The Mass is the most beautiful act of worship of Almighty God and a precious treasure of our Catholic Church.  To fully appreciate the Mass, one has to understand its historical development.  Granted, the root of the Mass is the Last Supper, a Passover meal.  Here our Lord and the apostles read the Sacred Scriptures, and then for the first time He took bread and wine, pronounced the words of consecration, and gave His Body and Blood to them.  The action of this first Mass must be understood in the whole context of our Lord's Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Since that time, the Church has offered the Mass, which participates in the ever-present, everlasting reality of the Last Supper and the Passion, Death and Resurrection. 

Our preparation for the Mass begins with our understanding of the Mass and the components of the Mass as defined in the Order of the Mass.  Go to these pages for a more in depth explaination of these topics.

What can we do to quiet our soul before the Mass, so that we can enter into worship more deeply?

Prepare Your Heart, Mind and Soul to Receive Christ

The Real Presence of Jesus Christ is Ever Present in the Church.  After we leave the narthex, the vestibule entrance area of the Church and upon entering the nave and sanctuary of the Church, we are in the Presence of Christ, our Lord .  With this understanding, we should enter the Church with great reverence and humility, allowing our hearts and actions to match our encounter with Christ.

• Maintain peace and quiet as you enter the nave and sanctuary of the Church. Once you leave the narthex (vestibule entrance) and enter the nave and sanctuary, you are in the Presence of Christ. We are to preserve the sanctity of this space. Saying hello quietly or a subtle gesture to a fellow parishioner is fine, but please no conversations once inside the nave and sanctuary.  Please, keep conversations in the vestibule area of the church.

• Be sure to genuflect toward the tabernacle before entering the pew.  This is an important act of reverence to the Presence of our Lord in the holy Eucharist in the tabernacle.  A single genuflection is always on the right knee and touching the right knee to the ground.  By allowing our right knee to hit the floor, we acknowledge Christ is our Lord and God. At the same time of the genuflection, a sign of the cross can be made.  Those who can not genuflect for health reasons can bow toward the altar instead. We also do the same genuflection as we leave the pew to exit the Church. 

• Use this time before the start of the Mass to pray.  A recommended prayer before Mass is Saint Thomas Aquinas' prayer of "Preparation For Mass". As People of God, we are to honor our Lord and Savior. Please remember to maintain the proper reverence to Christ by not having conversations. Also, we should be aware of those around us who have come to pray before Christ in silence. Soft whispering is not silence and is still distracting to others.

• In worshiping, participate in the songs and prayers, follow the readings and listen attentively to the homily.  Do not simply attend the Mass.  We are called to participate in the Mass.  Singing the hymns at the Mass is a form of active prayers.  We are profess our faith during the Nicene Creed and recite the prayers that we are to participate.

• Prior to receiving Holy Communion, pray an Act of Contrition.  An act of contrition is a prayer expressing sorrow for our sins and our desire to repent. The prayer is strongly associated with the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  This can also be said silently just before standing to receive the Eucharist or during the procession to receive holy communion. This can be found in the missal or commit this prayer to memory.

• When receiving the Eucharist, always do so reverently.   As the person before you receives communion, genuflect with a solemn bow at the hips recognizing that Christ is Present.  If receiving on the hand, the hands must be clean and held like a throne for the Lord.  After receiving, one should consume the Sacred Host before turning around to go back to the pew. Holy Communion must not be reminiscent of a cafeteria line experience, but rather of an encounter with the Lord. 

• After Communion, each person must give thanks for the precious gift received and allow the grace to fill our souls. Take this time to pray.  One such prayer is  "Anima Christi".

• Do not leave early unless there is an urgent issue.  We should stay to after the priest has proceeded past the pews and until the conclusion of the recessional hymn.  We should show respect for God, for the priest and our fellow worshipers.  (Remember, Judas Iscariot was the one who had left the last supper early.)   

• Pray after Mass.  It is a good custom, though not required. Offer a prayer of thanksgiving after Mass is over.  Saint Thomas Aquinas' prayer of "Thanksgiving After Mass" is recommended.

• Leave quietly.  We encourage you to visit others especially your celebrants and priest as a part of Christian fellowship, but do so once you are outside of the main sanctuary of the church so you won’t disturb others who want to stay and pray.