Personal prayer?

[Terrasculp]

Is there a specific prayer a priest might say to himself just prior to delivering a funeral mass? When I was young, our priest would mutter words to himself just prior to going out to deliver the mass. Would anyone know if it was a specific utterance or prayer? Or, was it something unique to this particular priest?

I wish I would have asked him what he was saying back then, but I was a kid and I remember thinking it was just something that priests did…

 

[JohnLilburne]

Canon 909 of the Code of Canon Law has:

“A priest is not to omit to dutifully prepare himself by prayer before the celebration of the Eucharist, nor afterwards to omit to make thanksgiving to God.” (From New Revised English Translation published by Harper Collins in 1997, ISBN 000599375X ).

The last prayers in the 2010 Roman Missal have the headings “Preparation for Mass” and “Thanksgiving After Mass”. The Hail Mary is the last of these.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I remember thinking it was just something that priests did…

It probably is exactly that. I can totally see a priest getting ready to deliver a funeral Mass saying a prayer that God guides him to properly perform the rites for the deceased soul, say and do everything he can to comfort the mourners, and basically not mess anything up.