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Faith Formation on the Mass
Session 4:
The Liturgy of the Eucharist
Doris Murphy & Bill Huebsch
Background: After the Liturgy of the Word, we turn to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. This rite culminates in our
reception of Holy Communion with the Christian community. We both receive and become the Body of Christ.
Objectives: To recognize Jesus, in the breaking and the sharing of the bread, as the Eucharist. To appreciate the Our Father as the universal prayer of Christians To see the sign of peace as a symbolic gesture
To recognize the Eucharist as a form of reconciliation To say AMEN to what we are- the Body of Christ
Church Teachings: Catechism of the Catholic Church: articles 1355, 1382, 1394-1396, 1416, 2767
Growing Faith booklet #25
Materials to have ready from the parish or school:
Microphone and lectern (optional, and if needed )
Lectionary for breaking open the Word, and CD player for music
Nametags and markers
Place a special table in the center of the space. On it, place the Scriptures and candle from the last session, but now add a loaf of bread and glass of wine or grape juice. Use a large enough table that it will be an obvious sign of the altar we use at Mass.
Near the prayer space have a large cross well displayed
Handouts 1: Presenting Our Gifts
2: Understanding the Preface 3: The Meaning of the Lord’s Prayer 4: Praying for Peace
Refreshments for before and after the gathering
If possible, provide each participant with one of the missals used for Liturgy in your parish, to help them follow along as you review the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
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Materials to have ready at each table:
All handouts
Small loaf of bread and cup of wine or grape juice at each table
Colors, markers, paper
Small slips of paper, pencils
A Bible
Materials to download from: www.pastoralplanning.com
This outline which includes (1) the order of the event, (2) a segment teaching the content, (3)
the opening and closing prayer services for this event, and (4) all the handouts.
The Question of the Week for breaking open the Word at the conclusion of the Gathering. This is always free from the web site.
Gather and Welcome 30 minutes prior to presentation
This is an opportunity to welcome everyone, especially those people who may not have
attended the first gatherings of this series. Please make them feel welcome and comfortable. You may want to give them the handouts from the previous weeks so they are aware of the material
that was covered in those sessions.
Supply name tags for everyone, near the doorway outside the room
Provide beverages to refresh the guests.
Table leaders arrive 15 minutes early to be at their tables to greet people as they arrive. Be
sure to introduce any new people.
Greet people at the door and provide child care if necessary for those under the age of six.
Pastor and staff should again be seated at various tables.
Play song “Gather Us In” softly as everyone arrives. Keep the lights low and have each table
ready with tonight’s supplies and décor.
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Checking In It is important to start on time. Let’s be fair to those who do arrive punctually,
and form good habits of arrival for each session. 5 minutes
Lead Catechist:
The lead catechist introduces him or herself and welcomes everyone formally from the center of the room, using a microphone if necessary. Welcome any people who were not there previously
and proceed without much fanfare or explanation. Ask each table group to talk amongst themselves, going around the table and letting each person introduce him or herself by giving their:
Name and where they live One thing which has happened this week for which they give thanks.
Call to Prayer 6-8 minutes
Leader or Presider: Draw the group’s attention once more with a rainstick, piano chords, or bell. Begin as always with the Sign of the Cross.
Cantor or recorded music: Table of Plenty, Breaking Bread #310.
Breaking open the song with faith sharing: As you follow the words of this song, which lines or phrase strikes you as meaningful at this
time? Are there any words or phrases that you do not understand? What do these words tell you about the Mass you attend?
Learn-About-It Segment Approximately 45 minutes
Part one: Presentation & Discussion
The Lead Catechist facilitates this, using these or similar words. Keep all your presentation times brief. 8-10 minutes
1. Presentation: Preparation of the Altar and the Gifts
Using handout one, invite each person in the room to identify which gifts they have to bring to the Liturgy. The gifts we bring may be material, such as money or food for the hungry, but they may also be spiritual, such as memories, a desire to pray, and a love for our community, or a
talent. The Offertory at Mass is an offering from US, not merely from those in the Offertory Procession. All of us bring what we have and offer it in these prayers.
As each table finishes, invite each participant to choose one gift from their chart. As the Leader, stand near the center table, with the Bible and candle on it. Then invite each person to come
forward to the table, flowing from each table at random, and one-by-one, to bow before the
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center table, and to say aloud the gift which they bring to offer. They should use the words on the handout, “I offer _______________________.”
After each presentation, the whole community responds: Blessed be God forever! This short
phrase is one of the oldest prayers of the Church! 8-10 minutes
2. Presentation: The Eucharistic Prayer
The Eucharistic prayer is the greatest thanksgiving prayer of the Church. It begins with a
dialogue between the priest and the people. This gets us involved in the action which is to take place. You know these responses by heart. Join me now in responding with great feeling:
Priest/Leader: The Lord be with you
All: And with your Spirit Priest/Leader: Lift up your hearts
All: We lift them up to the Lord Priest/Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God All: It is right to give God thanks and praise
The preface & Holy Holy Holy. Next, the priest prays an introductory prayer. It introduces the
formal Eucharistic prayer. The Church provides eighty-one different prefaces, many specifically written for a Feast or Holy Day. The priest may either read or sing this prayer. The words of the prayer tell us something about the feast we are celebrating and they remind us of the wonderful
works of God. They tell the reason we are here: to give God thanks and praise! The format of this prayer follows a certain outline: I will now read one of them to you. Here read
the preface found in handout #2. At the end of it, we rejoice and sing “Holy, holy, holy” with all the angels and saints who are with God.
Using handout two, allow each participant to write his or her own Preface as a way of learning how the Preface is structured. After this, turn to handout three and ask participants to identify
the meaning of the words we now sing or pray in the Holy Holy Holy. 8-10 minutes
3. Praying the Eucharistic Prayer. The leader now spends a short time helping everyone understand the key place of the Eucharistic prayer in Catholic
life, using these or similar words. You may wish to use Eucharistic Prayer #2 as your example, since it is the
shortest and clearest. If you’re using missals on the tables, ask partic ipants to follow along as you explain each part
of the prayer.
The Eucharistic Prayer is the center and summit of the entire celebration... The meaning of the Prayer is that the entire congregation of the faithful should join itself with Christ in confessing
the great deeds of God and in the offering of Sacrifice. In the Eucharistic Prayer the Church implores the power of the Holy Spirit that the gifts offered
by human hands be consecrated, that is, become Christ’s Body and Blood, and that the spotless Victim to be received in Communion be for the salvation of those who will partake of it. In this
very memorial, the Church - and in particular the Church here and now gathered - offers in the Holy Spirit the spotless Victim to the Father. The Church’s intention, however, is that the faithful
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not only offer this spotless Victim but also learn to offer themselves, and so day by day to be consummated, through Christ the Mediator, into unity with God and with each other, so that at
last God may be all in all.
The Eucharist is celebrated in communion with the entire Church, of heaven as well as of earth, and the offering is made for her and for all her members, living and dead, who have been called to participate in the redemption and the salvation purchased by Christ’s Body and Blood.
We remember. This is the opposite of amnesia, which means to forget. During this prayer we
remember all that God has done for us: the Passion, Resurrection and glorious return of Christ Jesus. We listen especially for the words that Jesus said: “Do this in remembrance of me.” We believe that Jesus continues his presence in our midst. To remember brings together the past, the
present, and the future. The words remember, memorial, remembrance, memory, are used over and over.
We call on the Holy Spirit to change these simple gifts of bread and wine into the Body and Blood - the continuing presence of Jesus - which our community of faith will share at
Communion. The priest also calls on the Holy Spirit to change us, the people gathered. Taking part in the Eucharist forms us into the one body and spirit of Christ. WE are to be Christ Jesus in
the world today. We repeat the words of Jesus, “This is my Body” and “This is the cup of my blood.” Christ is
sacramentally present. The priest then asks us to make a memorial acclamation of our own faith and so we say or sing: “We proclaim your death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until
you come again” or a similar acclamation. This IS the great mystery of our faith. We join with the entire church, living and dead. Gathered as we are here as God’s family, we
join our hearts and prayers with all faithful people everywhere.
At the conclusion of the Eucharistic prayer we sing the great AMEN. Sing this acclamation with high energy for we are saying YES, I believe, YES, I agree, YES, I want to follow Jesus. 5 minutes
4. Presentation/Activity: The Lord’s Prayer
Invite someone to read Luke 11:1–4. The “Our Father” is always prayed when Christians gather
together for common prayer. This is one prayer that Christians of all denominations are able to pray together. Does everyone in each small group know this prayer?
Using handout four, invite participants to work together in order to match the phrases from the Our Father with their meaning.
4 minutes
5. Presentation/ Activity: Sign of Peace Peace is an important part of being Christian. Jesus is called the prince of peace. Jesus voiced the same words of peace to his apostles that we hear at each Mass. Using handout five, name people
and places where we wish for and pray for peace. (e.g. our family, Iraq, Darfur)
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8-10 minutes
6. Presentation/Activity: Breaking of the Bread Jesus, the Lamb of God, is the One who was offered, sacrificed, and given for us. Just as the priest takes the host and breaks it, placing a small piece in the cup, we may at times feel broken
and asked to be willing to sacrifice for the good of others. This is called the paschal mystery, the willingness to die to ourselves and rise anew with Christ. This is not only at the end of time but
each day of our lives. This is living the paschal mystery. Activity: Invite each participant to take two small slips of paper. On each slip, ask them to write something that he
or she is willing to sacrifice for someone else. For example, are they willing to use less water for the sake of all? Are
they willing to give money for the poor? Are they willing to recycle, to pray, to write their congress people? We’ll
use these in the closing prayer.
4 minutes
7. Presentation: The Rite of Communion
Priest: Behold the Lamb of God, Behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb. All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my
soul shall be healed. We bow our heads in reverence and loudly proclaim AMEN when we receive communion.
When we say Amen, we are saying Yes, I accept and take in, I receive and love, the very Body of Christ himself! It is very important to say Amen clearly, as a promise of our belief. 2 minutes
8. We are sent out!
At the conclusion of the Mass, the priest sends us out to the world. What is our job there, now that we have received the Body of Christ? What are we sent to do?
Evaluation 3 Minutes
Leader: Hand out a short written evaluation tool that can be quickly filled in and briefly shared in the table group. [You may download this from the web site with no charge]
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Closing Evening Prayer 10 Minutes
Presider:
Call all to prayer, with the rainstick, soft piano chords or soft bell. Cantor or recorded music: Table of Plenty, Breaking Bread #310. We re-use the song here which we used earlier, as a way of helping people remember it and integrate the meaning of
the words.
Breaking Open the Word Presider: Proclaim the Gospel or other appropriate reading from the previous or following Sunday’s Liturgy of the Word. Part One: presider: What did you hear? What word or phrase caught and held your attention? After a very brief pause, ask the Table Leaders to begin and let anyone respond at their table who would like to do so. Part Two: presider: Share the Question of the Week. Ask the Table Leaders to once again comment first if others are reluctant, and encourage others around the table to do the same. Presider: Call everyone’s attention back to the central group and invite at least one person from each small group to share their household prayer. If time is running late, or if people seem reluctant, or if you feel it right, simply end with the Our Father. The lead catechist or presider now prays a brief, spontaneous prayer in conversation with God to express thanks for
the evening and for the blessings of our lives. During this prayer, invite the participants to come forward with their
slips of paper with their promises on them, and place them reverently in a bowl on the table as their commitment to
become the Body of Christ for the world. Play the song during this procession.
When all have come forward, end with, “We ask this prayer, through Christ our Lord,”
All: Amen
Shared Food and Hospitality Hospitality Team
Invite everyone, including the pastor and staff, to share in the food.
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Handout #1: Presenting Our Gifts at the Offertory In each category of needs, list what you offer when you come to Mass.
In the Offertory Procession, please respond after each gift is presented, using this response:
Blessed be God forever!
What the Church needs What do you offer to God & the Church?
The Church needs material goods such as money.
I offer…
The Church needs our time & talents, such as
teaching, leading, serving, and others.
I offer …
The Church needs prayer for the sick, for
world peace, and for other needs.
I offer …
The Church needs our presence, at Mass and
other events, to support the community.
I offer …
The Church needs us to work for justice for the oppressed and rejected.
I offer …
The Church needs us to alleviate the suffering of the poor, to visit the sick, to care for
prisoners, immigrants, and newcomers.
I offer …
The Church needs us to help pass on the faith
to others, to invite those who are not in the community to join it.
I offer …
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Handout #2: The Preface
What we pray in the Preface This prayer in your own words
Father in Heaven,
it is our duty and our salvation
always and everywhere
to give you thanks
through your beloved Son,
Jesus Christ
He is the Word
through whom you made the universe,
the savior you sent to redeem us.
By the power of the Holy Spirit
he took flesh and was born
of the Virgin Mary
For our sake he opened his arms on the
cross
he put an end to death
and revealed the resurrection.
In this he fulfilled your will
and won for you a holy people.
And so we join the angels and the saints
in proclaiming your glory
as we say:
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Handout #3: Holy Holy Holy
The dialogue and words of the
Holy Holy Holy
Re-write these prayers in your
own words.
May the Lord accept the
sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name,
for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit. Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right and just.
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of
hosts. Heaven and earth are full of
your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
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Handout #4: The Lord’s Prayer On this chart, match each part of the Lord’s Prayer on the left to its meaning on the right.
From the Lord’s Prayer What it means
Our Father who art in Heaven
Yes! I agree!
Hallowed be your name.
Pardon our sins as we pardon other people’s sins.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will
be done on earth as it is in heaven.
You are God in heaven!
Give us this day our daily bread
Prevent us from leaning toward what is not right and good
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Your name is holy!
And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Give us enough for each day
Amen.
May your powerful reign be
established in the world!
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Handout #5: We pray for Peace!
Where on earth do we need to pray for peace?
In our own country
In Latin America
In the Middle East
In Africa
In Europe
In Russia and eastern Europe
In India and Pakistan
where else?
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Sharing Faith Together
The Question of the Week
Breaking Open the Word
Week of ____________________ (date)
#______Sunday in __________ (Season of the year)
1. The Call to Prayer
Leader: My friends, let’s pause to spend a few moments in prayer and conversation with
each other. [Lead all in the Sign of the Cross] + In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
2. The Word of God
Leader: May the Lord be in our hearts as we recall and re-listen to a reading from last
Sunday’s Liturgy of the Word.
[Re-read all or part of the suggested reading.]
Readings from last Sunday are:
First reading: _______________________
Second reading: _____________________
Gospel reading: ______________________
Reading suggested for this Week’s sharing:
3. The Two Faith Sharing Questions
Leader: As we consider this Sacred Scripture, I invite you to think about it in two
dimensions. [You may wish to work in small groups if your number is large.]
First, ask about the text itself, to draw attention to the Scripture.
o What word or phrase in this text caught your ear?
o What story did you hear, or what image did you get?
o What touched you as you heard this reading?
Second, when the first sharing is complete, ask about the people’s lives.
o Use this “Question of the Week” to help people get started sharing faith:
o Here insert a Question specific to this week’s readings
4. The Prayer. At the end of the sharing period, invite folks to pray in one of the
following ways:
The Lord’s Prayer out loud together
Spontaneous prayers
A moment of silent prayer
Listen to a recorded hymn