A. Such as these do not hear Mass, that is, they do not fulfil the Church precept, nor satisfy the obligation of the day, but rather mock God, whilst outwardly they pretend to honor Him, and their heart is far from Him.

Q. What then do you say to those, who during the time of the Mass, are laughing and talking, or pass their time in criminal amusements?

A. These not only are guilty, like the former, of breaking the Church precept, but also must answer for the scandal that they give by their ill example, and for their hindering others to attend to their duty; as well as for their profaning those most sacred mysteries, by such an unchristian bel avior at this holy time.

Q. I should be glad if you would explain to me the order and ceremonies of the Mass: and first, pray what is the meaning of the priest's vestments?

A. The priest, in saying Mass, represents the person of Christ, who is the High-Priest of the New Law, and the Mass itself represents His passion; and therefore, the priest puts on these vestments, to represent those with which Christ was ignominiously clothed at the time of His passion. Thus, for instance, the Amice represents the rag or clout with which the Jews muffled our Saviour's face, when at every blow they bid Him prophesy who it was that struck Him (St. Luke XXII. 64). The Alb, represents the white garment with which He was vested by Herod. The Girdle, Maniple, and Stole, represent the cords and bands with which He was bound in the different stages of His passion. The Chasuble, or outward vestment represents the purple garment with which He was clothed as a mock king; upon the back of which there is a cross, to represent that which Christ bore on His sacred shoulders. Lastly, the priest's tonsure or crown, is to represent the crown of thorns which our Saviour wore. Moreover, as in the Old Law, the priests that were to officiate in sacred functions had, by the appointment of God, vestments assigned for that purpose as well for the greater decency and solemnity of the divine worship, as to signify and represent the virtues which God required of His ministers, so it was proper, that in the Church of the New Testament, Christ's ministers should, in their sacred functions, be distinguished from the laity by their sacred vestments, which might also represent the virtues which God requires in them; thus the Amice, which is first put upon the head, represents divine hope, which the Apostle calls the helmet of salvation; the Alb, innocence of life; the Girdle (with which the loins are begirt), purity and patient suffering, the labors of this mortal life; the Stole, the sweet yoke of Christ to be borne in this life, in order to gain a happy immortality in the next; in fine, the Chasuble, which as uppermost, covers all the rest, the virtue of Charity.

In these vestments the Church makes use of five colors; the white, on the feasts of our Lord, of the Blessed Virgin, of the angels, and of the saints that were not martyrs; the red, on the feast of Pentecost, of the invention and exaltation of the cross, and of the Apostles and martyrs; the green on the greatest part of the Sundays; the violet, in the penitential times of Advent and Lent, and upon Vigils and Ember-days; and the black upon Good Friday, and in the Masses for the dead. Q. Why is there always a crucifix upon the altar at the time of Mass?

A. That as the Mass is in remembrance of Christ's passion and death, the priest and people may have always before their eyes the image that represents His passion and death.

Q. What is the meaning of having lighted candles upon the altar at the time of Mass?

A. First, to honor the triumph of our King, which is there celebrated by these lights, which are tokens of our joy, and of His glory. Second, to denote the light of faith, with which we are to approach Him.

Q. What is the meaning of making a reverence to the altar?

A. First, because the altar is a figure of Christ who is not orly our sacrifice and our high-priest, but our altar too, inasmuch as we are to offer our prayers and sacrifices through Him. Second, because the altar is the seat of the divine mysteries, and therefore deserves our reverence.

Q. What is the meaning of the use of incense in the Mass and other offices of the Church?

A. Incense is an emblem of prayer, ascending to God from a heart inflamed with His love, as the smoke of incense ascends on high from the fire of the censer. Hence the royal prophet (Psal. cXL.), says, "Let my prayer O Lord! be directed like incense in thy sight." And St. John, in the Revelation (c. v. 8, and c. VIII. 3, 4), saw the four-and-twenty elders and the angel offering up to God odors and incense, which were the prayers of the saints. Moreover the incensing of the altar, of the priest, etc., is, according to the use of the Church, a token of honor to the thing that is incensed: not of divine honor, since we also incense the whole choir and the people, but of a due respect for the things of God, for His ministers and people.

Q. What is the use of singing, and of organs in the divine service?

A. To help us to raise our hearts to heaven and to celebrate with greater solemnity the divine praises.

Q. Tell me now, if you please, the different parts of the Mass, and the ceremonies thereof, that I may be the better instructed in this heavenly sacrifice?

A. First, the priest standing at the foot of the altar, having made a low reverence, begins with the sign of the cross, saying, In Nomine Patris, etc., In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and then reci es alternately with the clerk the 42d Psalm, Judica me Deus, etc., Judge me, O God! etc., composed by David, in the time that he was persecuted by Saul, and kept at a distance from the tabernacle or temple of God, and expressing his ardent desires and hopes of approaching to God's altar, and offering praise and sacrifice to Him. And therefore this Psalm is most proper here, as expressing the sentiments of soul with which we ought to come to this holy sacrifice?

Second, the priest, bowing down at the foot of the altar, says the Confiteor, or general confession, acknowledging his sins to God, to the whole court of heaven, and to all the faithful there assembled, and begging their prayers to God for him; and the clerk repeats the same in the name of the people, to the end that both priest and people may dispose themselves for this great sacrifice, by a sincere repentance for their si s. Our adversaries object against this form of confession, because therein we confess our sins to the saints; as if this was giving them an honor that belongs to God alone, not considering that the confession of our sins to anyone, so far from being an honor peculiar to God, is what we are directed in Scripture to do to one another. (St. James v. 16.) And accordingly in this very form, which

we call the confiteor, we not only confess our sins to God, and to His saints, but the priest also confesses to the people and the people to the priest.

Third, the priest in going up to the altar begs for himself and the people, that God would take away their iniquities, that they may be worthy to enter into His sanctuary. Then coming up to the altar he kisses it in reverence to Christ, of Whom it is a figure; and going to the book, he reads what is called the Introit, or entrance of the Mass; which is different every day, and generally an Anthem taken out of the Scripture, with the first verse of one of the Psalms, and the Gloria Patri, to glorify the blessed Trinity.

Fourth, he returns to the middle of the altar, and says alternately with the clerk the Kyrie Eleison, or Lord have mercy on us, which is said three times to God the Father; three times Christe Eleison, or Christ have mercy on us, to God the Son; and three times again, Kyrie Eleison, to God the Holy Ghost. This frequently calling for mercy, teaches us the necessity of approaching to this sacrifice with a penitential spirit, and that the best devotion for this beginning of the Mass, is to offer up to God the sacrifice of a contrite and humble heart.

Fifth, after the Kyrie Eleison, the priest recites the Gloria in Excelsis, Glory be to God on high, etc., being an excellent hymn and prayer to God, the beginning of which was sung by the angels at the birth of Christ. This being a hymn of joy, is omitted in the Masses for the dead, and in the penitential times of Advent, Lent, etc. After this the priest, turning about to the people, says, "Dominus vobiscum,” "The Lord be with you," Ans. "Et cum spiritu tuo," "And with thy spirit." Then returning to the book, he says, "Oremus," "Let us pray"; and then reads the Collects or prayers of that day, concluding them with the usual termination, "Per Dominum nostrum," ec., "Through our Lord Jesus Christ," etc., with which the Church commonly concludes all her prayers, as hoping for no mercy, grace or blessing, but through our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Sixth, after the Collects, is read the Lesson or Epistle of the day (and upon the Wednesdays and Saturdays in the Ember-weeks several Lessons or Epistles), at the end of which the clerk answers, "Deo Gratias," i. e., "Thanks be to God"; to give God thanks for the heavenly instruction contained in that divine lesson of Holy Writ. The Lesson or Epistle is followed by the Gradual or Tract, consisting of some devout verses taken out of Scripture, to which are joined the Alleluias, to praise God with joy, excepting in the penitential time between Septuagesima and Easter, for then Alleluia is not said.

Seventh, after the Epistle and Gradual, the book is removed to the other side of the altar, in order to read the Gospel of the day; which removal of the book represents the passing from the preaching of the Old Law, figured by the Lesson or Epistle, to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, published by the preachers of the New Law. The priest, before he reads the Gospel, makes his prayer, bowing down before the middle of the altar, that God would cleanse his heart and his lips, that he may be worthy to declare His Gospel. At the beginning of the Gospel both priest and people make the sign of the cross, first, upon the forehead, to signify that they will not be ashamed of the cross of Christ and His doctrine; secondly, upon the mouth, to signify that they will profess it in words; thirdly, upon the breast, to signify that they will always keep it in their hearts. During the Gospel the people stand, to

show by this posture, their readiness to go and do whatsoever they shall be commanded by their Saviour in His Divine Word. At the end, the clerk answers, in the name of the people, "Laus tibi Christe,” “Praise be to Thee, O Christ"; to give praise to our Redeemer for His heavenly doctrine; and the priest kisses the book in reverence to those sacred words which he has been reading out of it. In the high or Solemn Mass, the Gospel is sung by the deacon, and lighted candles are held by the acolytes on each side, to denote the light which Christ brought us by His Gospel.

Eighth, after the Gospel upon all Sundays, as also upon the feasts of our Lord, of the Blessed Virgin, of the Apostles, and of the doctors of the Church, the priest, standing at the middle of the altar, recites the Nicene Creed, and kneels down at these words, "Et homo factus est," "And was made man," in reverence to the mystery of our Lord's incarnation. Then turning about to the people, he greets them with the usual salutation, "Dominus vobiscum," "The Lord be with you." Ans. "Et cum spiritu tuo," "And with thy spirit." After which he reads a short sentence of Scripture called the Offertory and then takes off the veil from the chalice, in order to proceed to the offering up of the bread and wine for sacrifice.

Ninth, he offers first the bread upon the paten, or little plate; then pours the wine into the Chalice, mingling with it a little water, and offers that up in like manner, begging that this sacrifice may be accepted of by the Almighty for the remission of his sins, for all there present, for all the faithful, living and dead, and for the salvation of the world. Then bowing down, he says, "In the spirit of humility, and in a contrite mind, may we be received by thee, O Lord: and so may our sacrifice be made this day in Thy sight, that it may please Thee, O Lord God." Then he blesses the bread and wine with the sign of the cross, invoking the Holy Ghost, saying, "Come Thou, the Sanctifier, the Almighty and Eternal God, and bless this sacrifice prepared for Thy holy name." After this he goes to the corner of the altar, and there washes the tips of his fingers, saying, "Lavabo," etc., "I will wash my hands among the innocent, and I will encompass Thy altar, O Lord," etc., as in the latter part of the 25th Psalm. This washing of the fingers denotes the cleanness and purity of soul with which these divine mysteries are to be celebrated; which ought to be such, as not only to wash away all greater filth, but even the dust which sticks to the tips of our fingers, by which are signified the smallest faults and imperfections.

Tenth, after washing his fingers the priest returns to the middle of the altar, and there bowing down, begs of the blessed Trinity to receive this oblation in memory of the passion, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for an honorable commemoration of the Blessed Virgin and of all the saints, that they may intercede for us in heaven, whose memory we celebrate on earth. Then turning about to the people, he says, "Orate Fratres," etc. that is, "Brethren, pray that my sacrifice ard yours may be made acceptable in the sight of God the Father Almighty." The clerk answers in the name of the people, "May the Lord receive this sacrifice from Thy hards, to the praise and glory of His own name, for our benefit, and that of all His holy Church."

Eleventh, then the priest says, in a low voice, the prayers called the Secreta, which correspond to the Collects of the day, and are different every day. He concludes, by saying aloud, "Per omnia sæcula sæculorum," that is, "World without

end." Ans. "Amen." Then, after the usual salutation, "The Lord be with you.” Ans. "And with thy spirit," he admorishes the people to lift up their hearts to God ("Sursum corda"), and to join with him in giving thanks to our Lord "Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro," to which the clerk answers, "Dignum et justum est,” "It is meet and just." Then follows the Preface, so called because it serves as an introduction to the Canor of the Mass; in which, after solemnly acknowledging ourselves bound in duty ever to give thanks to God through His Son Jesus Christ, whose Majesty all the choirs of angels ever praise and adore, we humbly beg leave to have our voices admitted together with theirs in that celestial hymn, "Sanctus, Sanctus," etc., i. e., "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts. The heavens and earth are full of thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest."

Twelfth, after the Preface follows the Canon of the Mass, or the most sacred or solemn part of this divine service, which is read with the low voice, as well to express the silence of Christ in His passion, and His hiding at that time His glory and His divinity, as to signify the vast importance of that common cause of all mankind, which the priest is then representing, as it were, in secret to the ear of God, and the reverence and awe with which both priest and people ought to assist at these tremendous mysteries. The Canon begins by the invoking the Father of Mercies, through Jesus Christ His Son, to accept this sacrifice for the holy Catholic Church, for the Pope, for the Bishop, and for all the professors of the Catholic and Apostolic faith, throughout the whole world. Then follows the Memento, or commemoration of the living for whom, in particular, the priest intends to offer up that Mass, or who have been particularly recommended to his prayers, etc. To which is subjoined a remembrance of all there present, followed by a solemn commemoration of the Blessed Virgin, the Apostles and Martyrs, and all the saints, to honor their memory by naming them in the sacred mysteries, to communicate with them, and to beg of God the help of their intercession, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Then the priest spreads his hands over the bread and wine, which are to be consecrated into the body and blood of Christ, according to the ancient ceremony prescribed in the Levitical law (Levit. I. 3, 4: 16), that the priests or persons who offered sacrifice, should lay their hards upon the victim before it was immolated, and he begs that God would accept this oblation, which he makes in the name of the whole Church, and that he would grant us peace in this life, and eternal salvation in the next. Then he blesses the bread and wine with the sign of the cross (a ceremony frequently repeated in the Mass, in memory of Christ's passion, of which this sacrifice is the memorial; and to give us to understand that all grace and sanctity flow from the cross of Christ, that is, from Christ crucified), and he prays that God would render this oblation blessed, received, approved, reasonable and acceptable, that it may be made to us the body and blood of His most beloved Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Then he proceeds to the Consecration, first of the bread into the body of our Lord, and then of the wine into His blood; which Consecration is made by the words of Christ pronounced by the priest in His name, and as bearing His person; and that is the chief action of the Mass, in which the very essence of this sacrifice consists; because by the separate Consecration of the bread ard wine, the