The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-10-22
"orate Fratres" and Secret Prayers.
The Nineteenth sermon of the series
on Catholic Worship, was prepared
by the Rev. u. r. Stack, S. d., of
st. Francis Xavier church, Missouia,
Mont.

middle of the altar, and, first raising
his eyes to the crucifix, he bows rever-
emily and says: Receive, o Holy Trim
ity, this oblation we make to Thee, in
memory of the passion, resurrection
and ascension. of our Lord, Jesus
Christ, and in honor of the Blessed
Maryever Virgin, of Blessed John the
Baptist, of the holy apostles Peter and
Paul, of these and all the saints, that
it may be available to their honor and
our salvation, and may they vouchsafe
to intercede for us in heaven, whose
memory we celebrate on earth, through
Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen
The priest then kisses the altar,
and facing the people with downcast
eyes, extends his hands ana joins them,
saying in low voice: "Orate, Fratres'
pray, brethren" Whilst turning to
the altar again he continues in silence:
THAT my sacrifice and yours may be
acceptable to God, the Father AL
mighty"
Solemn Moment Draws Near.
The solemn moment of conservation
is drawing near. Soon the wondrous
change will have been effected by the
power of the Most High. The Son of
God, Mary's Son, our blessed Redeemer
Jesus Christ, will be really, truly and
substantially present under the hum
BILE appearances of bread and wine.
Impressed by the awful thought of soon
standing in the presence of God, the
priest asks for the prayers of his
brethren. He feels that petitions
which ascend to heaven from hearts
that are united in faith and hope and
love are very pleasing to Cod Did not
the Master say Amen, amen, WHEREBY
er two or three are gathered together
in my name, there am in the midst
of them?" t.
Brethren All.
The priest calls the people his breth-
rem. They are such indeed, for we
are all children of the same heaven
ly Father; we are redeemed by the
precious blood of Christ, who, by the
Incarnation became our elder brother;
In baptism we are born into the super
natural order and become children of
God by grace; in Holy Communion we
sit at the same divine banquet, and we
have right to the same everlasting
kingdom of heaven. The priest is but
one of us, set aside, it is, true, as our
representative and leader, in "the
things that pertain to God,"a but he is
still our brother. :. .,.5e -
$500 The Supreme Function. -
The reason why the priest asks the
people to pray is clear from the words,
that my sacrifice and yours may be
acceptable to God, the Father AL
mighty" In the holy sacrifice of the
Mass we have the grandest function
of the priesthood. At other times
Gods minister is the teacher, the
judge, the doctor, the consider, the
friend, but when he stands at the altar
he is properly priest. He it is, then,
who offers the sacrifice, and hence
calls it 'my sacrifice" But he is at the
same time the representative of the
people, because he offers the sacrifice
in the name of the whole Church.
Hence all the people, in a certain
sense, concur in the sacred oblation.
In more perfect way do those concur
who assist at the Mass and are united
in mind and heart with the officiating
priest, and especially with Christ, the
principal offerer. Above all do those
participate in the sacrifice who serve
at the altar or partake of its fruit in
holy communion. With reason, then,
does the priest, addressing the people,
call the Mass my sacrifice and yours"
AcceptabIeness.
The priest prays that the sacrifice
may be acceptable to God. The sacri-
fee itself is acceptable to God be-
cause the victim is none other than
Christ Jesus, His eternal Son, in whom
the Father is always well pleased"
but the priest fears that through lack
of proper dispositions on his own. part
and on that of the people, the anger,
rather than the blessing of God, may
be drawn down upon them. This is
why, turning to the people for the. last
time before the conservation, he warns
them of the necessity of renewed and
earnest prayer.
Complying with the request of the
priest, the people through the server
answer: MAY the Lord receive the
sacrifice from thy hands for the praise
and glory of His name, for our benefit
and for that of his entire holy Church. .
Here we have briefly and beautifully
expressed the object and purpose of
the sacrifice of the Mass. On the one
hand, the sacrifice is offered for the
honor and praise of God, to adore and
glorify His infinite majesty, and to
thank Him for His favors; on the
other, it is offered to be for us and the
whole Church an inexhaustible source
of pardon, grace and blessing.
The priest approves of the senti
ments of the faithful by silently an
swering, amen"
The Secret Prayers
The secret prayers are now recited
They are so called because they are
repeated in low voice which cannot
be heard by the congregation. The
secrets" are much like the collects,
which we considered some months ago
They differ, however, in some respects
The collects have a direct bearing on
the feast of the day, whilst the secrets
are concerned chiefly with the ebla
ton. They are in a way continue