Catholic Info

Traditional Catholic Faith => The Sacred: Catholic Liturgy, Chant, Prayers => Topic started by: Mercyandjustice on January 24, 2017, 11:39:08 PM

Title: Does the priest alone offer the Mass?
Post by: Mercyandjustice on January 24, 2017, 11:39:08 PM
I know only he can consecrate the bread and wine and physically offer it, but do the laity offer it spiritually too? In the Canon of the Mass the priest often says "we" and in the prayer of the living he says that we (the laity) offer "this sacrifice of praise."  And I went to a NO Mass and the priest said something to the effect of "Let us offer these gifts to the Lord" or "Let us pray that these gifts may be acceptable to the Lord" or something like that.

P.s. What is the Catholic understanding of the priesthood of all believers? (Also called Universal Priesthood.)


Thank you

Title: Does the priest alone offer the Mass?
Post by: poche on January 24, 2017, 11:55:39 PM
Quote from: Mercyandjustice
I know only he can consecrate the bread and wine and physically offer it, but do the laity offer it spiritually too? In the Canon of the Mass the priest often says "we" and in the prayer of the living he says that we (the laity) offer "this sacrifice of praise."  And I went to a NO Mass and the priest said something to the effect of "Let us offer these gifts to the Lord" or "Let us pray that these gifts may be acceptable to the Lord" or something like that.

P.s. What is the Catholic understanding of the priesthood of all believers? (Also called Universal Priesthood.)


Thank you



Pope Pius XII taught that the laity who participate also have a share in the offering of the mass. This participation in the priesthood of the faithful is different from the priesthood of the priest offering the mass. As a baptized Catholic your share in this offering of the mass is different from what would be when a Jew or a Moslem who might also be sitting in the congregation.