Dominican Rite Low Mass

Low Mass in the [[Dominican Rite]]. Typically celebrated at the Rosary Altar.

Roles

One server¹: Book Bearer, Acolyte, Bell Ringer.

Preparation

• In Rosary Altar niche:
  • Cruets.
  • Lavabo bowl.
  • Finger towel.
  • Paten.
• On Rosary Altar:
  • Sanctus Candle, just to the right of the rightmost Altar candle.
  • Three wooden prayer cards set out for Celebrant.
  • Missal Stand on Epistle side.
  • The English hand missal, behind the Missal Stand and hanging off the side edge of the Altar, so the Celebrant can easily grab it when the Missal is on the stand.
  • Two (not four) Rosary Altar candles lit².
• Hand Bells on first step to High Ambo.
• Taper and stand on the steps where the Torches are stored.
• Rosary Altar gate closed.
• Prayer sheets at the foot of the Rosary Altar, roughly 1/4 way in from the left side.

Order of Mass

Procession

Begin in Sacristy with Pre-Mass Prayer with Ministers:

• Carry Missal.
• Use right hand to touch holy water, touch Celebrant's hand to give him holy water.
• Ring bell on entering the sanctuary.
• Process until crossing the Tabernacle, wait for Celebrant and Genuflect together³.
• Lead Celebrant to the right of the stand, down the center of the Sanctuary, and then through the doorway to the Rosary Altar.
• Step away from the Altar so the Celebrant can walk past you.
• When he does, move square to the Epistle side.

Approach and Preparation of the Chalice

• Profound Bow with Celebrant³.
• Ascend Altar directly (as opposed to from the side) with Celebrant and place the Missal on its Stand, without opening it⁵.
• Approach Rosary Altar#Niche and ready the Cruets for the Celebrant to prepare the Chalice⁴:
  • Head Bow.
  • Offer wine from right hand. Switch water from left hand to right hand.
  • Receive wine in left hand.
  • Celebrant blesses the water:
    • Say Benedicite.
    • Celebrant says: In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti.
    • Say Amen.
  • Offer water from right hand. Switch wine from left hand to right hand.
  • Head Bow.
  • Return cruets to niche.
• Cross Altar, Moderate Bow, kneel⁶ square on Gospel side.

Prayers at the Foot of the Altar

• Hand the Celebrant his prayer sheet, remain kneeling.
  • During the prayers, kneel erect when the Celebrant is standing, bow while kneeling when the Celebrant is bowing.
• Sign of the Cross with the Celebrant, reply Amen.
• Pray your parts on the prayer sheet⁷.
  • Do not make the sign of the cross in the middle of the prayers where the Celebrant does.
• When finished, take the Celebrant's prayer sheet, and place both on the step in front of you.
• Celebrant approaches Altar, remain kneeling on the Gospel side.

Introit through Alleluia/Tract

• Sign of the Cross with the Celebrant, reply Amen.
• Remain kneeling through the Introit

Kyrie

• With the Celebrant, recite the Kyrie#Dominican Rite in the call-and-response form.

Gloria

• The Gloria is usually omitted. Consult the Ordo#Dominican Rite if you want to know beforehand if it will be said.
• If included, remain kneeling while the Celebrant says the Gloria.

Collect

• Dominus vobiscum | et cum spiritu tuo.
• Remain kneeling while the Celebrant reads the Collect.
• Per omnia saecula saeculorum | Amen.

Lesson, Responsorium, Epistle, Alleluia/Tract

• The particular liturgy will determine what is included in this portion of the Mass⁸.
  • There will be at least one Lesson⁹. Most Celebrants will read it in English.
  • The first Lesson will be followed by the Responsorium, always in Latin.
  • On certain feasts and solemnities, one or more additional Lessons will be read, and will be followed by a said Alleluia (or in Lent, a Tract).
• Remain kneeling for this portion of the Mass, making no response to any of the readings¹⁰.
• After the Responsorium on ferial days, or at the start of Alleluia / Tract when it is said:
  • Stand, cross Altar, Moderate Bow, stand square at Epistle side.
  • When Celebrant finishes and moves, approach from the side and grab Missal and Stand.
  • U Motion and place the Missal on Gospel side facing Northeast.
  • Move off to North side, face Missal.

Gospel

• Dominus vobiscum | et cum spiritu tuo.
• Sequentia/Initium Sancti Evangelii secundum N. | Gloria tibi Domine¹¹.
• With Celebrant, three small crosses, one large sign of cross.
• At the first mention of Jesus by the Celebrant, Head Bow, descend Altar, cross Altar, Moderate Bow, stand at Epistle side but face the Missal.
• Sign of cross at end of Gospel, no verbal response.

Homily

The Homily may be omitted for masses on ferial days, which include most of these masses.

• If there is no homily, face the Altar so as to be square on the Epistle side.
• If there is a Homily:
  • Wait for Celebrant to descend the Altar in the middle, then move to the doorway facing the Celebrant for the Homily.
  • When the Homily is completed, you may need to assist the Celebrant with his Maniple. Ascend the Altar from the Epistle side, approach the Celebrant, hold the Maniple open so he can put his arm through it. Depending on the particular Maniple, clip it to the sleeve of his Alb. When finished, descend the Altar through the Epistle Side.
  • Stand square at the Epistle Side.

Credo

The Credo is usually omitted. If it is said, recite it with the Celebrant while standing square at the Epistle Side. Kneel on the Bottom Step¹² of the Altar as the Celebrant does for Et incarnatus... factus est.

Offertory

• Dominus vobiscum | et cum spiritu tuo.
• Celebrant reads the Offertory Verse from the Gospel Side. Standby.
• Celebrant moves the Missal closer to the middle and begins to disassemble the Chalice Stack. Ascend to the Rosary Altar#Niche and ready the Lavabo.
• Wash the Celebrant's hands¹³.
• Descend Altar, stand square on Epistle side.

Orate Fratres through Preface

• Respond, Head Bow at Domino Deo.
  • per omnia saecula saeculorum | Amen
  • Dominus vobiscum | et cum spiritu tuo
  • Sursum corda | Habémus ad Dóminum
  • Grátias agámus Dómino Deo nostro | Dignum et justum est
• Pick up the Hand Bells before the Sanctus. A helpful cue is the Celebrant talking about angels (Angeli / Seraphim).

Sanctus

As the Celebrant begins the Sanctus:

• Profound bow and make three¹⁴ short rings. Do not try to synchronize to the Celebrant's three utterances, just make short, distinct, rings after the first Sanctus.
• Recite the Sanctus#Latin Text with the Celebrant.
• Set down bells, get Taper, light Sanctus Candle, return Taper.
• Retrieve Hand Bells and kneel on the Top Step¹² on the Epistle side.

Eucharistic Prayer

• Perform one short bell ring at the Epiclesis¹⁵
  • Cue: The Celebrant makes 5 signs of the cross over the Altar's contents.
• Then immediately stand, descend Altar to middle, Moderate Bow, then kneel on Top Step just to the right of the Celebrant, keeping the bells.
• First elevation:
  • First short bell when Celebrant's knee hits the floor. At this point also grab the Chasuble.¹⁶
  • Lift the Celebrant's Chasuble as he's lifting the Eucharist.
  • Second short bell at the apex of the elevation.
  • Lower the Celebrant's Chasuble as he's lowering the Eucharist.
  • Third short bell when Celebrant's knee hits the floor.
• Second elevation: Same as first.
• Immediately following second elevation, stand, descend Altar to middle, Genuflect¹⁷, then return the Hand Bells and kneel square on the Epistle side.
• Per omnia saecula saeculorum | Amen.
• Stand¹⁸.

Pater Noster through Priest's Communion

• Standing, stay silent until end of Pater Noster
  • ...et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem | sed libera nos a malo
• Per omnia saecula saeculorum | Amen.
• Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum | et cum spiritu tuo.
  • While this is being said, ready the Hand Bells.
• When the Celebrant starts the recitation of the Agnus Dei, recite the Agnus Dei#Latin Text with him. While doing so:
  • Ring the Hand Bells once¹⁹, then return them.
  • Ascend to the niche, retrieve the Paten, and face the Altar. After the Agnus Dei, kneel on the South side facing North.
• Kneel in place for the Priest's Communion.

Peoples' Communion

If Communion will be distributed to the people²⁰, which is the norm:

• Recite Domine non sum Dignus#Latin Text three times with the Celebrant.
• Receive Communion, holding the Paten²¹ for yourself and not making a response.
• Immediately stand and descend the Altar, leading the Celebrant so as to assist with Communion²² on his right while facing the people. While there are still communicants:
  • Hold the Paten under the communicant's chin
  • Step backward to the next communicant.
  • When you get the the end, follow the Celebrant to the beginning.
• Give Paten to Celebrant.
• If there are leftover hosts, the Celebrant may return them to the Tabernacle in the High Altar. Just stand out of the way and wait.

Ablutions

• Wait for Celebrant to ascend Altar.
• Go to center, Moderate Bow, ascend to the niche.
• Wait for Celebrant to set Paten to the side. When he does, retrieve it and return it to the niche.
• From niche, prepare for ablutions by holding both water and wine Cruets.
• First ablution, only wine²³. Pour until Celebrant lifts the chalice. Head Bow.
• Second ablution. Pour just a little wine until Celebrant raises chalice. Then water (much more) until Celebrant raises chalice. Head Bow.
• There may be additional vessels / Pyxes that need purification. Celebrant will indicate if so and these will only take water.
• Return Cruets.

Postcommunion Verse, Postcommunion Prayer, and Last Gospel

• Descend, cross Altar, Moderate Bow, approach and ascend from the North. Take Missal and Stand.
• U Motion, Moderate Bow, ascend and place Missal and Stand square on the Epistle side²⁴.
• Descend, get Taper, extinguish Sanctus Candle, return Taper.
• Cross Altar, Moderate Bow, stand square at Gospel side²⁵.
• Dominus vobiscum | et cum spiritu tuo.
• Per omnia saecula saeculorum | Amen
• Celebrant moves to center.
• Dominus vobiscum | et cum spiritu tuo.
• Ite missa est | Deo gratias²⁶.
• Genuflect when the Celebrant says Benedictio. Stand after the blessing.
• Remain on the Gospel side.
• Dominus vobiscum | et cum spiritu tuo
• Inítium sancti Evangélii secúndum Joánnem | Gloria tibi Domine
• Genuflect with Celebrant at Et Verbum caro factum est
• Sign of the cross with the Celebrant, respond Deo gratias.

Prayers After Mass and Recession

• If there are post-Mass prayers²⁷.
  • Stay standing square to Gospel side while Celebrant descends.
  • Kneel with Celebrant on the Bottom Step¹² of the Altar, respond to prayers, stand with Celebrant.
  • Stay in place while Celebrant ascends the Altar.
• Move to middle behind Celebrant, Moderate Bow.
• Approach and ascend Altar from South, take Missal (leave Stand).
• Descend Altar with Celebrant. Turn to Altar and Profound Bow with Celebrant.
• Lead Celebrant back to Sacristy, and pray Post-Mass Prayer with Ministers#Dominican Rite in front of the crucifix.

References

• DCfMaB > Part One.

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1. DCfMaB > p. 14. ↩

2. There are four candles on the altar, but two is the proper number to be lit for a Low Mass. Since we don't want those four candles to burn unevenly, we alternate using the inner candles and outer candles each Mass. Refer to the Mass's event description in the calendar to see which should be lit, or failing that, light whichever pair appears to be taller. ↩

3. DCfMaB > pp. 20-21. ↩↩

4. DCfMaB > pp. 22-23. ↩

5. DCfMaB > p.23, footnote 1 forbids the Server from opening the Missal. ↩

6. CotDR > A1p4-5. ↩

7. DCfMaB > pp. 23-24. This notes that if the server does not have the prayer memorized, they should only be said once by the priest. It would be good for the server to memorize the prayers, but it is acceptable to use the prayer sheet like the Celebrant does. ↩

8. Details for the Mass you are serving can be found in the OP Province of England Ordo. ↩

9. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the last lesson is always an Epistle. ↩

10. CotDR > A1p7. ↩

11. DCfMaB > p. 26 has the Acolyte giving the response, which contradicts other sources. ↩

12. See Rosary Altar#Steps. ↩↩↩

13. DCfMaB > p. 29. ↩

14. CotDR > a1p10 makes no mention of how many times it should be rung. ↩

15. CotDR > a1p10 makes no mention of an epiclesis bell ring, but Fr. Leo said to include it. ↩

16. CotDR > a1p10 makes no mention of the first and third rings, only the second. ↩

17. CotDR > a1p5 says this should be a moderate bow. ↩

18. CotDR > a1p5 doesn't mention this as a reason to stand. Furthermore CotDR > a1p10-11 does not mention standing at this point. ↩

19. Only ring the bell if there are people in the congregation. If serving a private mass or no one has showed up, do not ring the bell. ↩

20. DCfMaB > pp. 70-73. ↩

21. CotDR > a1p11 says a cloth should be used instead of a Paten. ↩

22. CotDR > a1p11 makes no mention of this. ↩

23. DCfMaB > pp. 44-45. ↩

24. DCfMaB > p. 45. ↩

25. CotDR > a1p12 says to kneel instead of stand. ↩

26. DCfMaB > pp. 45-46 states that this is only said if the Gloria was said earlier, however we seem to do it regardless. The Server should respond to Ite missa est if the Celebrant recites it. ↩

27. DCfMaB > pp. 47-48. ↩