Liturgical Learnings

From the Nativity Liturgical Commission exploring the “why” behind Catholic Liturgy to help us participate more deeply. 

“The dismissal of the Catechumens reminds us that the Mass is not something we attend. It is something in which we participate.”

As Nativity embraces a year-round OCIA process, you may notice that those preparing for Baptism are sometimes dismissed following the homily. While this may seem unfamiliar, it is actually a very ancient practice of the Church and one that teaches something important not only to them, but to all of us.

The Catechumens—those who have not yet been baptized—have just heard the Word of God proclaimed and preached. Having encountered Christ in the Scriptures, they are sent forth to pray with that Word, reflect upon it, share what they have heard, and allow it to take deeper root in their lives. In many ways, they remind us that God’s Word is not simply something we hear. It is something we receive, savor, pray over, and live.

At first glance, this may seem surprising. Some may even wonder, “Before I entered OCIA, I was able to stay for the entire Mass. Why am I now being dismissed?”

The answer is not exclusion, but formation.

The Church is not asking Catechumens to leave because they belong less. Rather, she is recognizing the unique stage of discipleship they are living. Having been fed by Christ in the Scriptures, they are given time to linger with that encounter—to reflect, pray, and share how God is speaking in their lives. Their dismissal is not a separation from the community but a continuation of their formation within it.

The dismissal also serves as a reminder to those who remain.

The baptized members of the assembly remain because Baptism has already entrusted them with another sacred responsibility.

Through Baptism, we have been incorporated into Christ and share in His priestly, prophetic, and kingly mission. We remain because we have our own work to do. We profess the Creed. We lift up the needs of the world in the Universal Prayers. We join ourselves to Christ’s perfect offering in the Eucharistic Prayer.

These are not simply words recited at Mass. They are acts of participation.

In the Creed, we profess the faith we have received.

In the Universal Prayers, we exercise our priestly role by interceding for the needs of the world. In the Eucharistic Prayer, we unite ourselves to Christ’s perfect offering to the Father, joining our lives, our joys, our sufferings, our hopes, and our sacrifices to His.

Even those who cannot yet receive Holy Communion because of their particular circumstances still possess this dignity through Baptism. They remain participants in the Church’s prayer and in Christ’s offering.

In this way, the dismissal becomes a powerful moment of catechesis for the entire parish. The Catechumens remind us of the importance of receiving God’s Word deeply.

The baptized are reminded of the dignity and responsibility of their Baptism.

The Catechumens teach us how to receive.

The baptized are reminded how to respond.

As we embrace a year-round OCIA process, perhaps the invitation for all of us is not simply to notice those who are dismissed, but to recognize our role in their journey. The Church has always understood initiation as an apprenticeship in discipleship. People learn the faith not only through instruction but through participation in the life of the Christian community.

They learn to pray by praying with us.

They learn to serve by serving beside us.

They learn to follow Christ by seeing Christ alive in the lives of ordinary believers.

So when you see Catechumens dismissed, pray for them. Learn their names. Welcome them.

Encourage them. Walk with them.

For they are not joining a program.

They are becoming part of our parish family.

And the dismissal is not only about those who leave.

It is also about those who remain.

A non-Catholic came to Mass and asked why there is so much standing, sitting and kneeling during the Mass, and what is the meaning of it all.

If we were to truly think about the normal daily postures that we take and what our thoughts are as we take those postures it might make more sense to why we do these things during mass.  When we are sitting in class or at a movie our attention is on what is in front of us and we are more relaxed, whereas when we are standing it is a lot harder to be distracted by other things as we usually are more attentive. And if we are in a group, and everyone is standing and facing the same direction, as when we are looking at the flag and saying the pledge of allegiance, it displays unity and even makes you feel more connected to everyone else at that moment.

People of many religions value the role of body in prayer. Jews stand and bow back and forth while praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Muslims orient their bodies in the direction of Mecca, their holiest city, while crouching down on a mat on the floor five times a day for their prayer.

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) which guides our worship at Mass declares, “The gestures and posture of the priests, the Deacon, and the ministers, as well as those of the people, ought to contribute to making the entire celebration resplendent with beauty and noble simplicity, so that the true and full meaning of the different parts of the celebration is evident and that the participation of all is fostered.” (GIRM 42.) Our changes of posture give meaning of what we are doing and are meant to both separate and unite; only a priest is to give a solemn bow during Mass, and the congregation is to give a simple bow of the head before receiving the Eucharist.

Setting is a receptive, listening position used while the scripture readings are proclaimed and the homily is being preached. Standing is an expression of respect, so we stand at important times like when the cross is being processed into the church or when we're professing the creed together. Kneeling is an ancient embodiment of humility and reverence before a divine or royal authority. Therefore, we kneel when the presence of Christ our king comes into our midst in the eucharistic prayer and until the Eucharist is reserved in the tabernacle.     

There’s a purpose and meaning to every movement.

Several times during Mass, the priest or deacon prays words that the congregation does not hear. For some, this can feel confusing or even a bit divisive as if the priest or deacon is leaving something out. Others may wonder why such beautiful prayers are not shared more openly. It’s good to know everything has a purpose, and to make that purpose known is at the heart of these “Liturgical Learnings”  so all may grow to have a deeper appreciation of the richness of the Mass. 

At its heart, the Mass is a shared act of worship—a sacred dialogue between God and His people. Especially since the renewal brought about by the Second Vatican Council, the Church has emphasized the “full, conscious, and active participation” of the faithful. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), which guides how the Mass is celebrated, reflects this by clearly distinguishing between those parts meant to be spoken aloud together and those that belong more particularly to the priest or deacon.

The GIRM explains that certain prayers are assigned specifically to the priest, who prays them “in the name of Christ and of the Church” (cf. GIRM 30, 32). Within these, some are meant to be proclaimed aloud so that all may hear and respond, while others are prescribed to be said quietly. These quieter prayers are not meant to exclude the assembly, but to express the personal devotion and interior preparation of the minister. In fact, the GIRM notes that in these moments the priest is directed to pray “quietly”  highlighting their reflective and personal character (cf. GIRM 33).

For example, during the preparation of the gifts, as the priest or deacon mixes the water and wine, he quietly prays that we may come to share in Christ’s divinity. He then bows slightly and offers words inspired by the Book of Daniel, asking God to receive the sacrifice offered with humble and contrite hearts (cf. GIRM 75). As he washes his hands, he prays from Psalm 51, asking the Lord for cleansing and mercy (cf. GIRM 76). There are also prescribed quiet prayers before the proclamation of the Gospel (cf. GIRM 132), before the priest receives Holy Communion (cf. GIRM 158), and during the purification of the sacred vessels after Communion (cf. GIRM 163).

The GIRM also helps us understand that silence itself is an important part of the liturgy. It teaches that “sacred silence” should be observed at designated times, allowing the Word of God and the prayers of the Church to take root in our hearts (cf. GIRM 45). In this light, the quieter prayers of the priest or deacon are not interruptions but part of a rhythm that includes both word and silence, speaking and listening.

In practice, you may notice some variation from one priest to another. At times—especially when there is no music—some priests choose to pray certain texts aloud, such as the offertory prayers (“Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation…”). The GIRM itself allows for this flexibility in some cases, noting that these prayers may be said either quietly or in an audible voice (cf. GIRM 142). When spoken aloud, this can help avoid extended silence, foster understanding, and invite the faithful more consciously into what is taking place.

Whether spoken quietly or aloud, these prayers remind us that the liturgy is both communal and deeply personal. We gather as the Body of Christ, praying with one voice, and yet each of us is also drawn into an interior encounter with the Lord. The quiet prayers of the priest or deacon gently point to that deeper reality: that even within a public act of worship, there is always space for personal conversion, humility, and attentive love.

In the end, what may at first seem hidden or puzzling becomes, with a bit of understanding, another beautiful layer of meaning—revealing the care, reverence, and prayerfulness at the heart of the Mass.