The Great Bishop of Poitiers, Mgr. Pie, in his funeral Oration on our Father, Dom. Guéranger, said: “You have long been feasting at a royal board, where you were daily regaled with the most delicate and varied food. Those Conferences on the Christian Life and Virtues, and that incomparable Commentary on your Rule, - you have no right to keep them to yourselves.” Aeterna Press

The ordinary of the mass, (or, as it is called in the Roman Missal, Ordo Missae) is the summary of the rubrics and prayers, which are used in the celebration of Mass, and which are observed, without any variation, on all the feasts celebrated by the Church.We shall never have anything like a full idea of the ceremonies of the Mass, unless we keep referring to what is called a High Mass (Missa Solemnis), and which is the type of all others. Thus, one would ask, why does the priest say the Epistle at one side of the altar, and the Gospel at the other? Why not read both from the middle? This has no connection with the Holy Sacrifice itself; it is merely an imitation of what is done in a High Mass, in which the deacon has to sing the Gospel on the left, and the subdeacon the Epistle on the right, as we shall explain further on. The priest who celebrates a Mass without deacon and subdeacon, has to take their functions in this instance; and, accordingly, varies his position. We shall continually have to seek in the ceremonies of a High Mass, for the meaning of those of a Low Mass.The Sacrifice of the Mass is the Sacrifice of the Cross itself; and in it we must see our Lord nailed to the Cross; and offering up his Blood for our sins, to his Eternal Father. And yet we must not expect to find, in the several portions of the Mass, all the detailed circumstances of the Passion, as some authors have pretended to do, when giving us methods for assisting at it.The priest leaves the sacristy, and goes to the altar, there to offer up the Holy Sacrifice. He is, as the rubric expresses it, paratus - that is, he is clad in the sacred vestments, which are appointed for the celebration of the Sacrifice. Having reached the altar, he makes the due reverence before it; that is to say, if the Blessed Sacrament be there, he makes a genuflexion; otherwise, he merely makes a profound inclination. This is the meaning of the rubrics saying: debita reverentia.

From USCCB Publishing, this revision of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) seeks to promote more conscious, active, and full participation of the faithful in the mystery of the Eucharist. While the Missale Romanum contains the rite and prayers for Mass, the GIRM provides specific detail about each element of the Order of Mass as well as other information related to the Mass.

How can we transmit a living, personal Catholic faith to future generations? By coming to know Jesus Christ, and following him as his disciples. These are times of immense challenge and immense opportunity for the Catholic Church. Consider these statistics for the United States. Only 30 percent of Americans who were raised Catholic are still practicing. Fully 10 percent of all adults in America are ex-Catholics. The number of marriages celebrated in the Church decreased dramatically, by nearly 60 percent, between 1972 and 2010. Only 60 percent of Catholics believe in a personal God. If the Church is to reverse these trends, the evangelizers must first be evangelized-in other words, Catholics-in-the-pew must make a conscious choice to know and follow Jesus before they can draw others to him. This work of discipleship lies at the heart of Forming Intentional Disciples, a book designed to help Church leaders, parish staff and all Catholics transform parish life from within. Drawing upon her fifteen years of experience with the Catherine of Siena Institute, Sherry Weddell leads readers through steps that will help Catholics enter more deeply into a relationship with God and the river of apostolic creativity, charisms, and vocation that flow from that relationship for the sake of the Church and the world. Learn about the five thresholds of postmodern conversion, how to open a conversation about faith and belief, how to ask thought-provoking questions and establish an atmosphere of trust, when to tell the Great Story of Jesus, how to help someone respond to God's call to intentional discipleship, and much more. And be prepared for conversion because when life at the parish level changes, the life of the whole Church will change.

Ceremonies Explained for Servers may well be called the "mother of all servers' manuals". This is the most detailed guide available for servers and those who train and supervise them at the altar. In accessible language, Ceremonies covers the roles of servers in a wide range of Catholic liturgical celebrations. These are described in full, such as: the Mass in both the Ordinary and Extraordinary forms, the seven sacraments, the ceremonies of Holy Week, the Liturgy of the Hours, funeral rites, the liturgies that are celebrated by a bishop and major blessings. Ceremonies also provides accurate explanations for each of these rites, with Catholic teaching on the liturgy and sacraments and a history of the ministry of servers. The skills, techniques and discipline involved in serving are explained, such as: how a procession should move, how to assist with incense, team-work and responding in emergencies and unforeseen situations. A spirituality of this ministry runs through the manual, with an underlying theme of service and vocation. In an encouraging personal way, Ceremonies sets out high spiritual ideals that can inspire and guide those who enhance Catholic worship through their ministry.

Catholic mass.