Now we turn to the Lessons, that is, the portion of the Mass that centers on the Epistle and Gospel. This also includes important elements such as the Alleluia or Tract and the Sermon. Moreover, we also examine the role of deacons and subdeacons during this part of the Mass.

In this week’s episode, we focus on the section from the Introit up to the Collect. These prayers and the symbolism of the liturgical gestures have a deep history, which is apparent when we open our hand Missals to see phrases like “The Mass of the Catechumens” and “Stational Churches.” What do these terms mean? And what is signified during this beginning portion of the Mass?

Today we’ll look at the beginning part of the Mass – but we won’t look immediately at the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, like you might think. Before we do that in this episode, we’ll start by learning about the Asperges, the blessing of the church, the priest and ministers, and the faithful with Holy Water, as is done on every Sunday’s sung Mass. Why do we have this special ceremony? What is it about Holy Water that is so important?

We now begin the section of the podcast series that proceeds step by step through the Mass to examine the various sections and rubrics of the liturgy, starting with the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar through the Conclusion. Before we look at the individual ceremonies, however, we must explicate the proper method for approaching the Mass. The ceremonies of the Mass are very ancient, and their origin is often lost in the mists of history. How can we go about discovering why the Mass is arranged as it is along with the meaning of its constituent parts?

This week on The Catholic Mass Series, we finish our discussion at the Theology of the Mass with an episode about the reception of the Holy Eucharist. In the contemporary Church, the practice of receiving Holy Communion has changed. Why? What did the reception of the Eucharist look like throughout history? Did faithful in the early Church receive Our Lord on the tongue, and kneeling? Why did this practice change – and then why has the practice reverted back in the last fifty years? What about the priests’ reception of Communion?

This week on The Catholic Mass Series, we look at mysteries and the nature of the Blessed Sacrament. There is a lot that we cannot comprehend fully about the Eucharist, but examining this great mystery of the Church, we can deepen our devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In this episode, examine questions concerning Our Lord’s real presence in the Eucharist. Then we discuss transubstantiation, and finally, the effects that Our Lord’s presence can have on the soul of the recipient.

This week, as we approach Christmas, we examine the three ways in which our Lord is present at every Mass. This will help to deepen our faith as we understand how He is present not just in a poetic or imaginary way, but in a real – yet sacramental and mysterious – manner. We see how he is present as both the high priest and victim. Finally, we consider how He comes to us sacramentally through the Eucharist.

Last week’s episode covered the fundamental nature of the Mass while answering Protestant objections. Today, we consider the question of the Mass’s nature, including its relationship to the Holy Eucharist. What does it mean to refer to the Eucharist as a “sacrament” and how does this relate to the sacrificial nature of the Mass itself? Moreover, in recent decades, a greater emphasis has been placed on the idea that the Mass is a “memorial meal” or a “gathering.” Is it wrong to speak of the Mass—and the Eucharist—this way and, if so, why?

Today, we continue exploring the Theology of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass by focusing on its fundamental purpose and addressing key errors about it. We examine the parallels between minimizing Protestant hostility toward the Mass and efforts to justify the New Mass. Additionally, we consider historical objections to the Mass, such as the claim that faith and personal contact with Our Lord are sufficient for salvation, that a hierarchical priesthood is unnecessary, and that the Sacrifice of the Cross is distinct from the Mass celebrated on altars throughout Christendom.

Today, we start a new section of The Catholic Mass Series. We have been looking at the history of the Mass, from the Old Testament, to the Last Supper, on to the Liturgical Movement. And now we move onto exploring the rubrics and theology of the Mass. In this episode, we begin by asking some basic questions, ”Why is the sacrifice important? Why are victim, priest, and the offering so difficult to comprehend without a proper context?”