Catholic Mission In Canada

The Eucharist is so central to our lives as Christians that we want to know how to revere it properly, and the liturgy itself teaches us how. Using the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) as a companion guide to the Mass, and a great source for details about reverence in the liturgy, we learn how to celebrate the Eucharist well. While we wait for the Canadian version of the new GIRM, we continue to observe the GIRM of 1974 which is still in force. Here is a sample of what it says:

First, we show reverence with our basic attitudes of respect, trust in God, joyful expectation, and good will towards others. At Mass, we are to be “motivated by faith, hope, and charity”(Chapter 1, #3). Filled with these virtues, we participate in the liturgy more fully and authentically.

Second, we recognize that “Christ is really present in the assembly itself, which is gathered in His name, in the person of the minister, in His word, and indeed substantially and unceasingly under the Eucharistic species”  (Chapter 2, #7). With different outward signs, we indicate the reverence in which we hold each of the presences of Christ.

Here are some examples: We reverence the altar with a profound bow (Chapter 2, #27). We stand up to hear the Gospel, turning ourselves towards the Lord’s voice, and marking the book and ourselves with the sign of the cross (Chapter 2, #35). During the Eucharistic Prayer, we are attentive and silent, except during the acclamations (Chapter 2, #55). At Communion time, we approach the altar and consume the Body and Blood of Christ reverently. At other times, we use incense to show our deep respect.

(Antal Prokecz and Christine Mader are a married couple, employed by the Diocese of Calgary. Antal is the director of social justice and Christine is the director of liturgy and adult formation.)