The Holy Mass, which includes Introductory Rites, the Liturgy of the Word, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist (also known as Communion), is the center of all Catholic worship. Special liturgies are offered on certain occasions in the lives of parishioners, such as the Nuptual (wedding) Mass, Requiem (funeral) Mass, Mass with Baptism, and Confirmation Mass. Days of celebration in the Church, also known as Holy Day Mass or Solemnities, are noted in the Calendar.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
The Archdiocese of Detroit is in the midst of a “missionary conversion, a change in our culture, such that every person at every level of the Church, through personal encounter with Jesus Christ, embraces his or her identity as a son or daughter of God and, in the power of the Holy Spirit, is formed and sent forth as a joyful missionary disciple.”1 This conversion requires a re-examining of the way we live collectively as a community of faith. The Church in Southeast Michigan is responding to graces of Synod 16 and actively seeking to Unleash the Gospel in our personal lives, our families and through our institutions.
One of the clearest calls from Synod 16 was for our Church to reclaim Sunday as a day set apart for the Lord, for family and for works of mercy. There are many necessary and worthwhile pursuits which occupy our time and energy all throughout the week but from the earliest days of the Church, Sunday was unique for Catholics. In our time, Sunday has slowly lost its pride of place. In the Archdiocese of Detroit, we are committed to setting aside this day as much as possible for God-centered pursuits.
First and foremost, Sunday is the day of the Resurrection of Jesus to new life. It is the day that definitively marked Jesus’ victory over sin and death, and it is the day that represents that in Jesus we too share in this same victory through our baptism. Therefore, Sunday is not an ordinary day, not just another day of the week. Every Sunday is a mini-Easter Sunday! It is right then to say that Sunday is truly the Lord’s Day.
The first way we keep Sunday holy is through our worship of the Triune God. This is done most perfectly in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, where we offer back to the Father the very life of the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, the disciples of Jesus made it a hallmark to gather as a community of believers on this day. The Code of Canon Law and the Catechism of the Catholic Church state that “on Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass.”2 This obligation to attend Sunday Mass-either on the day or on the vigil in the evening—is the most essential way we individually and collectively worship the Lord who gave himself for us.
(The entire wording of this Pastoral Note from our Archbishop is available here: "The Day of the Lord".
This is how St. Cyril of Jerusalem instructed the newly-baptized in his congregation during his Easter sermon in the year 348: “When you approach Holy Communion, make the left hand into a throne for the right, which will receive the King. With your hand hollowed, receive the Body of Christ and answer ‘Amen’. Then consume it, taking care not to lose any of it.”
There is no “absolute” way of taking Communion. However, the following steps might be helpful, always remembering that the first rule is reverence.
1. Place one open palm on top of the other. (If you are right-handed, the right hand should be on the bottom; if left-handed, the left hand should be on the bottom.)
2. The minister says “Body of Christ”, you reply “Amen”. Bow your head slightly. The minister places the Host in your open palm.
3. Step aside to make room for the next communicant.
4. With your lower hand, take the Host and place it in your mouth. Only after this, return to your place.