In Bishop Fulton J. Sheen’s time, Pre-Vatican II, he and Henri Daniel-Rops wrote a book called This is the Mass, which outlined the liturgical celebration of the Holy Mass in great detail. Although some of the steps were altered during Vatican II, Bishop Sheen’s recollection provides a good framework for understanding the Mass today, but also a record of how it was practiced in the Past. The one marked with an asterisk (*) is no longer practiced after Vatican II.
Bishop Fulton J. Sheen’s 30 Steps of the Holy Mass
1.) Introibo ad Altar Dei – Prayers at the Foot of the Altar
2.) Confiteor – General Confession of the Faithful
3.) The Kissing of the Altar – Priest Kisses the Altar
4.) The Mark of the Beginning – Making the Sign of the Cross
5.) The Mercy and the Glory of God – The Kyrie or Gloria
6.) Made One in the Lord – Prayer of the Collect and Old Testament Reading
7.) The Reading in God’s Name – Reading of the Epistle
8.) An Interval of Preparation – Alleluia is Sung Before the Gospel
9.) The Word of God – Priest Reads the Gospel
10.) The Canon of Our Faith – Congregation Recites the Apostles Creed
11.) The Offertory – Prayers of the Faithful Given at the Time of the Church Offering
12.) By Bread and Wine – The Preparation of the Bread and Wine for Consecration
13.) With Clean Hands – Washing of the Hands of the Priest
14.) To the Three Divine Persons – Prayer to the Holy Trinity
15.) In Secret – Secret Prayers the Priest Prays at the Altar
16.) The Prologue to the Great Thanksgiving – The Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer
17.) Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus – Now Known as the Holy, Holy, Holy a three-fold acclamation to the all holy God
18.) The Church at the Foot of the Cross – A Remembrance of the Living
19.) This is My Body – Elevation of the Host
20.) This is My Blood – Elevation of the Chalice
21.) In Remembrance –The Supplices, A Remembrance of the Passion in Three Prayers
22.) Our Dead and We Sinners – The Commemoration of the Dead
23.) Thanksgiving – The Little Elevation
24.) The Pater Noster – The Lord’s Prayer, Our Father
25.) The Broken Bread – The Breaking of the Host
26.) In the Blood of the Lamb – The Agnus Dei, Lord Have Mercy
27.) The Priest’s Communion – The Pries Receives Holy Communion
28.) The Communion of the People – Congregation Approaches the Holy Table
29.) In the Hand of God – Blessing and Thanks be to God
30.) In the Glory of the Word – The Last Gospel*
Changes of Vatican II to the Holy Mass
The primary changes of Vatican II to the Holy Mass involved the priest facing the congregation rather than the altar and allowing priests to celebrate the Holy Mass in their native tongue rather than only in Latin. This was to help the faithful understand what was happening at each stage of the Mass in order to help them participate with more conscious knowledge of the sacrament. Currently, Masses can be celebrated in either Latin or the native tongue.
Until Vatican II, the Mass remained unchanged since the time of the Apostles and Early Church Fathers. The Mass before described would be the Holy Mass practiced by St. Padre Pio in his lifetime.
Sources: This is the Mass – By Henri Daniel-Rops and Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
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