Respecting the House of the Lord

Please remember when you come to Mass you are entering the House of the Lord and must be properly clothed regardless of the weather or other events you may plan to attend after the service. The Sacred Liturgyrequires everyone attending Church to be attired appropriately for worship and to receive the Eucharist.Parents especially must make the effort to lead by example. Show your respect for Our Savior by wearing your “Sunday best” and conducting yourself accordingly. Parishioners should give great attention to their manner of dress as a demonstration of their respect for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Please make every effort to cooperate with this request.

Appropriate Conduct in Church

Respecting the Sunday liturgy

Every Church is a House of the Lord. As such, it is important to remember the holiness of the Mass as well as other religious services conducted there. In the interest of creating and maintaining a more devout Sunday liturgy, the following should be observed:

(A)The time before Mass begins is NOT a time for socializing. When the Church bells ring before Mass, silence should be observed by all.

(B)When walking to the altar for Communion or returning to your pew, the focus should be on the Eucharist. There is no need to greet anyone along the way to or from the Communion station. 

(C)The Eucharistic fast is a required component of Communion. Everyone must abstain from food or drink (except water) at least one hour before receiving Holy Communion. Chewing gum, candy, or cookies during Mass is not acceptable.

(D)To sing in Church is to pray twice.Please make an effort to learn the words and sing the hymns by using the hymnals available in each pew.

(E)Holy Communion may be received on the tongue or on the hand. When received on the hand, the Sacred Host is to be placed in your mouth before turning away from the altar.

(F)If you wish to have a sick or deceased person remembered in the Prayer of the Faithful, please call the Parish Office-(563)583-9117 to arrange the intention.

(G)Finally, let’s not forget the value of appropriate attire in Church. The concept of “wearing your Sunday best” still applies, especially when you are participating in a service as sacred as the Mass. Let’s show our Lord the reverence He deserves by dressing in a dignified manner for every Mass. For all He has done for us, taking the time to look our best when in His Church is the least we can do to express our respect. 

Mass “Tips”

Why Genuflect?

The term genuflect comes from the Latin words genu, meaning knee, and flectere, to bend. In our time it has come to mean kneeling towards the tabernacle before entering the pew or walking by.

Kneeling in the presence of God has a long history throughout the Bible (see 1 Ezra 8:73, and Luke 22:41), and for this reason Christians the world over continue to do so today. While the forms may change, the reasons remain the same: To show respect for the Body of Christ in the Eucharist, housed in the tabernacle of the Church

Tips of the Week

THE MASS is made up of two parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist which are so closely interconnected that they form one single act of worship. Liturgical Prayer is not intended to be experienced as individuals “doing their own thing.”Liturgical Worship is one body of people at Mass accomplishing one action: being nourished by the word, and responding in petition, praise and thanksgiving to God.

SILENCE Even before the celebration itself, it is praiseworthy for silence to be observed in Church…so that all may dispose themselves for the sacred rites which are to be enacted in a devout and fitting manner.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD must be celebrated in such a way as to promote meditation… It is recommended that there be brief moments of silence throughout the liturgy, especially after the readings and the homily so that the word of God may be taken into the heart by the fostering of the Holy Spirit.

THE PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL (General Intercessions) express the needs of the entire community, therefore they should be very general, not for a specific person. 

After Fr. Gabriel washes his hands and asks us to pray with the words, “Pray my brothers and sisters that our sacrifice may be acceptable…” we are to STAND before the response: “May the Lord accept the sacrifice…”

THE PARTICIPATION OF THE FAITHFUL in the Eucharistic Prayer is emphatic in the invitation to pray with Fr. Gabriel, and to pray over our offerings in the description of the Eucharistic Prayer: The meaning of the prayer is that the entire congregation of the faithful joins itself to Christ in acknowledging the great things God has done and in offering the sacrifice.

THE SIGN OF PEACE should be given only to those who are nearest and in a somber manner in order to not disturb the celebration. Fr. Gabriel normally remains on the altar. By his words, he has already made his sign of peace with everyone in the congregation. 

At COMMUNION, bow before receiving the Precious Body, and again before receiving the Precious Bloodas a gesture of reverence.

GENUFLECT before the Tabernacle when entering and again when leaving the Church. 

BOWS signify reverence and Honor.There are two types: 

Bow of the head made at the name of the Trinity, Jesus, Mary, saint of the day.

Bow of the body made to the altar.

Three Steps?

Catholic worship, being the completion of Judaism, makes extensive symbolic uses of numbers in worship just as Judaism does.

Many Catholic altars, for example, have three steps leading from the floor to the level of the altar. This is used to symbolize the trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In walking up the steps at the beginning of Mass, Fr. Gabriel, who acts in the place of Christ each Mass, also symbolically acts out Christ’s literal rising from the earthly tomb after three days, completing the sacrifice and redemption that is re-presented at every Catholic Mass throughout the world.