This guide contains the complete Catholic order of Mass with all priest prayers and congregation responses, including when to sit, stand, and kneel, plus today’s official readings. The directions are based on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.
Priest: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Or: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Or: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
Priest: Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
(Brief pause for silence)
Option A (Confiteor): All: I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, (striking breast) through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
Priest: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen.
Option B:
Priest: Have mercy on us, O Lord.
All: For we have sinned against you.
Priest: Show us, O Lord, your mercy.
All: And grant us your salvation.
Priest: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen.
Option C:
Priest/Minister: You were sent to heal the contrite of heart: Lord, have mercy. (or Kyrie, eleison)
All: Lord, have mercy. (or Kyrie, eleison)
Priest/Minister: You came to call sinners: Christ, have mercy. (or Christe, eleison)
All: Christ, have mercy. (or Christe, eleison)
Priest/Minister: You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us: Lord, have mercy. (or Kyrie, eleison)
All: Lord, have mercy. (or Kyrie, eleison)
Priest: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All: Amen.
All: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Priest: Let us pray.
(All pray in silence with the Priest for a while)
Priest: (Says the Collect prayer specific to today)
All: Amen.
Reader: A reading from the Second Book of Kings. (2 Kings 5:14-17)
Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of Elisha, the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean of his leprosy.
Naaman returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before Elisha and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel. Please accept a gift from your servant.”
Elisha replied, “As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it;” and despite Naaman’s urging, he still refused.
Naaman said: “If you will not accept, please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth, for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the LORD.”
Reader: The word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Cantor: The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All: The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Cantor: Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm.
All: The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Cantor: The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel.
All: The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Cantor: All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise.
All: The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Reader: A reading from the Second Letter of Paul to Timothy. (2 Timothy 2:8-13)
Beloved: Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David: such is my gospel, for which I am suffering, even to the point of chains, like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory. This saying is trustworthy:
If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.
Reader: The word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
All: Alleluia, alleluia. In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Alleluia.
Priest/Deacon: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
Priest/Deacon: A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
All: Glory to you, O Lord.
Gospel Reading (Luke 17:11-19):
As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”
Priest/Deacon: The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
(The priest gives his sermon)
All: I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, (all bow) and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Priest: (Introduces the prayers)
Reader: (States intentions)
All: Lord, hear our prayer. (or similar response)
Priest: (Concluding prayer)
All: Amen.
(Offertory procession with bread and wine)
Priest: (Quietly or aloud) Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.
All: Blessed be God for ever.
Priest: (Quietly or aloud) Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you: fruit of the vine and work of human hands, it will become our spiritual drink.
All: Blessed be God for ever.
Priest: (Quietly) With humble spirit and contrite heart may we be accepted by you, O Lord, and may our sacrifice in your sight this day be pleasing to you, Lord God.
Priest: (Quietly) Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Priest: Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters), that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
All: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
Priest: (Says today’s Prayer over the Offerings)
All: Amen.
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right and just.
Priest: It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God…
(Continues with the Preface appropriate for today)
All: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Priest: You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness.
Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT, FOR THIS IS MY BODY, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.
In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying:
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.
Priest: The mystery of faith.
All: We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
Or: When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
Or: Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
Priest: Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection, we offer you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you.
Humbly we pray that, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world, and bring her to the fullness of charity, together with N. our Pope and N. our Bishop and all the clergy.
Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, and all who have died in your mercy: welcome them into the light of your face.
Have mercy on us all, we pray, that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with blessed Joseph, her Spouse, with the blessed Apostles, and all the Saints who have pleased you throughout the ages, we may merit to be coheirs to eternal life, and may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ.
Priest: Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Priest: At the Saviour’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
All: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Priest: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
All: For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever.
Priest: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you; look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Priest: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
All: And with your spirit.
Priest/Deacon: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
(All offer one another the customary sign of peace)
All: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
Priest: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
(Communicants approach in procession)
Priest/Minister: The Body of Christ. (or) The Blood of Christ.
Communicant: Amen.
(Period of silent prayer and thanksgiving)
Priest: Let us pray.
(All pray in silence)
Priest: (Says today’s Prayer after Communion)
All: Amen.
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
Simple Blessing:
Priest: May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Or Solemn Blessing:
Priest/Deacon: Bow down for the blessing.
Priest: (Says special blessing with multiple parts)
All: Amen. (after each part)
Priest: And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and remain with you for ever.
All: Amen.
Priest/Deacon: Go forth, the Mass is ended.
Or: Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
Or: Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.
Or: Go in peace.
All: Thanks be to God.
| PART OF MASS | POSTURE |
|---|---|
| Entrance, Greeting, Penitential Act, Gloria, Collect | Stand |
| First Reading, Psalm, Second Reading | Sit |
| Gospel Acclamation, Gospel | Stand |
| Homily | Sit |
| Creed, Prayer of the Faithful | Stand |
| Preparation of Gifts | Sit |
| Prayer over Offerings, Preface, Holy Holy | Stand |
| Eucharistic Prayer, Consecration | Kneel |
| Our Father, Sign of Peace | Stand |
| Lamb of God | Kneel or Stand |
| Invitation to Communion | Kneel |
| Communion Procession | Stand |
| After Communion (optional) | Sit/Kneel/Stand |
| Prayer after Communion | Stand |
| Final Blessing, Dismissal | Stand |
This guide contains the complete official texts from the Roman Missal. Always follow local customs if they differ slightly from these general guidelines.