Irene Conole’s Catholic Mass Book
A booklet about the Catholic Mass created by Irene Conole in her youth. It includes images of Pope Pius XII, Jesus, and important items used during Mass, as well as detailed descriptions of the various components of the Mass.
MY
MASS
BOOK
I CONOLE
Pope Pius XII
Kinds of Sacrifices
Old Law
Bloody
Unbloody
New Law
Altar and Altar Stone
What is the Mass?
The Mass is the same sacrifice as
that of the Cross.
The Sacrifice of the Cross was a bloody
sacrifice. Jesus shed His blood for us.
The Sacrifice of the Mass is an
unbloody sacrifice. Jesus Christ offers
His Body and Blood under the appearance
of bread and wine just as truly as He did
on the Cross. He does this through His priests.
In the Mass, Jesus comes down from
heaven and stays on our altars.
Jesus stays with us under the appearance
of the consecrated Host which is kept in
the locked tabernacle.
The Church is a holy place because of the Presence of Jesus.
The Value of the Mass
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is
the most important of all the means
of grace.
One Mass gives more honor to God
than all the prayers of all the people on
the earth and the angels and saints
in heaven.
At the Mass the priest takes the
place of Jesus. He says and does what
Jesus did at the Last Supper.
When we go to Mass it is just the
same as if we went with Jesus up
Mt. Calvary and joined our prayers with
His when He died on the Cross.
Why the Mass is offered
The Mass is offered:
To God
1. To praise Him as our Creator.
2. To thank Him for all He has done.
For Myself:
1. To satisfy for my sins.
2. To ask for what I need.
The word A-C-T-S will help us to
remember why the Mass is offered.
A – adoration – worship
C – contrition – satisfaction
T – thanksgiving – thanks
S – supplication – asking
Mass of the
Catechumens
Mass of the
Faithful
Parts of the Mass
Preparation (Mass of the Catechumens).
All the prayers said from the beginning
of the Mass up to the offertory make up the
part we call the preparation.
We join our prayers with those of the
priest to get ready for the sacrifice.
Sacrifice (Mass of the Faithful)
This is the holiest part of the Mass.
It begins with the offertory when the
priest uncovers the chalice (just before
he puts wine into the chalice) and ends
with the Communion.
Before Mass begins we should say some
prayers to prepare for the great sacrifice
of the Mass and to think why it is offered.
The Mass begins at the foot of the altar
the priest standing in the lowest place is
reminded that he is taking the place of
Jesus at the Last Supper and on the Cross.
He humbly asks God to make him worthy.
The priest begins with the sign of the Cross
5 Gloria
4 Kyrie
3 Introit
2 Confiteor
1 Psalm
In this part of the Mass our
prayers have been going up to God
Mass of the Catechumes.
The Preparation – We speak to God.
1. Psalm of Hope – 42 Psalm
This is a prayer of joy and hope that
God who is so good will help us.
2. The Confiteor – We ask God to forgive
our sins before we offer Him a sacrifice.
(The priest goes up the altar steps as
Jesu ascended Mt. Calvery.) He kisses
the altar stone containing the relic
and asks the saints to pray for us.
3. The Introit – This prayer is a special
prayer for the season and tells why the
Mass is offered.
4. Kyrie – Lord have mercy on us.
5. The Gloria – We praise God in the
Words of the angles who sang in
Bethlehem.
6. Memento for the dead
5. Offering and prayers
4. Consecration
3. Prayers for the living
2. Preface
1. Offertory
God speaks to us
God’s word comes to us
from heaven to earth.
6. The Epistle – We hear God’s word
given to us through His Prophets and
Apostles.
7. The Gospel – We hear the words of our
Lord Himself and learn what He did on
earth.
8. The Credo – We stand and tell God we
believe all truths Our Lord teaches us
The priest turns toward the people
and prays. “The Lord be with you.”
We pray for the priest saying
“And with thy spirit.”
6. Epistle
7. Gospel
8. Credo
God speaks to us
Mass of the Faithful
The Sacrifice – We give to God with Christ
1. The Offertory – When the priest offers the
bread and wine, we should offer the
sacrifice with him.
The Washing of Hands – The priest prays
that our souls will be made clean and
free from sin.
2. The Preface – This is a prayer of praise
and welcome to Our Lord Who will
come very soon on the altar.
We say: “Holy, holy, holy, the heavens and
earth are full of Thy glory.”
3. The Prayers of the living – We pray
for the Church, our Pope our
Bishop and for all Christians.
pictures
4. The Consecration – The Mass is the same
as the Last Supper.
The Last Supper – The Mass
Our Lord took bread At the Offertory
Our Lord took wine the priest takes
bread and wine.
Our Lord gave thanks – The priest gives thanks
Our Lord blessed – At the Consecration
and changed the – the bread and wine.
bread and wine – are changed into
into His Body and – the Body and Blood
Blood when He: – of our Lord when
said: the priest says,
“This is My Body” “This is My Body”
“This is My Blood” “This is My Blood.”
At the Consecration, when the bell
rings three times, we know that Jesus
Christ is really present on the altar.
When the priest holds up the Host
for us to adore, we say to ourselves:
“My Lord and my God.”
When the priest holds up the chalice
we say: “My Jesus mercy.”
5. The offering and Prayers – Jesus
offers Himself for us to His Heavenly Father.
We unite with Jesus in offering ourselves
to God. We pray that God will command
our gifts to be carried by
the hands of His holy angel to
His throne in heaven.
The Memento for the dead
We pray for the souls in purgatory.
For ourselves – Our Lord on the
altar prays with us and for us.
7 Our Father
8 Agnus Dei
9 Communion
10 Thanksgiving
11 Last Blessing
12 Last Gospel
God gives to us
God gives to us through Christ.
7. Our Father – We praise God and ask for
what we need.
8 The Agnus Dei- “Lamb of God.” Jesus in
offering His life for our sins was like
the lamb offered in the Old Law.
9. The Communion – At the Communion we
receive the Body and Blood of our Lord,
our God. If we do not receive our Lord in
Holy Communion we tell Him how much we
would like to have Him come into our
hearts. We say: “Jesus, Jesus come to me,
oh, how much I long for Thee.” This Is
called the angels Communion. (spiritual)
10. The Thanksgiving – After Communion we
thank God for all the good things we
have received.
11. The Blessing – The priest blesses us.
“In the Name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost.”
12. The Last Gospel – Before leaving we again
stand and hear God’s words from
the Holy Gospel.
Altar Furnishings
Paten
Cruets
Bells
Missal Stand
Missal
How to Prepare an Altar for Mass
The Altar
The Altar takes the place of the table
where Jesus ate His Last Supper with
His Apostles.
The Altar must have three linen cloths
which cover the altar stone. The top one
must be long enough to come down to the
floor at both ends of the altar. In the altar
stone there are relics of martyrs.
The Crucifix.
In the middle of the altarplace a
crucifix. The Crucifix reminds us that
Jesus offers Himself for us in the Mass
just as truly as He did on the Cross.
The Candles.
Place at least one real wax candle
on each side of the altar (They remind
us of the first Mass said in the darkness
of the Catacombs. The light stands
for our faith.
The Altar Cards.
Place the large altarcard in front
of the tabernacle. The smaller ones at
the ends of the altar. The one with the
Gospel of St. John at the left side.
The Missal
Place the missal stand and missal on
the right side of the altar
This missal is the book of prayers
the priest uses during the Mass.
The Cruets.
On the table at the right of the altar,
have two cruets one filled with wine
and the other filled with water place
them on a small tray. At the side of
the tray place a finger towel.
What the Priest needs for Mass
Altar Bread – A large white host.
Altar Wine – It must be natural and pure.
Chalice – The cup the priest needs for Mass.
The lining must be of gold.
Purificator – A linen cloth with which the
priest wipes or dries the chalice.
After the priest has used the
purificator no one may touch
it until he has washed it.
Paten – A small flat place on which
the host is placed.
No one but the priest may
touch the chalice or paten
without special permission.
Pall – A small linen square with
a piece of carboard inside
to make it stuff. It is put on
the top of the chalice so that nothing
can fall into it.
Corporal – A large square of linen put over
the altar stone on which the
Chalice and host are placed.
Burse – A small square with a pocket to hold
the corporal. It is of the same material
as the chasuble.
Veil – A square of cloth made from the
same material as the chasuble. It
covers the chalice when it is not
being used during the Mass.
Sanctuary Lamp – The sanctuary lamp burns day and
night before the tabernacle just as the
star shone over Bethlehem to
show that Jesus was there.
Amice
Linens and Coverings
Stole
Alb
Maniple
Burse
Vestments Worn at Mass
Chasuble
The Vestments
These are special robes worn by the
priest. They are like the robes worn by
Christ and the Apostles.
The colors remind us of the church
Season, or the purpose for which the
Mass is said.
White (purity) – Feasts of Our Lord and the
Blessed Virgin
Gold on special feasts to honor God.
Red – (blood) – Feasts of the martyrs.
Purple – (penance) – Lent and Advent.
Black – (death) – Masses for the dead.
Green – (hope) – No special feast.
Amice – The white cloth the preist puts
over his shoulders.
Alb – A long white garment
Cincture – A cord.
Maniple – Word on the left arm.
Stole – Worn around the neck.
On Time for Mass
Mt. Calvary
steps to the
altar
The Priest
One Mass Prayers of the
world and
Angels and
Saints in heaven.
I resolve
1. I will never miss Mass on Sundays
or holy days of obligation, if I can
help it.
I will be on time.
2. I will not talk, play or look around during
Mass. I will not be like the soldiers
who laughed at Our Lord on the Cross.
3. I will join my prayers with those
of the priest. I will read the prayers
of the Mass from my prayer book.
4. When I am at Mass I will think that I
am at the foot of the cross standing
beside the mother of Jesus.
5. The Jews offered doves and lambs to
God. The early Christians made
offerings to God. I will bring an
offering to God and give it at the
time of the Offertory. (when the box is passed)
Benediction Veil
Monstrance
Benediction Burse
Cope
Chalice
Ciborium
Communion Plate
Boat
Gold
Red
White
Black
Green
Purple