Our Lady Queen of Peace, St. Clement's and St. Gerard's

Resource Material

CHILD SAFE GUARDING POLICY

CATHOLIC FAITH CORNER - Your faith, your life

THE CONCLUDING RITE

The priest, along with the deacon, will kiss the Altar once again as he did when he began the Holy Mass. It is similar to the ritual of love, when we visit a friend or a relative. The kiss of farewell at the end of the celebration reflects the kiss whereby the Altar is greeted at the beginning of the Holy Mass. Both are gestures venerating the Altar as the symbol of Christ.

The priest, the deacon, the Altar servers and the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, who take Holy Communion to the sick, the elderly and home bound will come to the front of the sanctuary and form a procession. The prayer to St Michael the Archangel is prayed and a hymn is sung while the priest, the deacon, the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and the Altar servers leave the sanctuary. All are expected to remain in the church until the recessional hymn is over. When the hymn is over, all could take some time to say a silent prayer and then genuflect and leave the church in silence.

After the Holy Mass we don't run away, but we take a few minutes to greet each other outside the church. This gesture would remind us that we are not strangers, but rather members of the family of God, the family of Grassy Park Parish, if you don't mind you are encouraged to greet the priest as well, as he is your shepherd.