Welcome, and thank you for joining us as we celebrate the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Confirmation today. You are welcome to use this guide to support you as we celebrate as a parish community. We recommend you set your phone to Do Not Disturb mode to avoid any distractions to your prayer.
Hearing Aid Loop
The church sound system includes a hearing aid loop. Sit in the main body of the church building, and switch your hearing aid to the ‘T’ position.
Receiving Communion
During the celebration of Mass, we are nourished both at the table of God’s Word (through the Scripture proclamations) and the table of the Lord (the altar, through Holy Communion). Catholic members of the assembly who have already celebrated their First Communion and feel they are in a position to receive Communion today may come forward and do so. Alternatively, you are most welcome to come forward during Communion (or bring your young children forward with you), and the priest or minister that you approach can pray for God’s blessing upon you. Please help the priest or minister by making it clear through your gestures if you are receiving Communion (one hand in the other at chest height, or mouth wide open for communicants receiving on the tongue), or seeking a blessing (for school-aged children and adults, this is most commonly done by crossing your arms over your chest).
Can’t come forward to receive Communion?
Either during Communion, or once the Communion procession concludes, a minister will take Communion to people in the church who can’t come forward due to restricted mobility. If you want to receive Communion, but can’t come forward, simply stand where you are or raise your hand as the minister approaches (or someone with you can do this for you).
The Introductory Rites
Entrance
When Mass is ready to begin, we stand and priest and ministers process to the sanctuary. Usually on Sundays we will sing a hymn at this time – the words will be displayed on the screen.
Entrance Song
Baptised in water
Baptised in water, sealed by the Spirit,
cleansed by the blood of Christ our King;
heirs of salvation, trusting his promise,
faithfully now God’s praise we sing.
Baptised in water, sealed by the Spirit,
dead in the tomb with Christ our King;
one with his rising, freed and forgiven,
thankfully now God’s praise we sing.
Baptised in water, sealed by the Spirit,
marked with the sign of Christ our King;
born of one Father, we are his children,
joyfully now God’s praise we sing.
Text: Michael Saward, b. 1932; © 1982, The Jubliate Group (Admin. Hope Publishing Company)
Tune: BUNESSAN (2) 55 8D, Old Gaelic melody
Used with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-20161
Sign of the Cross
We make the Sign of the Cross as the Priest says:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All:
Amen.
Greeting
Then the Priest greets the assembly and we respond:
And with your spirit.
The Priest will often take a moment to introduce the particular feast day of season, or say something to help us focus on the Scripture readings we will listen to.
Penitential Act
The Priest invites us to call to mind our failings and seek the mercy and forgiveness of God.
The Priest or Music Ministers:
… Lord, have mercy.
All:
Lord, have mercy.
The Priest or Music Ministers:
… Christ, have mercy.
All:
Christ, have mercy.
The Priest or Music Ministers:
… Lord, have mercy.
All:
Lord, have mercy.
The Priest:
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
All:
Amen.
Gloria in excelsis
Then the Gloria is sung.
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.
Collect Prayer
The Priest:
Let us pray.
We take a moment to pray in the silence of our own minds and hearts, before the priest leads the Collect Prayer, which we affirm by saying:
Amen.
Then we sit to listen to the Word of God in the Scripture proclamations.
The Liturgy of the Word
When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his word, proclaims the Gospel.
General Instruction of the Roman Missal, n. 29
We are invited to listen to God speaking to us.
Following the Scripture proclamations
It is important to listen to the readings during Mass (rather than reading them) to experience God speaking to us. We understand, however, that listening to the readings is not always possible, particularly for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Universalis provide the readings for Mass each day on their website.
First Reading
This reading is most often from the Old Testament, but (especially during the Easter season) may come from New Testament books such as the Acts of the Apostles. At the end of the reading, the Minister of the Word declares:
The word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
After the reading, we are invited to take a moment in silence to reflect on what we have just heard. What stood out to you?
Responsorial Psalm
We listen to a proclamation from the Psalms – the poetic song book of the Bible – and we add our voice throughout with the response:
Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Text: Psalm 32:12; refrain trans. © 1969, ICEL. All rights reserved
Second Reading
Proclaimed on Sundays and special feast days, this reading is always from the New Testament, usually from one of the letters but sometimes from books such Apocalypse (Revelation). At the end of the reading, the Minister of the Word declares:
The word of the Lord.
All:
Thanks be to God.
After the reading, we are invited again to take a moment in silence to reflect on what we have just heard. What stood out to you?
Acclamation Before the Gospel
We stand and sing “Alleluia” (or another acclamation during Lent) to praise God and welcome the proclamation of the Gospel.
Celtic Alleluia
All: Alleluia, alleluia. Alleluia, alleluia.
Choir: Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit:
to God who is, who was, and who is to come.
All: Alleluia, alleluia. Alleluia, alleluia.
Text: Excerpts of the English Translation of the Roman Missal, © 2010, ICEL
Music: Fintan O’Carroll and Christopher Walker, © 1985, published by OCP Publications
Used with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-20161
Gospel
The Priest or Deacon:
The Lord be with you.
All:
And with your spirit.
The Priest or Deacon:
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Using our thumb, we make a cross over our forehead, our lips and our hearts as we say:
Glory to you, O Lord.
Then we listen to the proclamation of the Gospel reading. At the end of the reading, the Priest or Deacon declares:
The Gospel of the Lord.
All:
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Then we sit.
Celebration of Confirmation
Presentation of the Candidates
The parish introduces the candidates to Bishop Vincent. Each one of them stands and acknowledges the calling of their name.
Homily
After the Gospel, the Priest will break open the readings for us, and related them to our lives through the homily.
First Collection
After the Homily on Sundays, wardens will pass around the collection plates for the first collection. Placing money on the plate is just one way you can financially support our community. You can also “Tap and Go” in the parish centre, place cash in the collection boxes near the doors into the parish centre, or make a direct deposit through online banking.
This collection supports the living expenses of the Carmelite Friars who serve our parish. Any contribution you can make to financially support our community is voluntary and gratefully appreciated.
Renewal of Baptismal Promises
The candidates are asked to stand and renew the promises of Baptism.
Laying on of Hands
Bishop Vincent invites us all to pray for the candidates. He then lays his hands over them and prays for the Holy Spirit to come upon them and fill them with its gifts.
Anointing with Chrism
Each candidate then comes forward in turn with their sponsor. The candidates are anointed by Bishop Vincent with Chrism, a sacred fragrant oil. We sing a song while the anointing takes place.
Send Down the Fire
Send down the fire of your justice,
send down the rains of your love;
come, send down the Spirit,
breathe life in your people,
and we shall be people of God.
Call us to be your compassion,
teach us the song of your love;
give us hearts that sing,
give us deeds that ring,
make us ring with the song of your love.
Call us to learn of your mercy,
teach us the way of your peace;
give us hearts that feel,
give us hands that heal,
make us walk in the way of your peace.
Call us to answer oppression,
teach us the fire of your truth;
give us righteous souls,
till your justice rolls,
make us burn with the fire of your love.
Call us to witness your Kingdom,
give us the presence of Christ;
may your holy light
keep us shining bright,
ever shine with the presence of Christ.
Text & Music: Marty Haugen, b. 1950
© 1989 GIA Publications, Inc.
Used with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-20161
Prayer of the Faithful
We pray as a community for the needs of the Church, our community and the world. Each intention is named, after which we take a moment to pray for that intention. Then the Minister invites us to call upon the Lord, and we usually respond with:
Lord, hear our prayer.
At the end, the priest concludes the prayer, which we affirm by saying:
Amen.
Then we sit as the offerings are presented and prepared for the Eucharistic Prayer.
Second Collection
After the Prayer of the Faithful on Sundays, wardens will pass around the collection plates for the second collection. Placing money on the plate is just one way you can financially support our community. You can also “Tap and Go” in the parish centre, place cash in the collection boxes near the doors into the parish centre, make use of a set of planned giving envelopes, or make a direct deposit through online banking.
This collection supports the operating and mission expenses of our parish community. Any contribution you can make to financially support our community is voluntary and gratefully appreciated.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist
Presentation and Preparation of the Offerings
The gifts of bread and wine are brought to the altar, and gifts of our labour may be offered as well.
Offertory Song
A Trusting Psalm
Lord, let your mercy be on us
as we place our trust in you.
The word of the Lord
is faithfulness and love,
this love can never be measured;
God’s beauty is like nothing we have ever seen,
so let us place our trust in God.
The word of the Lord
means a patient, gentle God,
whose love can never grow weary.
God’s mercy is as though our sins have never been,
if we can place our trust in God.
The word of the Lord
is fire burning strong
and love that never grows weary.
God will seek and save the lost until we all return,
so let us place our trust in God.
Text: based on Psalm 33; Kevin Bates SM, 1946-2024
Tune: © 1985, Kevin Bates, Published by Willow Publishing Pty Ltd
Used with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-20161
Prayer Over the Offerings
Once all the preparations are complete, the priest invites us to join him in the Eucharistic Prayer:
Pray, brothers and sisters,
that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God,
the almighty Father.
We stand and reply:
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.
The priest leads the Prayer Over the Offerings, which we affirm by saying:
Amen.
Eucharistic Prayer
The Priest:
The Lord be with you.
All:
And with your spirit.
The Priest:
Lift up your hearts.
All:
We lift them up to the Lord.
The Priest:
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All:
It is right and just.
The Priest continues by praying the preface of the Eucharistic Prayer, which typically says something of the feast day or season in relation to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. At the end of the preface, we sing or say:
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.
Then we kneel as the Eucharistic Prayer continues.
If you are unable to kneel, don’t worry – please feel free to sit instead.
In the next part of the Eucharistic Prayer, the bread and wine are consecrated – that is, they are transformed and become the Body and Blood of Christ. This is then followed by an acclamation by the assembly.
The Priest:
The mystery of faith.
Then we sing an acclamation:
We proclaim your Death, O Lord,
and profess your Resurrection
until you come again.
The Eucharistic Prayer continues. At the conclusion of the prayer, the priest says:
Through him, and with him, and in him,
O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honour is yours,
for ever and ever.
And we affirm the entire Eucharistic Prayer by singing or saying:
Amen.
Then we stand to pray the Lord’s Prayer.
Lord’s Prayer
The priest invites all of us to pray the Lord’s Prayer, and we say or sing:
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.
The priest:
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
…
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.
Rite of Peace
The priest:
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles,
…
who live and reign for ever and ever.
All:
Amen.
The priest:
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
All:
And with your spirit.
Everyone is then invited to share a sign of peace with those around them in an appropriate and reverent way.
Fraction
The priest begins to break the bread for Communion as we say or sing:
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.
Then we kneel as we prepare to receive Communion.
If you are unable to kneel, don’t worry – please feel free to sit instead.
Communion
The priest shows the host and chalice to the people and prays the invitation to Communion:
Behold the Lamb of God.
…
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.
Once the priest receives Communion, and gives Communion to the ministers in the sanctuary, Communion is offered to all who feel they are in a position to receive. Unless there are very large crowds, everyone is invited to receive Communion from near the altar where the Eucharist has been offered.
Communion Song
Take and eat
Take and eat; take and eat:
this is my body given up for you.
Take and drink; take and drink:
This is my blood given up for you.
I am the Word that spoke and light was made;
I am the seed that died to be reborn;
I am the bread that comes from heav’n above;
I am the vine that fills your cup with joy.
I am the way that leads the exile home;
I am the truth that sets the captive free;
I am the life that raises up the dead;
I am your peace, true peace my gift to you.
I am the Lamb that takes away your sin;
I am the gate that guards you night and day;
You are my flock: you know the shepherd’s voice;
You are my own: your ransom is my blood.
I am the cornerstone that God has laid;
A chosen stone and precious in his eyes;
You are God’s dwelling place, on me you rest;
Like living stones, a temple for God’s praise.
I am the light that came into the world;
I am the light that darkness cannot hide;
I am the morning star that never sets;
Lift up your face, in you my light will shine.
I am the first and last, the Living One;
I am the Lord who died that you might live;
I am the bridegroom, this my wedding song;
You are my bride, come to the marriage feast.
Text: Verses text © 1989, James Quinn SJ, 1919-2010. Reproduced by permission of Continuum International Publishing. Refrain text: Michael Joncas, b. 1951, © 1989, GIA Publications, Inc.
Tune: Michael Joncas © 1989 GIA Publications, Inc.
Used with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-20161
Then there is a time for silent prayer after Communion.
Prayer After Communion
When the priest invites us to participate in the Prayer After Communion, we stand.
The Priest:
Let us pray.
The priest then leads the Prayer After Communion, which we affirm by saying:
Amen.
The Concluding Rites
Before Mass concludes, we sit and the Priest may also share some messages of importance for the parish community. He may also send forth parishioners who are ministering Holy Communion to those who are sick or housebound.
Blessing
The Priest:
The Lord be with you.
All:
And with your spirit.
if we are then invited to “Bow down for the blessing”:
There are special seasons, feast days and occasions where Mass may conclude with an extended blessing of the assembly, using either a Solemn Blessing (three short prayers that each conclude with us responding “Amen”), or a Prayer Over the People (a single, longer prayer ending with “Through Christ our Lord” or “for ever and ever”, then our responding “Amen”).
The priest then concludes the blessing by saying (as we make the Sign of the Cross):
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.
The priest then concludes Mass with the dismissal.
We make the Sign of the Cross as the priest says:
May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All:
Amen.
Dismissal
Then the assembly is dismissed to go forth and live the mission of Jesus, and we reply:
Thanks be to God.
The priest and ministers then process out of the church.
Recessional Song
Take the word of God with you
Take the word of God with you as you go.
Take the seeds of God’s word and make them grow.
Go in peace to serve the world,
in peace to serve the world.
Take the love of God,
the love of God with you as you go.
Take the peace of God with you as you go.
Take the seeds of God’s peace and make them grow.
Take the joy of God with you as you go.
Take the seeds of God’s joy and make them grow.
Take the love of God with you as you go.
Take the seeds of God’s love and make them grow.
Text: © 1991, James Harrison, b. 1979
Music: © 1991, Christopher Walker, b. 1947
Published by OCP Publications
Used with permission under ONE LICENSE #A-20161
After Mass, you are welcome to stay in the church to pray, or connect with others in the parish centre.
Liturgy 