Attended 2nd Mass - questions

[Revelation13_16]

Dear CA,

I attended my 2nd Mass today at St. Mary’s at lunchtime, part of my ongoing open-minded and earnest investigation as to whether Catholcism is the truth.

I sat right up the front this time to observe everything,a dn I have some questions:

1. I noticed the Priest seems to day some words under his breath just before the ceremony begins, are these in Latin or English, and what do they mean?
2. I noticed that when the Priest is echoing Jesus’ words about eating and drinking that he seems to talk into the Chalice, as though someone in the cup could hear him, what does this mean?

Thanks for your help.

Love,
Rev

 

[Church_Militant]

Dear CA,

I attended my 2nd Mass today at St. Mary’s at lunchtime, part of my ongoing open-minded and earnest investigation as to whether Catholicism is the truth.

I sat right up the front this time to observe everything, and I have some questions:

1. I noticed the Priest seems to day some words under his breath just before the ceremony begins, are these in Latin or English, and what do they mean?

There are prayers that are not overheard by us. Did you hear what he said when he stepped to your left and washed his hands? He prays from the Psalms for God to wash away his iniquities and cleanse him from all his sins.

I’m pretty sure that most of those prayers are in English but even if they were in Latin it would be okay since he knows precisely what he is saying.

1. I noticed that when the Priest is echoing Jesus’ words about eating and drinking that he seems to talk into the Chalice, as though someone in the cup could hear him, what does this mean?

That is just because he is holding the chalice.

The fact is that he is bending over in prayer and adoration of the Lord who is present at that part of the Mass (called the Consecration.) We believe it is at that point that the miracle of the transubstantiation actually occurs.

Thanks for your help.

Love,
Rev

Glad to be of some small service Rev.
You might want to check out this Basic Texts of the Roman Catholic Mass. for a closer look at all the prayers we participate in and when they happen.
It’s really very good.
Pax tecum,

 

[LilyM]

Dear CA,

I attended my 2nd Mass today at St. Mary’s at lunchtime, part of my ongoing open-minded and earnest investigation as to whether Catholcism is the truth.

I sat right up the front this time to observe everything,a dn I have some questions:

1. I noticed the Priest seems to day some words under his breath just before the ceremony begins, are these in Latin or English, and what do they mean?
2. I noticed that when the Priest is echoing Jesus’ words about eating and drinking that he seems to talk into the Chalice, as though someone in the cup could hear him, what does this mean?

Thanks for your help.

Love,
Rev

1. It’s all in English at the weekday lunchtime Masses at St Mary’s - he was probably saying the ‘entrance antiphon’ (a verse of the Bible that is read out before the beginning of the Mass in the event that there’s no hymn sung)
2. Around here the priests do tend to speak these words of consecration ‘to’ the bread and the wine.

I think it’s done this way to remind us that, as Catholics, we believe these items do truly become the Body and Blood of Christ at precisely this point, imbued with the Real Presence by way of transubstantiation. So in a sense there is ‘someone’ (Christ) who becomes present in the Eucharist as he says the words.