What to Say at Mass
A clear guide to what people say at Catholic Mass from the opening greeting through the dismissal, including the main responses, acclamations, and Communion prayers.
If you want the spoken parts laid out in order, start here. You do not need every word memorized before attending, but it helps to know the fixed lines that return from week to week.
Jump to a part of the Mass
1. Opening responses
Amen.
This is the congregation's first spoken response.
And with your spirit.
You will hear this more than once during Mass.
2. Penitential Act and Kyrie
The penitential act can take more than one form. The congregation may say the Confiteor, answer short invocations, or take part in the sprinkling rite on some Sundays.
The Kyrie follows unless it has already been included in the form being used.
I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned...
This is the most common full penitential form.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
This may be spoken or sung.
3. Gloria and opening prayer
On Sundays outside Advent and Lent, and on solemnities and feasts, the Gloria is usually said or sung by the whole congregation.
After the Collect or opening prayer, the people answer, "Amen."
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will...
At many parishes this is sung.
Amen.
This closes the Introductory Rites.
4. Readings and Gospel
The reading responses are short and steady. Once you know them, the Liturgy of the Word becomes much easier to follow.
The responsorial psalm and Gospel acclamation change with the day, but the closing reading responses stay fixed.
Thanks be to God.
This follows "The Word of the Lord."
Glory to you, O Lord.
The congregation usually stands here.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
This closes the Gospel proclamation.
5. Creed and Prayer of the Faithful
On Sundays and solemnities, the congregation usually professes the Nicene Creed after the homily. Some Masses use the Apostles' Creed instead.
The intercessions that follow usually have a repeated congregational answer.
I believe in one God...
The Nicene Creed is the usual Sunday form.
Lord, hear our prayer.
A parish may use a very similar form instead.
6. Offertory and preface dialogue
During the preparation of the gifts, the people may answer the priest's blessing prayers with "Blessed be God for ever."
Just before the Eucharistic Prayer, the priest and people exchange a fixed dialogue.
Blessed be God for ever.
This may be hard to hear if an offertory hymn is being sung.
May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.
This is the longer offertory response many people want in one place.
And with your spirit.
This begins the preface dialogue.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Part of the same dialogue.
It is right and just.
This leads into the Preface.
7. Eucharistic Prayer
The congregation does not say every word of the Eucharistic Prayer, but it does join in the major acclamations.
These are some of the most important spoken or sung parts of the Mass.
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Often sung.
One approved form is used after "The mystery of faith."
Follow the missal or the parish setting here.
Amen.
This closes the Eucharistic Prayer.
8. Communion Rite
Before Communion, the congregation says the Our Father together. After the priest's prayer beginning "Deliver us, Lord," the people answer with the doxology.
Then come the sign of peace, the Lamb of God, and the response before Communion.
Our Father, who art in heaven...
The full prayer is said or sung by all.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever.
This comes before the sign of peace.
And with your spirit.
This is the last time many people hear this response during Mass.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us...
The final line ends with "grant us peace."
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
This is one of the most important fixed Communion responses.
Amen.
The communicant says this before receiving Holy Communion.
9. Blessing and dismissal
At the end of Mass, the priest often says, "The Lord be with you" once more before the blessing.
After the dismissal, the people answer, "Thanks be to God."
And with your spirit.
This comes before the final blessing.
Amen.
The congregation receives the blessing with this answer.
Thanks be to God.
This is the final liturgical response of the Mass.
How to learn it without getting overwhelmed
Start with the short fixed lines that repeat all year. Then learn the longer responses, especially the offertory response and the Communion prayer.
If a parish uses singing for many parts, listening the first time and joining gradually is normal.
Pastoral summary
You do not need perfect recall to participate well at Mass. But if you know the opening responses, the reading responses, the Eucharistic acclamations, the Communion prayer, and the dismissal, you can follow the whole spoken shape of the liturgy much more confidently.