Click on the numbers above to learn more about the ways we come together during Mass.
Christians come together to worship God. Those who are baptised in the name of Jesus come to pray and sing.
There are eight key moments in this part of the Mass. The following names these moments and provides a brief explanation of each.
Entrance Song and Procession
The Entrance song ‘gathers’ the community and accompanies the entrance procession of the Priest and ministers to the altar.
Veneration of the Altar
When the Priest reaches the altar he venerates it by making a low bow to the altar and kisses it as a sign of reverence.
Sign of the Cross
The Mass begins and ends with the Sign of the Cross.
Greeting
The Priest’s greeting, The Lord be with you reminds us that the Lord is present among us when we gather together as the People of God.
Penitential Rite
In the Penitential Rite we recognise our need to be reconciled with each other before we celebrate the Eucharist.
Lord Have Mercy
Following the Penitential Rite, we ask Jesus to have mercy upon us.
Gloria
The Gloria is an ancient hymn that is sung on Sundays.
Opening Prayer
Concluding this part of the Mass is the Opening Prayer. This is a simple prayer, prayed by the Priest on behalf of the whole believing community, to which we say, Amen!
For Reflection and Discussion
1
Gather and record information about different ways we gather as a school community beyond the Mass.
2
Analyse the introductory rites of these school gatherings e.g. assembly, morning prayer and compare it with the Introductory Rites of the Mass. Students could consider the following: the purpose, the structure, the use of sensory elements and invitations and responses.
3
Students pair with younger students in a buddy class and teach responses and gestures to the younger students.