LENT

By Tim Claubaugh

During Lent we will be doing a few things differently than we usually do during Mass.

First you will notice that as you come into church, the Priest (and assisting deacon) will be kneeling in front of the altar, praying silently. We encourage everyone to pray silently before Mass. Also, there will be no Prelude music before Mass and no opening song during Lent.

When it is time for Mass to begin, the cantor will ask everyone to please stand, and we will begin by going right into the Gathering Rite. For the Penitential Rite, everyone will recite the "I confess to almighty God..." followed by the priests' absolution and the sung "Kyrie eleison" led by either the cantor or the deacon. During Lent, we will also be singing an Offertory song, except where there is a choir in which case the choir will sing a selection at the Offertory.