The Liturgy Course: Gathering as One
March 5, 2026
On Sundays, the Rite for the Blessing and Sprinkling of Water may replace the Penitential Act at Mass. After the Sign of the Cross and the Greeting, the priest blesses water prepared in a vessel.
When the priest greets the people at the beginning of Mass, he has three options. The simplest is "The Lord be with you," which has biblical origin in the Book of Ruth (2:4).
Each Mass begins with the Sign of the Cross. The priest says, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," and the people answer, "Amen."
As Mass begins, everyone stands to sing a song. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal calls this the Entrance Chant.
When a minister carries a Cross in procession at the beginning of the Mass, it customarily faces forward.
The Introductory Rites help the assembly become a worshiping community. They also prepare us to hear God's word and celebrate the Eucharist.
Those who visit the sick should help them to pray, sharing with them the Word of God proclaimed in the assembly from which their sickness has separated them.
The Oil of the Sick is used for a sacrament in the Catholic Church. Traditional it is olive oil, but any vegetable oil will suffice.
If you've witnessed the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick lately, you know anointing isn't what it used to be.
On special anniversaries, a married couple may wish to celebrate their union with a blessing at church. Although many parishes organize a "renewal of vows," the liturgy of the Church has always avoided precisely that ceremony.
