The Church has summed her principal doctrines in several lists. They usually begin with the word "Credo," I believe, and are therefore known as Creeds. In No. 172 we saw that the Council of Nice drew up a Creed in the year 325. This Creed was enlarged in 381 at Constantinople, but is still called the Nicene Creed. As early as the fifth century, the Creed was recited in the Mass in the eastern churches. It was inserted at the commencement of the Mass of the Faithful, because only the faithful were supposed to know the truths it contained. In the ninth century it was introduced on certain occasions into the Roman Liturgy, also at the beginning of the Mass of the Faithful. It is now said on all Sundays, and on the feasts of our Lord, the Blessed Virgin, the Apostles and the Doctors of the Church (No. 108). The reason is that these feasts are more intimately connected with the founding and spread of the faith which the Creed summarizes.
In the beginning the people brought the bread and wine for the Sacrifice, but for various reasons the offering was commuted into money. A survival of the old usage is still to be seen in the Masses or Ordination. At the consecration of a Bishop, he offers two small loaves and two miniature casks of wine. The other ministers present a waxen taper. At first, the money offering was made, in the same manner as the offering of bread and wine, that is to say, the people advanced to the altar and placed their gifts in the hands of the celebrant. In some places this usage is still observed at Masses for the dead, but in the middle ages the whole rite disappeared. No offering is made at Mass now, except at the Parish Masses on Sundays and Holy-days. The people no longer come to the altar and present their gifts, but collectors are sent through the congregation to take up the offerings. Consequently, with the disappearance of this rite, the washing of hands before and after ceased to be observed, and the first part of the Offertory is now represented only by the Psalm. It is to be noticed, however, that just as we have survivals of portions of it in Ordination Masses and in Masses ,for the dead, so the first washing of the hands is retained when a Bishop celebrates Solemn Mass. The second portion of the Offertory or the Procession remains as before in High Masses. But as a Low Mass discards all Processions, this portion is at Low Masses much curtailed. The priest has no ministers to bring the gilts to the altar; therefore he prepares them in the sacristy, and before he begins the confession he lays them on the altar covered with the veil (No. 133). After he has said the Offertory Psalm, he removes this veil, lays the bread on the corporal (No. 132), and pours the wine into the chalice. The Dominicans not only bring the gifts to the altar before the confession, but they also prepare the chalice by pouring in the wine at the same time. At a High Mass the gifts are brought to the altar by the sub-deacon, and the deacon assists the priest in presenting the bread and wine.
The laying of the gifts on the altar was accompanied by silent prayers. The Missal of Pius V fixed their text and order. Their adoption dates from the twelfth century, but their composition is far older. This portion of the Mass is sometimes called the Lesser Canon, and, as a matter of fact, the prayers are really a form of the prayers used in the Canon. They consists of:
(1) The offering of the bread.
(2) The blessing of the water and wine and the offering of the chalice.
(3) The invocation of the Holy Ghost.
(4) In a High Mass the prayers at the censing.
(5) The psalm at the Lavabo, or washing of the hands.
(6) The prayer to the Holy Trinity, corresponding to the Remembrance (No. 153) and the Invocation of the Saints (No. 155).
The secret prayer was built on the plan of the ancient prayers of the faithful (No. 145). It was preceded by an invitation and a prayer uttered by the assistants. During the early ages the Invitation consisted of the words, "Pray ye, brethren," but later on the object of the prayer was added. The old custom is still indicated by the fact that the priest says the first words in the hearing of the ministers, but the addition he repeats in an inaudible voice. Originally, too, the words of the assistants prayer were not fixed, but by the Missal of Pius V the following form was made obligatory:
"The Priest (aloud). Pray ye, brethren (inaudibly), that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God the Father Almighty.
"The Ministers. May the Lord receive the sacrifice from thy hands, to the praise and glory of His name, to our profit, and to the profit of all His Holy Church."
The priest answers "Amen," and proceeds to recite the secret prayer, which is influenced by the Church year (No. 175), and therefore differs for each Mass.
Pope Gregory abolished all the Prefaces in the Roman Liturgy except seven. During the middle ages, however, four others came into use and were admitted into the Missal of Pius V. They are the two Prefaces for Lent and Passiontide, a Preface of the Holy Trinity used on all Sundays which are not already provided for, and a Preface for feasts of the Blessed Virgin. The Missal of Benedict X adds one for Saint Joseph and one for Requiems. There are therefore in the Roman Missal now thirteen Prefaces:
In some churches the people could not get a good view of the altar at which Mass was being offered. Sometimes there were pillars in the way; sometimes the Rood Screen obstructed the view; sometimes the very size of the church made it impossible to recognize what the priest was doing. In order to warn the people that the Canon was beginning, a little bell was rung at the Sanctus. This custom is still retained even in churches of moderate size, both as an intimation to the people of the commencement of the most solemn portion of the Mass, and as an expression of joy at the coming of our Lord.
- taken from The Mass, by Father Peter Christopher Yorke