Resources

Resources for priests, music ministers, altar ministers and other volunteers

To help all those serving in the preparation and celebration of Mass we have gathered useful documents, instructions, guidelines and tips for you. Besides being a collection of information gathered from various sources, this page is also built on the experiences the Enschede International Mass Team has gained over the years.

Contents:
  1. What is Mass?
  2. Why do people choose International Mass over regular Mass?
  3. How can we promote understandability?
  4. How can we promote recognizability?
  5. Tips for priests, deacons, liturgical ministers
  6. Tips for music ministers
  7. Tips for volunteers in the altar ministry
  8. Tips for volunteers in the hospitality ministry
  9. Resources
The Enschede International Mass
with Fr. Ben at St. Paul's Chapel
10. Educational videos

1. What is Mass?
The Mass, the celebration of the Eucharist, is:
- thanksgiving and praise to the Father;
- the sacrificial memorial of Christ and his Body;
- the presence of Christ by the power of his word and of his Spirit (CCC 1358).
Indeed, the Eucharist is a sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for the work of creation of God. Therefore, in all the effort you put in the celebration, make sure to, as Jesus himself stated: "Do this in commemoration of me" (Luke 22:19).

2. Why do people choose International Mass over regular Mass?
Following an evaluation meeting in 2014 the Enschede International Mass Team came to conclusion that the main reason for people to choose for the International Mass, instead of a regular (Dutch) Mass, is that they can understand what is being said and sung, and recognize that they are attending a Roman-Catholic celebration. It should also be noted that people come from as far as Deventer and Zwolle because here they can understand and recognize the Mass. It is therefore important that the International Mass does not loose understandability and recognizability, because then, there would be very little reason for people to travel this far and choose International Mass over regular Mass. Understandability and recognizability are seen as the most important characteristics that distinguish the International Mass from regular Mass.

3. How can we promote understandability?
To promote understandability, English is chosen as main language. Other languages can be used as secondary languages. However, switching languages should be done with moderation, both to preserve integrity and to prevent a disjointed worship experience. The use of booklets in several languages can be of great help to promote understandability. As a helpful resource, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote guidelines on multiligual celebrations of Mass.

4. How can we promote recognizability?
To promote recognizability, the International Mass Team chooses to follow the Roman Missal and its instructions closely. With the recognizability of the Roman-Catholic Mass it works quite similarly like the recognizability of an international brand. In the same way cola is associated with red, the Roman-Catholic Mass is recognized by how it is build up, the kneeling and standing of the people, the use of incense, etcetera. Every difference from the internationally accepted instructions weakens the recognizability of Mass and can even lead to the loss of integrity of worship. As Catholics, we are proud to celebrate the Roman-Catholic Mass, a liturgy format that is known all over the world.

5. Tips for priests, deacons, liturgy ministers
The 2011 English-language edition of the Roman Missal (including the General Instructions of the Roman Missal) is available at St. Jacobuskerk Enschede and on the internet as a 55 mb large pdf-file.
In case you would like to chant texts from the Roman Missal here are simple music settings.
For the readings there are several English translations. We use translations provided by the Irish Bishop's Conference, these.
Please, when preparing your homily, remember that since English is not the mother language of most of your listeners, the attention span is shorter than in regular Masses.
Please be moderate in switching languages, as not to create a disjointed worship experience and to preserve the integrity of the prayer.
Feel free to slow down at difficult parts of texts, as to preserve the integrity of the prayer, and for your listeners to understand and recognize what the text says. When it is difficult for you, it's probably also difficult for your listeners.
At the end of International Mass the congregation is used to sing Salve Regina.


The cantor leads and motivates
the congregation to join singing
6. Tips for music ministers
The purpose of liturgical music at Mass is to intensify the unity of those who have assembled and lead their thoughts to the mystery of the season or feast (GIRM). Music ministers are advised to choose liturgical hymns in accordance with the season or feast, as not to create a disjointed worship experience. One can learn what the theme of the day is, by checking the readings of the specific day.


Music List International Mass (22 kb)
Music List
(Fill in Table)
Liturgical hymns can be chosen for specific parts of Mass. To help you we created a fill in table that we highly recommend you to download (see the icon on left). You can also use this file to submit your music list to the International Mass Team.



There are many liturgical hymns to choose from. In general, any liturgical music written in praise and thanksgiving for the work of creation of God can be suitable for Mass. Many composers and Christian communities have written liturgical music, and there are several publishers in the field with a great collection. Some inspiring Youtube suggestions:
World Youth Day Music, World Youth Day Hymns, Marco Frisina, Emmanuel Community, Taizé Community, Catholic Hymnals, BCC's Songs of Praise, Contemporary Mass Settings, CC Watershed, Gregorian Chant, John Rutter, Henryk Jan BotorDan Schutte, Marty Haugen, David Haas, Arvo Pärt, James MacMillan, Benjamin Britten.
Wikipedia-page on Contemporary Catholic liturgical music.
Publishers of liturgical music: OCP, GIA, ICEL, CC Watershed, Musica Sacra, Taizé Community, Emmanuel Community.
In case the priest would like to chant texts from the Roman Missal here are simple music settings.
At the end of International Mass the congregation is used to sing Salve Regina. Since the hymn is so well known, the Salve Regina has become a sort of community hymn.
Last but not least: Ariëns Music Ministry made available almost their entire repertoire in a shared folder on Dropbox. You can find here music sheets and texts from popular hymns like Marco Frisina's 'Jesus Christ you are my life', 'Misericordias Domini' from Henryk Botor and hymns from the World Youth Days.

Some inspiration: hymns we often sing and hear at the International Mass:

 

7. Tips for volunteers in the altar ministry
Readers: For the readings there are several English translations. We use a translation provided by the Irish Bishop's Conference, these.
Those speaking with the microphone, please speak slowly. The building's acoustics create lots of echos. Check the position of the microphone. Reading should not be too theatrical and clothing should not be distracting (altar server clothing could be a good option), since your role is to bring people closer to "the presence of Christ by the power of his word".
Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion (EMHCs) can
help the priest and deacon to distribute the Body of Christ
Servers: If you have an episcopal appointment as Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (EMHC) you can help distributing Holy Communion. Otherwise, you can ask for temporary permission by the celebrant priest. Receiving Holy Communion on the tongue is norm, but in the Netherlands the reception on hands is also tolerated. Blessings can only be given by a priest or deacon.
Serving a Mass 'with Staff and Miter': Before the Veneration of the Altar, the Bishop hands off the staff and removes the miter. After the Collect Prayer (that is the opening prayer just before the Liturgy of the Word starts) he will receive the miter back. After the Bishop blesses the Gospel reader, when the Gospel Acclamation begins, he will remove the miter. After he traces the sign of the cross on his forehead lips and chest, that is before the Reading of the Gospel starts, he will receive the staff. During the Homily he may use the miter and/or staff or he may put it aside. For the Profession of Faith He will remove the miter. For the Preparation of the Altar, he will wear the miter, then for the Offertory, he will remove it. After the Prayer over the Offerings he will remove the zucchetto. After Communion is complete he puts the zucchetto back on. At the end of Mass the Bishop puts the miter back on and receives the staff for the final blessing.


A hospitality minister acts as an ambassador
representing the church community to its guests
8. Tips for volunteers in the hospitality ministry
As volunteers in the Hospitality Ministry you are called to welcome, guide, serve and protect with charity, temperance, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility. A hospitality minister acts as an ambassador between the church community and its guests by making people feel comfortable to join the celebration. At the begining of Mass, hospitality ministers welcome the people and hand out the booklets that are being used. Before, throughout and after the Mass, hospitality ministers respond to people's requests and help them as much as possible. At the end of the Mass, the hospitality ministers help people finding their way to the parish meeting hall. These duties keep a hospitality minister busy, but they also help build relationship in the community.
Another priority for hospitality ministers is seeing to the safety of the people in church. Should any person engage in unsafe behavior during Mass, hospitality ministers respond by informing the person of the infraction and if necessary, enforcing the person in a charitable but diligent way out of the building.
In emergencies, hospitality ministers take the lead in aiding people. This may be administering first aid or evacuating people out of the church through the emergency exits. Should a medical emergency occur during Mass, a hospitality minister assesses the condition of the person, performs first aid if needed and possible, and informs the team of the situation..


9. Resources:

General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM)
The full document (pdf) governing the celebration of Mass of the ordinary form of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.

The Roman Missal, English translation (2011 edition)
The Roman Missal is the book containing the prescribed prayers, chants, and instructions for the celebration of Mass in the Roman Catholic Church. Here is the 2011 English language edition, downloadable in a 55 mb large pdf-file.

Instructions for music ministers (GIRM-based)
Short and to the point instructions for those preparing the music parts of Mass. (Used by the Enschede International Mass Team as reference text).

Fill in table for those choosing hymns
Fill in table with suggestions for those preparing the music parts of Mass. We highly recommend choir leaders and other music ministers to use this format in their preparation and their communication to the International Mass Team.

Music settings for texts from the Roman Missal
Parts of the English-language Ordinary of Mass set to chant, including prefaces, Eucharistic prayers and the ordinary parts of Mass.

Mass readings for coming Sunday (Dioceses of Ireland)
Find here the readings for coming Sunday's Mass, in the exact translation as used at the Enschede International Mass.

Homilies by Fr. Robert Barron (audio)
In case you have not find time or inspiration for an English-language homily for Sunday's Mass, listen to one here by Rev. Fr. Robert Barron S.T.D., priest in the Roman-Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and Rector of Mundelein Seminary and the University of Saint Mary of the Lake.

Mass readings (Dioceses of the US)
Find here the readings for Mass for all days past and coming. Please note that this US-translation is different from the Ireland-translation that is being used at the Enschede International Mass.

Guidelines for a multilingual celebration of Mass (Dioceses of the US)
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote these guidelines to assist parishes and other communities faced with multicultural and multilingual celebrations of the Eucharist. The text can also be useful outside the United States.


10. Educational videos:





https://www.dropbox.com/s/2ae333ldh27y6x6/Music%20list%20for%20the%20Enschede%20International%20Mass.dotx?dl=0