Attending Mass at Annunciation

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 THE PROPER WAY TO ATTEND MASS

Clothing

Although God doesn't care how you dress, you are entering the house of God and should do your very best to dress like you would to a wedding or a fancy dinner.  Therefore:

No barefeet, No flip flops, No Shorts, No rosary beads around the neck, No chewing gum, Men with hats please take them off.

Cell Phones and Pagers

Turn off during Mass

Young Children

Control them, if they start to cry loudly or scream, take them to the lobby immediately.  Do not spank, hit, slap or shake your child. 

Coming to Church Late

Be respectful of others and sit in the back of the Chapel so as not to distrub others

Upon Entering the Chapel

Make the sign of the cross with holy water (a sign of baptism) upon entering the church.

Bow toward the Altar of Sacrifice before entering the pew. 

Kneel upon entering the pew for private prayer before Mass begins.

Stand for the entrance procession.

Bow when the crucifix, a visible symbol of Christ’s sacrifice, passes you in the procession. 

Remain standing for the entrance rites. Make the sign of the cross with the priest at the beginning of Mass.

Strike your breast at the "through my fault” in the Confiteor.

Bow and make the sign of the cross when the priest says “May Almighty God have mercy…”

Bow your head when you say “Lord, have mercy” during the Kyrie.

Throughout the Mass, bow your head at every mention of the name of Jesus and every time the Doxology [“Glory be”] is spoken or sung. Also when asking the Lord to receive our prayer.

Gloria: bow your head at the name of Jesus. (“Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son…”, “You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ…” )

Liturgy of the Word

Sit for the Scripture readings.

Stand for the Gospel at the Alleluia verse.

When the priest announces the Gospel, trace a cross with the thumb on head, lips and heart. This gesture is a form of prayer for the presence of the Word of God in one’s mind, upon one’s lips, and in one’s heart.

Sit for the homily.

Creed: Stand; bow your head at name of Jesus and you bow during the words "and became Man" 

Make the sign of the Cross at the conclusion of the Creed at the words “I believe in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.”

Liturgy of the Eucharist

Sit during the offertory.

Stand as the priest says “Pray brethren that our sacrifice…” and remain standing to respond, “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands…”

If incense is used, the congregation bows toward the thurifer when he bows to the congregation both before and after he has incensed them.

The congregation remains standing until the end of the “Holy, holy”, when they kneel for the entire Eucharistic Prayer.

At the moment of the Consecration of each element, bow the head and say silently “My Lord and my God”, acknowledging the Presence of Christ on the altar. These are the words of Saint Thomas when he realized that it was truly Christ who stood before him (John 20:28). Jesus responded, “Because you have seen me, you believed. Blessed are they that do not see and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

Stand at the priest’s invitation to recite the Lord’s Prayer.

Reverently hold your hands up as you pray the Lord’s Prayer.

Remain standing to exchange the sign of peace, if the invitation is made. (The sign of peace may be either a handshake or a hug to those nearest you, accompanied by the words “Peace be with you”.)

In reciting (or singing) the “Lamb of God…”, strike the breast at the words “Have mercy upon us”.

Kneel at the end of the “Lamb of God…”.

Reception of Communion

Leave the pew (without genuflecting) and walk reverently toward the altar, with hands folded in prayer.

You may only receive the host on the tongue.   Open your mouth and extend your tongue, so the priest can place the Host properly.

If you are carrying a child, wait for the priest to bless the child.

Make the sign of the cross after you have received Communion.

Kneel in prayer when you return to your pew after Communion, until the priest sits down, or until he says “Let us pray”.

Conclusion of Mass

Stand for the concluding prayers.

Make the sign of the cross at the final blessing, as the priest invokes the Trinity.

Remain standing until all ministers have processed out. (If there is a recessional, bow in reverence to the crucifix as it passes by.)

If there is a hymn for the recessional, remain standing in your pew until it concludes. If there is no concluding hymn, remain in your pew until all the ministers have gone out of the main body of the church.

After the Mass is concluded, you may kneel for a private prayer of thanksgiving.

Bow reverently toward the Altar of Sacrifice as you leave the pew, and leave the nave (main body) of the church in silence.

Make the sign of the cross with holy water as you leave the church, a reminder of our baptismal obligation to carry Christ’s Gospel into the world.