Saint Rita Parish

Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

Order of Service / Following Stations of the Cross
Before Stations- The altar is prepared with corporal, monstrance, and benediction candles; a white humeral
veil is placed over a side chair or table, easily accessible. Cushions are placed on the step in the front of the altar.

Station Booklets need to be made available to the congregation.

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Incense is lighted 11 Station. Benediction candles are lit during the 14 Station.

At the End of Stations- The presider and servers proceed to the front of the altar as at the beginning of a
Sunday mass; all bow; the presider proceeds to the tabernacle (open doors-genuflect-remove the luna-close the
doors partially-proceed to the altar); remove the pix and place in the monstrance; facing the people, position the
monstrance on the center of the corporal—genuflect. [“O Salutaris / O Saving Victim” 2vss]

Return to the front of the altar, the thurifer meets him to put incense in the thurible-bless the incense.

Kneel together for the first incensation: bow low; incense the Blessed Sacrament with “three doubles”-bow; thurifer
receives the thurible to hold.

PAUSE FOR 2 MINS OF SILENT ADORATION

[“Tantum Ergo/ Down In Adoration” 2vss]

During the first verse of Tatum Ergo, the presider and thurifer stand to prepare the incense. They kneel for the
incensation (as above); after, hand the thurible back to the thurifer.

At the end of the Tantum Ergo, the presider stands to intone:

V: “You have given them Bread from Heaven” [Choir and people respond]
R: “Having all sweetness within it.” Presider then sings a Collect Prayer
P: “Lord Jesus Christ,
you gave us this Eucharist / as the memorial of your suffering and death/
May our worship of this sacrament of your body and blood/
Help us to experience the salvation you won for us/ and the peace of the Kingdom
Where you live with the Father and the Holy Spirit/
One God forever and ever.” [Choir and people: AMEN]
An altar server gets the humeral veil (picking it up by the buckles) and places it on the shoulders of the presider (the
presider should reach back and receive the veil by the buckles.

At the conclusion of the Tantum Ergo, the presider stands, bows, and proceeds around the altar to the monstrance;
he wraps the ends of the humeral veil around the base of the monstrance and picks it up. BLESSING: with the
monstrance: slowly, the presider raises the monstrance high, marking the stem of the cross; brings it down to the
center, and crosses wide to the left and across to the right; he then returns to the middle position and lowers the
monstrance to the center of the corporal.

The presider returns to the center of the front of the altar; gives the veil back to the server; and kneels to the lead
the Divine Praises with “PLEASE JOIN ME IN PRAYING THE DIVINE PRAISES—ALTOGETHER PLEASE . . .”

The presider stands and goes around to the other side of the altar to return the Blessed Sacrament to the
tabernacle. He genuflects; brings the monstrance to himself, turns it counter clockwise to remove the pix, place in
the luna, and return to the tabernacle. Genuflect and close the tabernacle doors.

The presider returns to the front of the altar to join in the closing song. [Holy God We Praise Thy Name]

The ministers bow together, and process into the sacristy.
 Saint Rita Parish
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
NOTES:

Altar Servers Needed

STATIONS- (4 servers)
Cross bearer; two candle bearers; and one assistant to the presider.
BENEDICTION- (2 active servers—2 of the Stations servers.)
Thurifer (this could be the previous cross bearer); presider assistant (humeral veil)

Sacristan
A sacristan, familiar with this order of service, is needed prior to stations for set-up and then for
putting things away after services.

Music
Please use the traditional Stabat Mater for the verses between the stations. Benediction is as
indicated above—including Holy God We Praise thy Name.
A card with lyrics for the music should be inserted into the Station Booklet.