The “Language” of our Faith

1. The “Language” of our Faith Family Group March 18, 2019

2. Bienvenidos a nuestra sesión del Grupo de Padres esta noche. Vamos a hablar sobre el lenguaje de la misa y sobre cómo es similar a aprender un nuevo idioma: tienes que estar expuesto al idioma y practicar, practicar y practicar.Ahora, por favor, levántese y agite su mano si quiere que le dé un regalo muy caro.

3. Welcome to ourParentsGroup meeting tonight. We are going to talkabouttheLanguage of theMass and howitis similar to learningany new language. Youhave to be exposed to thelanguage and practice, practice, practice.Now, please stand up and wave your hand if you would like to me to give you a very expensive gift.

4. Learning a new Language • Have you ever tried to learn a new language OR been in a group of people all discussing a common topic that you know nothing about? • How does that feel? • How do you react?

5. Learning a new language - strategies • Exposure to the language • Hear others speaking it • Immersion experiences • Non-Verbal • Watch for non-verbal cues/clues to what is happening • The priest’s hands placed over the altar, calling down the Holy Spirit • The elevation of the Precious Body and Blood at the Eucharistic Prayer

6. The ‘Non-Verbal’ at Mass • Stand? Sit? Kneel? • STAND • Posture of Prayer – “Let us pray” • SIT • Attentiveness/Listening • KNEEL • Reverence

7. The ‘Non-Verbal’ at Mass • Kiss of the altar • Focal point of the Mass • Priest venerates the altar by kissing it • Paying homage to Christ • Sign of the Cross • Reminder of our Baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit • Just before the Gospel • On your forehead, mouth and chest, with your thumb • “understand the Word, share it with others, and keep it deep in our being” • Genuflecting • Why? • How?

8. Singing at Mass is Prayer, not Entertainment • The sung portions of the Mass are just as much a part of the Mass as any other. • Lead by example – teaching your children that they should participate in the singing. • Mass ends when the last verse of the recessional song ends. • No applause – the Choir/Cantor are participating in the Worship and do not expect recognition – just as we don’t clap for a particularly good homily or proclamation from the Lector.

9. Patterns of Speech • Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault Peter’s Three-fold Denial

10. Holy, Holy, Holy = holiest possible (superlative) Angels cover faces; bow before God “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts!” Isaiah 6:3

11. A New Vocabulary

12. SANCTUARY From the Latin word sanctus, meaning “holy”, the Sanctuary is clearly distinguished from the rest of the church, it is raised up a little, and has the altar at its center. The tabernacle, ambo, and presider’s chair are located there as well. This is where the priest presides during the Mass.

13. NAVE Comes from the Latin word “navis” (meaning ‘ship’, as in ‘navigate’). The nave is the area in the church where everyone gathers for the celebration of the Mass, facing the sanctuary. Every pew is focused on (steering toward) the same thing: God in the sanctuary.

14. TABERNACLE Any consecrated hosts remaining after Communion are stored in the tabernacle; it is typically locked to protect the precious gift of Jesus inside.

15. Where is the focus?Altar or Tabernacle? When Mass starts, the priest enters the sanctuary and kisses the altar, signifying where Jesus will become present during Mass. At the end of Mass, the priest kisses the altar before leaving the sanctuary, at which point our focus returns again to the tabernacle.

16. AMBO The place in the sanctuary where the Sacred Scripture readings are read and where the Responsorial Psalm is said or sung. “... a place that is suitable for the proclamation of the word and toward which the attention of the whole congregation of the faithful naturally turns during the Liturgy of the Word.”

17. CRUETS Cruets are two containers – one holding water and the other holding wine. Even if the Precious Blood is not distributed at every Mass, the priest must consecrate wine, and drink some of it, to do what Jesus did at the Last Supper. The priest will take all or most of the wine from the wine cruet and a drop or two of water from the water cruet into the chalice, symbolizing Jesus’ divinity and our humanity. Once mixed in the chalice, the water and wine cannot be separated.

18. PATEN The plate holding the bread that becomes the Sacred Host.

19. CIBORIUM (CIBORIA) The sacred vessel that holds the bread that becomes the Eucharist after the words of consecration. The ciboria (plural of ciborium) are used to distribute the Eucharist at Holy Communion.

20. CHALICE The sacred cup that holds the wine that becomes the Precious Blood of Jesus. This is the celebrant’s chalice. The cups used to distribute Communion to the assembly are called Communion Cups.

21. PURIFYING THE SACRED VESSELS • As Catholics, we believe that Jesus Christ is truly present in the consecrated bread and wine. Therefore, we do not take lightly what happens to anything that may remain in the sacred vessels after communion. • Consecrated hosts may be held in reserve in the tabernacle. • Consecrated wine must all be consumed during the Mass. • The sacred vessels are first rinsed with water and that water is consumed.

22. SACRARIUM • Sacraria are typically found in the sacristy of a church, and they differ from an ordinary sink in a crucial respect: Instead of draining into the local sewer system, they drain down into the earth. • Sacraria are used for a variety of purposes, including these: • To dispose of ashes from objects that have been blessed and then destroyed by fire; • To dispose of the water that has been used to wash the altar linens; • To dispose of water that has been used to dissolve small particles of the host; • To dispose of water that has been used to clean up places where the Precious Blood has spilled; • We do NOT pour the Precious Blood into the Sacraria.

23. Make a Mass Kit with your Family