EPMC II

The second of the three EP’s for Masses with Children is noted for three preface acclamations preceding the Sanctus, plus another during the epiclesis.

If the priest were singing the Eucharistic Prayer, these work far better:

Priest: God, our loving Father, we are glad to give you thanks and praise because you love us. With Jesus we sing your praise:

All: Glory to God in the highest.
  or: Hosanna in the highest.

Priest: Because you love us, you gave us this great and beautiful world. With Jesus we sing your praise:

All: Glory to God in the highest.
  or: Hosanna in the highest.

Priest: Because you love us, you sent Jesus your Son to bring us to you and to gather us around him as the children of one family. With Jesus we sing your praise:

All: Glory to God in the highest.
  or: Hosanna in the highest.

Priest: For such great love, we thank you with the angels and saints as they praise you and sing (say):

All:  Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Priest: Blessed be Jesus, whom you sent to be the friend of children and of the poor.

He came to show us how we can love you, Father, by loving one another. He came to take away sin, which keeps us from being friends, and hate, which makes us all unhappy.

He promised to send the Holy Spirit, to be with us always so that we can live as your children.

All: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Priest: God our Father, we now ask you to send your Holy Spirit to change these gifts of bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Acclamations #6 and #7 conclude the insitution narrative words over the bread and wine respectively:

Priest: The night before he died, Jesus your Son showed us how much you love us. When he was at supper with his disciples, he took bread and gave you thanks and praise. Then he broke the bread, gave it to his friends, and said:

Take this, all of you, and eat it;
this is my body which will be given up for you.

All: Jesus has given his life for us.

Priest: When supper was ended, Jesus took the cup that was filled with wine. He thanked you, gave it to his friends, and said:

Take this, all of you, and drink from it;
this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven.

All: Jesus has given his life for us.

Priest: Then he said to them: do this in memory of me.

No Memorial Acclamation as such, but a refrain of praise repeated four times:

Priest: And so, loving Father, we remember that Jesus died and rose again to save the world. He put himself into our hands to be the sacrifice we offer you.

All: We praise you, we bless you, we thank you.

Priest: Lord our God listen to our prayer. Send the Holy Spirit to all of us who share in this meal. May this Spirit bring us closer together in the family of the Church, with {Benedict}, our Pope, {name of local bishop}, our bishop, all other bishops, and all who serve your people.

All: We praise you, we bless you, we thank you.

Priest: Remember, Father, our families and friends (…), and all those we do not love as we should. Remember those who have died (…). Bring them home to you to be with you for ever.

All: We praise you, we bless you, we thank you.

Priest: Gather us all together into your kingdom. There we shall be happy for ever with the Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our mother. There all the friends of Jesus the Lord will sing a song of joy.

All: We praise you, we bless you, we thank you.

Priest:  Through him, with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.

All:  Amen!  [may be sung more than once]

In theory, the multiple acclamations (twelve) are a good idea. They potentially engage the children, and they all maintain a focus upon God during this prayer. In practice, my experience with them has been less successful. Presiders are reluctant to sing these prayers. In fact I’ve never heard them sung. The multiple acclamations would work better in the framework of a chanted or sung anaphora.

These acclamations are hard to get on the tongue. Musical introductions of at least some of them seem to break up the continuity of the prayer. If anyone has done them smoothly, I’d like to hear about it.