In the Catholic Church, the Mass is the central liturgical service of the Eucharist, in which bread and wine are consecrated and become the body and blood of Christ. The Mass has four basic parts or "rites":
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Introductory Rite: At the beginning of Mass, the priest processes in, accompanied by altar servers, and often the congregation sings a hymn. Once the priest reaches the sanctuary, he begins Mass by saying the sign of the cross.
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Liturgy of the Word: In this part of Mass, everyone listens to readings from the Bible, including a story from the Old Testament which is completed by what Jesus Christ did, and a reading from one of the Gospels. After the readings, everyone listens to the homily, or sermon preached by the priest. To complete this part of the Mass, on Sundays, everyone recites the Creed, which is the statement of faith in God, and then each parish has its own set of "intercessions" that are prayed.
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Liturgy of the Eucharist: This part of Mass begins with the preparation of the gifts and the altar. As the ministers prepare the altar, representatives of the people bring forward the bread and wine that will become the Body and Blood of Christ. The celebrant blesses and praises God for these gifts and places them on the altar. In addition to the bread and wine, monetary gifts for the support of the Church and the care of the poor may be brought forward. After the blessing, the deacon dismisses the people.
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Concluding Rite: The Mass being over, the faithful may depart or stay a while, pray, light votive candles at shrines in the church, converse with one another, etc. In some countries, including the United States, the priest customarily stands outside the church door to greet the faithful individually as they exit.
In summary, Mass is a religious service in the Catholic Church that involves the consecration of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. It consists of four basic parts or "rites": the Introductory Rite, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and the Concluding Rite.
