Tag: traditional latin mass

The Confiteor

The Confiteor

The Confiteor is a beautiful prayer said at the beginning of Mass in the Roman Rite. It is the Act of Penance stipulated by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. It is a formal general confession the entire congregation recites. In the traditional Latin Mass, the Confiteor was recited twice; once by the priest for himself and then the servers would say it on behalf of the people (the congregation would pray it in silence). Many priests choose a different, approved formula but for centuries the Confiteor was the standard penitential prayer at the beginning of Mass.

Keep Your Fingers Together

Keep Your Fingers Together

You might see a priest hold his thumbs and forefingers together after touching the host during the Offertory and Consecration in order to protect and preserve even the smallest particles of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. He will touch nothing else [other than the Eucharist] until these fingers can be rinsed during the cleansing of the Sacred Vessels. This was stipulated in the Rubrics of the Traditional Latin Mass. It is no longer mandatory in the Novus Ordo but many priests recognize how appropriate and correct it is to have this reverence for the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ and how this reverence can spread to their flocks. All priests should consider picking up this beautiful and appropriate habit.