Common Mistakes Catholics make @ Holy Mass:
1. Being oblivious of the penitential rite;
the short pause by the priest after asking that we all make ourselves worthy to partake of the Holy sacrifice of the Mass, is for us to call to mind our venial sins and be sincerely sorry for them. This act cleanses us of the venial sins. We must note that no amount of prayer is able to absolve us of mortal sins. Such absolution can only be gained at a sacramental confession.
2. Lack of attention during the liturgy of words. A simple litmus test to know the level of your concentration during the readings and Gospel is to wait as soon as the Gospel proclamation is over, try remembring what was read during the first and second readings.
Again if you are prone to sleeping, avoid the fan and by all means make yourself a little uncomfortable during the homily. It is actually very embarrassing to be caught sleeping, snoring or even salivating during the Homily
3. Indiscriminate tracing of the cross on various areas of the face and torso during the Gospel proclamation.
Crosses are traced on the fore head, the lips and the heart, while saying at the same time; Glory be to you Lord.
4. Unnecessary and deliberate delay to proceed for offering.
Most persons for reasons best known to them will not rise from their seats for offertory, this is more obvious during weekday Masses, where the normal pew by pew movement supervised by the church wardens is not practiced. Some persons prefer to run up at dying minutes to throw in their offertory, while all along they’ve been stuck on their seats. This is very wrong. As soon as offertory hymn is intoned, those with their offertory gifts should proceed to the nearest box and drop off their piece.
5. Taking the attention away from the Chief celebrant.
The choir most often falls into this bit. The transition period between the liturgy of the word and liturgy of the Eucharist, marked usually by offertory processions and blessing of the oblata, the hysteria carried over from music tunes and gyrations tends to keep the chief celebrant waiting.
The chief celebrant is the centre point during the celebration of the Holy Mass. He is to lead all steps of the Mass. As soon as he returns to the Altar of sacrifice, all songs MUST cease to enable him progress the Mass. It is wrong to keep on singing while the chief celebrant waits on the congregation.
6. Sitting during the period of consecration. Notice has been taken of persons whishing to preserve their clothing from getting soiled and so rather sits through consecration.
It must be seen as an obligation and significantly so to kneel all through the period of consecration and to stand to recite the Lord’s prayer.
We must see joy in unison.
7. Continuing with the sign of peace while the Lamb of God is being recited.
It is not proper to combine two different actions during the Holy Mass.
As soon as the Lamb of God is intoned, all kiss/sign of peace gesture must stop.
Again, the choir and or the congregation must not commence the recitation of the Lamb of God until the Chief celebrant is back to the Altar of sacrifice. Even if he choses to spread the sign of peace to all members of the congregation, the recitation of the Lamb of God must wait till he returns to the Altar of sacrifice.
8. Making the sign of the Cross at the Communion rail. One is expected to recite all necessary prayers before Holy Communion at the seat before proceeding to the Altar. Most often the Communion plate has been knocked off by persons who religiously carry out the sign of the Cross before and or after reception of the Holy Eucharist.
We are to desist from such acts. Before Holy Communion, say all ypur prayers at your seat and carry out as many signs of the Cross as you deem fit. Same applies after reception of the Holy Eucharist, proceed quietly to your seat and commence prayers after Holy Communion adding as many signs of the Cross as desired.
9. Making conscious effort to receive Holy Communion from a particular person.
This usually happens when Deacons and extraordinary Eucharistic ministers are involved in the distribution of the Holy Eucharist. One must know that Jesus Christ who is fully present body, soul and divinity in the Holy Eucharist is never diminished or made inactive by mode of distribution. As long the rite of consecration is rightly completed, Holy Communion remains what it is irrespective of who distributes it. He remains same Jesus Christ at the hands of a Pope as He is in the hands of extraordinary ministers of the Holy Eucharist.
Most often such persons are seen contesting with ministers of hospitality.
This selective action only portrays a misconception of the very essence of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. What must be paramount is our state of preparation, both in body and spirit. This is critically important.
10. Making effort to resume singing soon after the reception the Holy Eucharist. The danger here is that particles of the Communion could fly out with the saliva causing desecration.
It is proper to observe some minutes of silence after reception of the Holy Eucharist to at least have some quiet moments with God.
Best practice requires that the mouth be kept shut till Communion is completely dissolved in the mouth.
Remember that a moderate opening of the mouth and sticking of the tongue is very necessary to allow ease of placement of the Holy Communion.
Opening the mouth too wide or too little does no much good. Same also with sticking of the tongue so long and too fast that one would be seen as attempting to lick the hands of Holy Communion distributors.
It is also advisable to lick the mouth dry before sticking out the tongue. There have been cases of people with so moist a tongue that saliva was deposited on the Communion plate during distribution of the Holy Eucharist. One could imagine the difficulty this will pose to the priest.
11. Non communicants attempting to receive the Holy Eucharist.
Diligent effort by the priest and watchful eyes of the church wardens are very crucial in detecting such persons. Delay in normal response or silence from the communicant is all that is needed by the priest to identify such persons.
12. Recitation of the Holy Rosary and perhaps other prayers during the Holy Mass.
Holy Mass is already the highest form of prayer, why the deliberate distraction. All that is needed is attention and concentration through the various stages of the Holy Mass to be fulfilled.
14. Deliberate attempt not to participate in the Holy Mass.
Most persons neither sing to the hymns nor respond to the priest during the Holy Mass. The only time you hear them mutter a word is to either answer a phone during the Mass or exchange pleasantries.
Such persons surely do not savour the benefits of the Holy Eucharist.
In fact the only way to memorize the hymns and other Mass responses is by being a partaker!
More so our active participation during the Mass encourages the Priests! Let’s do more.
15. Attempt to sum up Holy Masses.
Some persons are in the habit of adding two Masses to make up one. An example is when a person attends his first Mass late, meeting the Mass during second reading. He then decides to stay for the second Mass and wait till the same second reading before calling it quits. In his calculation, all he missed before the second reading at the first Mass has now been accounted for during his wait at the second Mass.
Holy Mass is not mathematics, the various liturgy and rites form an indivisible part of one sacrifice called the Holy Mass.
If one feels late at a Mass, and finds it necessary to stay for the next Mass, he must stay all through the Mass from the sign of the Cross at the beginning to go in peace Mass is ended.
16. Leaving the Mass after post communion prayer.
This act is very wrong and perhaps derogatory, post Communion prayer marks the end of the liturgy of the Holy Eucharist and not the end of the Holy Mass!
Why the hurry!
Please let us all be mindful of these and make corrections where necessary.
God bless us all!
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