This Catholic Life

Don’t be too concerned if you and your children stumble over the words of the Mass beginning Nov. 26-27, the first weekend of Advent. Your presider may stumble a little, too.

This question-and-answer column is the next in a series about the new Roman Missal, which will be used in the United States beginning Nov. 27, the first Sunday of Advent.

We conclude our meditations on the revised Roman Canon by focusing on three sections of the newly translated prayer — the Mystery of Faith, the invocation and memorial of the saints, and that part of the prayer which we call the “final doxology.”

“Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which will be given up for you. . . . Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.”

The Catholic Spirit recently asked John Allen a few questions about challenges the Church faces in the area of communications.

“To you, therefore, most merciful Father, we make humble prayer and petition through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord”

One of the truly great fruits of the Latin rite church is the Roman Canon, a prayer that finds much of its origin in ancient Christian Rome. It’s a beautiful and moving prayer, strange and yet familiar.

One part of Mass often overlooked is called the Preface Dialogue. It draws our attention to the high point of the Mass, the great Eucharistic Prayer. It’s kind of like getting ready for a race: “On your mark, get set, go!”