets of Propers for the day. If the Sunday takes precedence over the feast day, the Gospel for the feast is read as the Last Gospel in place of John 1. For solemnities that override a day during Lent (e.g. the Annunciation), the Gospel reading for that day of Lent will be the Last Gospel.
*Watch For: John 1 is printed on the Gospel-side altar card. If a server moves the missal back to the Gospel side for the priest to read, the Last Gospel will not be John 1. Consult the Gospel of the day or the Feast. On days that this happens, the priest will sign the Missal, not the altar.
THE LEONINE PRAYERS
At the end of a Low Mass without organ, the priest and servers kneel on the steps to the altar and recite the Leonine prayers, a set of prayers ordered by Pope Leo XIII. They include the Hail Mary thrice, the Hail Holy Queen, a prayer for the conversion of sinners and the preservation of the Church, the St. Michael Prayer, and an invocation to the Sacred Heart. These may be said either in Latin or in the vernacular. Additional prayers may be said depending on parish custom.
At the conclusion of these prayers, all stand while the priest returns to the altar, picks up the vessels, and returns with the servers to the sacristy. At Low Mass with organ, the priest and servers process out immediately and these prayers are not prayed communally.
The faithful are strongly encouraged to stay for a few minutes after these prayers and continue their private thanksgiving.