Offertory [Seated]
[Prior to beginning the Offertory, the celebrant will announce which Eucharistic Prayer will be used for the Holy Communion. The celebrant may begin the Offertory with one of these sentences or with some other sentence of Scripture or proceed directly to the prayers below.]
Celebrant: Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. (Psalm 50:14)
Or:
And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God.
(Ephesians 5:2)
Preparation of the Gifts: [Seated]
[Whenever possible the offering of wine and bread should be brought to the altar by members of the congregation. Then the collection of the tithes will begin. A psalm or hymn may be sung or instrumental music played during this time.]
[The celebrant takes the paten with the bread, holds it above the altar and says:]
Celebrant: Blessed are You, Lord, God of all creation. Through Your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life.
People: Blessed be God forever.
[The celebrant or the deacon pours wine into the chalice and then blesses and pours water into the chalice, while saying the following prayer:]
Celebrant: By the mystery of this wine and water may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, Who humbled Himself to share in our humanity.
[The celebrant takes the chalice and holds it above the altar saying:]
Celebrant: Blessed are You, Lord, God of all creation. Through Your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink.
People: Blessed be God forever.
[The celebrant places the chalice on the corporal. Bowing, he says:]
Celebrant: Lord God, we ask You to receive us and be pleased with the sacrifice we offer You with humble and contrite hearts.
[Extending his hands, he continues. The altar may be censed afterwards.]
Celebrant: Come, Holy Spirit and bless + this sacrifice which we have prepared for the glory of Your Holy Name.
[The celebrant washes his hands and says quietly:]
Celebrant: Lord, wash away my iniquity; cleanse me from my sin.
[The celebrant returns to the center of the altar, bows and says:]
Celebrant: Receive this offering, most Holy Trinity, which we make in memory of the passion, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints. May they, whose memory we honor on earth, intercede for us in heaven.
[All Stand]
[Addressing the congregation with hands extended the celebrant says:]
Celebrant: Pray, brethren, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.
People: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of His Name, for our sake and the good of all His Church.
Prayer over the Gifts [Standing]
[The celebrant sings or says this prayer or proper which is different for each mass.]
The Great Thanksgiving [Standing]
Celebrant: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Celebrant: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Preface [Standing]
[Now follows the first part of the Eucharistic Prayer. The Preface is said by the celebrant with hands extended. At the end of the Preface the celebrant joins his hands, and together with the people sings or says the Sanctus.]
Sanctus [Standing]
Celebrant: Therefore, with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we joyfully proclaim Your glory, evermore praising You and saying/singing:
All: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna in the highest. + Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
The Eucharistic Prayers [Kneeling or Standing]
Eucharistic Prayer A (Old Catholic Church of Germany)
We give You thanks, O God, our Father, through Your beloved Son, Jesus. You sent Him in the fullness of time to be our Savior and Redeemer. As the angel of Your holy will He is your eternal Word, inseparable from You. Through Him You created everything, and You saw that it was good.
He became human by the power of the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary. You revealed Him as Your Son. To accomplish Your will and to gather a holy people for You, He stretched out His hands in suffering, to bring release to those who place their hope in You. He gave himself freely to death to break the power of death, to shatter the chains of evil, to banish the darkness and to reveal the resurrection.
On the night He was handed over, He took bread and gave You thanks, broke the bread and gave it to His disciples, saying:
‘Take this, all of you, and eat it;
This is my body, which will be given up for you.’
[Sanctus Bells]
[The celebrant genuflects, elevates the Host, genuflects again, and continues:]
After supper He likewise took the cup, and when He had given thanks to You, gave it to His disciples, saying:
‘Take this, all of you, and drink from it; this is the cup of my blood,
the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.
It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven.
As often as you do this, do this in remembrance of me.’
[Sanctus Bells]
[The celebrant genuflects, elevates the Host, genuflects again, and continues:]
Remembering, therefore, the death and resurrection of Your Son, we bring You this bread and this cup and celebrate the mystery of our faith.
People: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
[Extending hands over the Oblation, the celebrant says:]
We thank You that You have made us worthy to stand before You and to serve You. We ask You, send Your Holy Spirit upon these gifts of + Bread and of + Wine, and upon the celebration + of Your Church. Gather it to unity at Your Table. Strengthen it by Your Spirit in its faith in You, and keep it in the truth, that we may praise You and give You glory through your Son Jesus.
