A Tour through the Mass!

The Penitential Act

There are three forms of the Act of Penance at the beginning of Mass.  Each of them involves an invitation by the priest to acknowledge our sinfulness and call on God’s mercy.  Then follows the formula of the prayer which in turn is followed the absolution of the priest. 

This absolution is not the same as that used in the sacrament of penance but it should be noted that it is officially called an absolution. 

There are three formulas used in this rite. 

The first is the traditional “I confess to almighty God…..”. 

The second is a very short dialogue between the priest and the people, which as follows:

Have mercy on us, O Lord. People: For we have sinned against you

Show us, O Lord, your mercy. People: And grant us your salvation.

The third formula consists of three statements, followed by Lord, have mercy or Christ, have mercy which is repeated by the people. There are seven different sets of formulas for this form of the prayer given in the Roman Missal (in Appendix VI). And these are considered “Sample Invocations for the Penitential Act”, that is they provide models which can be used by the priest or by liturgy preparers to write their own invocations on the basis of the readings of any particular Mass. 

These phrases give expression to some characteristic of the Lord upon whose mercy we call. 

There is another much less used form. The Missal says: “From time to time, on Sundays, especially in Easter Time, instead of the customary Penitential Act, the blessing and sprinkling of water may take place as a reminder of baptism (see Appendix II of the Roman Missal).

Each of these forms have their own character and one or other will be more suitable for particular Masses, seasons or occasions. 

The ‘Kyrie eleison’ (Lord, have mercy) as a separate part of the Introductory Rites is used when that phrase does not occur in the  Penitential Act, so practically that means only when the “I confess…” is used.

By Fr Frank O’Loughlin