MEMORIAL ACCLAMATION Acclamation Is the Name Given to the Priest: Brief Sung Or Spoken the Mystery of Faith

Transitioning to the new Roman Missal Part 9 in a series (Prepared for St. James Cathedral, Seattle by Corinna Laughlin) November 6, 2011

he Memorial MEMORIAL ACCLAMATION Acclamation is the name given to the Priest: brief sung or spoken The mystery of faith. Tresponse the assembly makes following the words of People: consecration. Before the We proclaim your Death, O Lord, reforms of the Council, the and profess your Resurrection Eucharistic Prayer was said until you come again. quietly by the priest, the people or following along through his ritual When we eat this Bread gestures like genuﬂections, signs and drink this Cup, of the cross, and, above all, the we proclaim your Death, O Lord, elevations of host and chalice. until you come again. With the Council reforms, the or people’s participation was a Save us, Savior of the world, priority, and acclamations now for by your Cross punctuate the Eucharistic Prayer: the entire assembly joins in and Resurrection singing the Sanctus, the you have set us free.

Memorial Acclamation, and the Texts of the Roman Missal, Third Edition, are copyright © 2010 Amen. by International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corpora- tion (ICEL). After the words of This book of “Mass Aids and Bible consecration, the priest sings or Vigils,” published during the Council, says “mystery of faith,” which was one of many eﬀorts to help refers both to what has come THE LANGUAGE OF THE MASS IS laypeople explore the riches of the before—obedient to Christ’s CHANGING Scriptures and the Church’s liturgy. command, the words have been On November 27, we will begin using spoken that change bread and the new translation of the Roman Mis- Vatican Council encourages the wine into the Body and Blood of sal. This page is part of an ongoing se- regional conferences of bishops to Christ—and to the words with ries in the bulletin to help us understand compose new prayers, and the which the people now respond, the new texts and prepare to use them 1974 Sacramentary included a words which encapsulate the on the First Sunday of Advent. Next fourth option for the Memorial saving mystery of Christ, who weekend, November 13, there will be Acclamation, based on what will be died and who rose and who will short, intensive sessions focused on option A in the new Missal: “Christ come again. In diﬀerent ways, learning the new responses after all the has died, Christ is risen, Christ will each of these acclamations Masses. Visit the Cathedral’s website come again.” It is a stunningly speak what it means to do what for information. simple expression of what we we do, in this and every Mass – believe, and rapidly became the in celebrating the Eucharist we most frequently used acclamation are recalling Christ’s passion. As St. Paul said (in words for English-speaking Catholics. But it is not included in that are echoed in Option B): “For as often as you eat the third edition because it is not in the Latin text, and this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of also because it is not addressed to Christ, and therefore the Lord until he comes” (I Corinthians 11:23). does not involve us in Christ’s saving action in the same The Constitution on the Liturgy of the Second way as the others.