The Celebration of the Eucharist in the Catholic Diocese of the Old Catholics in Germany For the liturgical use drafted by the Liturgical Commission and edited by the Bishop and Standing Committee Bremberger Brothers Publishing House Munich 1995 Second edition 1997 © Liturgical Commission of the Catholic Diocese of the Old Catholics in Germany 1995 The present publication is the official altar book of the Old Catholic diocese in Germany; this church has been in full communion with the Anglican Communion since the 1931 Bonn Agreement. It is therefore fitting that the book which is used in the parishes of this diocese – and in many a Roman Catholic or Lutheran parish in Germany, in convents, and in Old Catholic parishes in other countries – should be made available in an English version to bishops, liturgists, and other interested people in the Anglican Communion and beyond. The aim of this English version is to allow those who are interested and unable to use the original German book a look into the heart of this part of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. The original intention had been to present a form which would lend itself to being instantly used in a liturgical setting. For reasons quite beyond the justification of anyone involved in this endeavour, a thorough revision of the draft translation has proved not to be possible without a delay which would be intolerable. It is for this motive that this present version is made available. The texts do not exactly correspond to a Cranmerian style. This is not only due to the virtual impossibility to revise them, as outlined above, but also in order to offer a glimpse into the spirituality and thinking at present alive in this church. It may serve as an invitation to receive some inspiration when it comes to the contents of a particular day or season. This is also the reason why, although the entire book has been copyrighted by the Liturgical Commission, permission has been given freely and officially to use the texts contained in this publication as a resource. After all, official liturgical texts are not the property of any one body or church, let alone any individual, but the vehicle for the entire people of God to worship God. If anyone desires to use a text from this collection, the Liturgical Commission appreciates a reference to the altar book of this diocese, but does not restrict the use otherwise or will make it dependent upon prior inquiry and approval. It is satisfied if any one text should indeed serve its purpose of bringing the voice of the people of God to the One whom to worship is our primary task and glory. As should be the normal case among sister churches, some Anglican churches, in particular The Anglican Church of Canada, have graciously given permission to use some of their texts in a German translation for being included among the prayers contained in the German altar book. In case an English text has been used as a source in its entirety, the original place has been indicated; in most instances, the original English version appears here, too. In other cases, the version presented here is an English rendering of what the Liturgical Commission has made of the original text. Those reading and using the English version should therefore always consult their Anglican sources for a particular text, should it look even remotely familiar. In case the English version (at least literally) corresponds to the Anglican source, the copyright is still held by the respective authority, and the text re- translated into English is in this case not in the public domain. A history of the origins of this book and a broad interpretation of its contents can be found in an article by Thaddeus A. Schnitker, "Die Feier der Eucharistie: Das neue alt-katholische Eucharistiebuch", in Liturgisches Jahrbuch, 45 (1995), 238-249. Inquiries, comments or any correspondence about this book may be addressed to The Chaplain to the Bishop, Catholic Diocese of the Old Catholics in Germany, Gregor-Mendel-Strasse 28, 53115 Bonn, Germany. The Incarnation First Sunday of Advent Collect Living God, come to save us. Free us from the power of sin and injustice, and help us to walk in the way of justice to meet Christ so that he may find us awake when he comes, he, our Lord and brother, who in the unity of the Holy Spirit lives and works with you now and for ever. Prayer over the Gifts God, our Father, whatever we are and have comes from you. Accept our prayers and gifts as signs that we are yours through Christ, our Lord. Preface of Advent I Prayer after Communion Living and life-giving God, you have again fed us at the table of your Son. May we, in the power of this food, go to meet your Son who will lead us to you, Jesus Christ, our brother and Lord. Second Sunday of Advent Collect Stir us up, holy and strong God, that we may serve you with ready hearts. Do not let the daily tasks and cares prevent us from meeting your Son, who in the unity of the Holy Spirit lives and works with you now and for ever. Prayer over the Gifts Good God, we bring our gifts and pray: come and help us in our helplessness and limits through Christ, our Lord. Preface of Advent I Prayer after Communion Father, we thank you for your word and for the meal which me received. Teach us who joined in this celebration to see the world with your eyes and to love what remains more than what passes away through Christ, our Lord. For Weekdays in Advent I (until 16 December inclusively) Collect Eternal God, you announce your coming in the midst of our dark age. Make us watchful that we count on you in everything and trust you through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who in the unity of the Holy Spirit lives and works with you now and for ever. Collect God, our Father, it is through your mercy that we have become a new creation in Christ. Do not turn your eyes from us. Heal all the wounds of our guilt by the coming of your Son, who in the unity of the Holy Spirit lives and works with you now and for ever. Collect Gracious God, may your grace precede our efforts and follow our works, that we may obtain help for our lives and with great desire expect the coming of your Son, who in the unity of the Holy Spirit lives and works with you now and for ever. Collect God of light, let your glory shine in our hearts and take the shadows of death of our sins away, that we may be revealed as children of light when your Son comes, who in the unity of the Holy Spirit lives and works with you now and for ever. Prayer over the Gifts God of our lives, we come before you with prayers and gifts. Whatever we have comes from you. We ask you to call us to your table in the coming kingdom of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Preface of Advent I Prayer after Communion God, our Father, you have given us new strength by your word and the bread of life. Lead us through this dark age and turn our eyes to the coming of your Son, Jesus Christ, our brother and Lord. Third Sunday of Advent Collect God, our Father, light and joy come into the world by your Son. Help us to give this light and this joy to others so that all people may experience your loving-kindness. We ask this of you, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and gives life now and for ever. Prayer over the Gifts God, giver of all good things, we bring these gifts before you as your Son has commanded us. Give to all the world the salvation which you have promised through Christ, our Lord. Preface of Advent I or II Prayer after Communion God of mercy, we have experienced in this holy meal how good you are to us. You free us from all guilt. Approaching the coming feast with much joy we thank and praise you through Christ, our Lord. Fourth Sunday of Advent Collect Stir up your power, our God, and come. Let your mercy help us that we do not fail to meet your Son by our idleness and languor. We ask this through him, our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son and our brother, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and works now and for ever. Prayer over the Gifts God, our Father in heaven, what we bring is your gift. Accept these gifts and bless them. We praise you through Christ, our Lord. Preface of Advent II Prayer after Communion God, source of all joy, we thank you for having given us, in this meal, a share in your life now already. Make us expect the coming of your Son in joy and be the more eager in your service the more the feast of his birth is at hand, of Christ, our Lord. For Weekdays in Advent II (after 16 December) Collect God, our Father, in these days we prepare ourselves to celebrate the incarnation of your Son in a dignified manner. Let our prayer come to you and bless our efforts that our life be renewed and find new roots in you.