Solemnity of the Transitus of our

Holy Father Saint Benedict

Most Rev. Roberto O. Gaa, D.D.

Mass Presider

March 21, 2023

8:00 A.M.
GONG 3X

Commentator: CALL TO WORSHIP

Good morning, Scholastican community.

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Transitus of St. Benedict. This

means that today, we commemorate the passing of St. Benedict.

In Western Christianity, Transitus refers to "the time of passage through

death to life". The Christian theologian German Martinez writes that:
The idea of death in the Latin transitus (transition, passing over)
represents a unique Christian terminology linked to the paschal mystery.
It consecrates the passage of the dying to eternal life. Offering the sacrifice
of his or her personal life, the believer shares in the paschal transitus of
Christ himself.

In Chapter 4 of the Rule of St. Benedict, our patron followed the spirit of
other ancient monastics, and he did not try to suppress thoughts of death
and last things. St. Benedict simply says, “Remember to keep death before
your eyes daily.”

As followers of St. Benedict, this is a reminder for us to live our daily lives
more fully and in a richer way. When we look at our lives in this way, we
can release the hidden anxieties and help us to surrender to the mystery
that Christ has promised us.

It is a time to feel deep gratitude for the life we have been given, for the
friends and family we love and who extend their love so freely.

It is a time to be grateful for being who we are. In celebration of Women’s

month, we thank all women, specially our mothers who gave birth to us,
for other women in our lives who help support life, and for Mother Earth,
our source of nourishment that sustains life.

Our presider for this morning’s Eucharistic celebration is the Most

Reverend Roberto O. Gaa, Bishop of the Diocese of Novaliches. Let us rise
and join our voices in singing the entrance hymn.
 THE INTRODUCTORY RITES

ENTRANCE
When the people are gathered, the Presider approaches the altar with the ministers while the
Entrance Chant is sung.

When he has arrived at the altar, after making a profound bow with the ministers, the Presider
venerates the altar with a kiss and, if appropriate, incenses the cross and the altar. Then, with the
ministers, he goes to the chair.

When the Entrance Chant is concluded, the Presider and the faithful, standing, sign themselves
with the Sign of the Cross, while the Presider, facing the people, says:

GREETING
Presider:

I n the name of the  Father,

and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
People:
Amen.

Presider:
Peace be with you.

People:
And with your spirit.

PENITENTIAL RITE
Then follows the Penitential Act, to which the Priest invites the faithful, saying:

B rothers and Sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so

prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.

CONFITIEOR
A brief pause for silence follows and the presider says:

Presider: I confess to almighty God

People: and to you, my brothers and sisters,

that I have greatly sinned,
 in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,

through my fault, through my fault,

through my most grievous fault;

therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,

all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.

The absolution by the Priest follows:

M ay Almighty God have mercy on us,

forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
People:
Amen.

KYRIE ELEISON (to be sung)

The Priest/Cantor, then says the following or other invocations with Kyrie, eleison (Lord,
have mercy):

Lord, have mercy.

The people reply:

Lord, have mercy.

The Priest/Cantor:

Christ, have mercy.

The people:
Christ, have mercy.

The Priest/Cantor:

Lord, have mercy.

The people:
Lord, have mercy.
GLORIA (to be sung)
The celebrant intones the Gloria in excelsis (Glory to God), then the people follow.

G and on earth peace to people of good will.

We praise you, we bless you,
we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One,

you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God, the Father.
Amen.

COLLECT
The Priest, with hands joined, says:

Let us pray.
Pause for silent prayer.

L ord our God, you filled the blessed abbot Benedict

with the spirit of your Son
and made him a master in the way of perfection.
As we celebrate his entrance into glory,
may we attain that love which surpasses all understanding.
 We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
People:
Amen.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

FIRST READING
Gn 12:1-4a

A reading from the book of Genesis

T he Lord said to Abram:

“Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk
and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.

“I will make of you a great nation,

and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you
and curse those who curse you.
All the communities of the earth
shall find blessing in you.”

Abram went as the Lord directed him.

The Word of the Lord.

People:

Thanks be to God.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Ps 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 11

℟. You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;

I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
 ℟. You are my inheritance, O Lord.

I bless the LORD who counsels me;

even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.

℟. You are my inheritance, O Lord.

You will show me the path to life,

fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.

℟. You are my inheritance, O Lord.

SECOND READING
Ph 4:4-9

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians

B rothers and Sisters:

Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters,

whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious,
if there is any excellence
and if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.
Keep on doing what you have learned and received
and heard and seen in me.
Then the God of peace will be with you.

The Word of the Lord.

People:

Thanks be to God.
Commentator:
 Let us all rise and honor the Holy Gospel.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL

Jn 17:21

℟. Glory and Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

May they all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you,

that the world may believe that you sent me, says the Lord.

℟. Glory and Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

GOSPEL
Jn 17:20-26

℟. The Lord be with you.

℣. And with your spirit.

℟. A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

℣. Glory to you, O Lord.

L ifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying:

“I pray not only for these,
but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
so that they may all be one,
as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
that they also may be in us,
that the world may believe that you sent me.
And I have given them the glory you gave me,
so that they may be one, as we are one,
I in them and you in me,
that they may be brought to perfection as one,
that the world may know that you sent me,
and that you loved them even as you loved me.
Father, they are your gift to me.
I wish that where I am they also may be with me,
that they may see my glory that you gave me,
because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, the world also does not know you,
but I know you, and they know that you sent me.
I made known to them your name and I will make it known,
 that the love with which you loved me
may be in them and I in them.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

People:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

HOMILY
After the Gospel, the Homily follows.

PROFESSION OF FAITH
I believe in one God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God, begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,

At the words that follow, up to and including “and became man,” all bow

and by the Holy Spirit

was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
 and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.

PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

Presider:

St. Benedict died standing with his arms held high on both
sides by two of his disciples in a gesture of prayer. Through
his intercession, let us lift up with confidence our petitions
as we say:

LORD, GRANT US A WISE AND LISTENING HEART!

1. With St. Benedict, who was blessed by God in grace and in name,
may Pope Francis, our bishops and priests and all religious be
filled with that same spirit, to love what he loved, and live as he
taught us without counting the cost.
Let us pray to the Lord!

2. With St. Benedict who laboured to seek peace and pursue it, may
we and all our leaders work towards unity, justice and peace in
our country, and may we all have a listening ear to hear the cries
of the poor and a heart ready to stand up in their defence.
Let us pray to the Lord!

3. With St. Benedict who sought Christ in community, may all

families and communities mirror the ideals of the early Christian
communities: a community of one heart and one mind.
Let us pray to the Lord!

4. With St. Benedict, the man who sought God in prayer and in
work, may we who are present in this Eucharist proclaim humbly
and joyfully the Good News of God’s love in loving service to
others.
Let us pray to the Lord!

5. With St. Benedict, who advocated his followers to “live by the work of
their hands,” may all who labour and toil, especially women all
over the world who support their families and work tirelessly be justly
compensated and rewarded for what they truly deserve.
Let us pray to the Lord!
 6. In silence we pause to pray for all our intentions, and for the intentions
of all March birthday and feastday celebrants (pause).
Let us pray to the Lord!
Presider:

L oving God, you are always attentive to the hope and cries of
your people. Through the intercession of St. Benedict, make us
know the shortness of our life that we may gain wisdom of heart.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.
People:

Amen.
Commentator:

Please be seated and let us prepare ourselves for the Liturgy of the
Eucharist.

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

PREPARATION of the Altar & the Gifts
When all this has been done, the Offertory Chant begins. Meanwhile, the ministers
place the corporal, the purificator, the chalice, the pall, and the Missal on the altar.

It is desirable that the faithful express their participation by making an offering,

bringing forward bread and wine for the celebration of the Eucharist and perhaps
other gifts to relieve the needs of the Church and of the poor.

The Presider, standing at the altar, takes the paten with the bread and holds it
slightly raised above the altar with both hands, saying in a low voice:

B lessed are you, Lord, God of all creation.

for through your goodness we have received
the bread we offer you:
fruit of the earth and work of human hands,
it will become for us the bread of life.
Then help aces the paten with the bread on the

corporal.

People:

Blessed be God forever.

The deacon pours wine and a little water into the chalice saying inaudibly:

By the mystery of this water and wine

may we come to share in the divinity of Christ,
 who humbled himself to share in our humanity.

Then the Presider takes the chalice and, holding it slightly raised above the altar says:

B lessed are you, Lord, God of all creation.

for through your goodness we have received
the wine we offer you:
fruit of the vine and work of human hands,
it will become our spiritual drink.

Then he places the chalice on the

corporal.

People:
Blessed be God forever.

After this, the Presider, bowing profoundly, says quietly:

With humble spirit and contrite heart

may we be accepted by you, O Lord,
and may our sacrifice in your sight this day
be pleasing to you, Lord God.
If appropriate, he also incenses the offerings, the cross, and the altar.

A Deacon or other minister then incenses the Priest and the people.

Then the Priest, standing at the side of the altar, washes his hands, saying quietly:

Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.
Standing at the middle of the altar, facing the people, he extends and then joining his hands, saying:

Pray, brothers and sisters,

that my sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God,
the Almighty Father.

The people rise and reply:

May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands

for the praise and glory of his name,
for our good and the good of all his holy Church.

PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS

 Then the Priest, with hands extended, says the Prayer over the Offerings:

L ord,
may the prayer of Saint Benedict accompany
these our gifts
which we offer you in devoted service.
Sharing now in the sufferings of Christ,
may we hereafter be united with him in his glory.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
People:

Amen.
PREFACE OF ST. BENEDICT

℣. The Lord be with you.

℟. And with your spirit.

℣. Lift up your hearts.

℟. We lift them up to the Lord.

℣. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

℟. It is right and just.

F ather, all-powerful and ever-living God,

we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks

We praise you for the life and teaching of blessed Benedict.

Preferring nothing to the love of Christ,
he consecrated himself and his disciples
in the service of the one true King.

You chose him as a Master in the way of perfection

so that inspired by his work and example,
Your people might seek in you in truth
And strive for the rewards you have promised.

And therefore we sing your praise

with all the company of Angels and Saints
as we joyfully proclaim:

SANCTUS (to be sung)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts,

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.
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER III
The Priest, with hands extended, says:

You are indeed Holy, O Lord,

and all you have created rightly gives you praise,
for through your Son our Lord Jesus
Christ, by the power and working of the
Holy Spirit,
you give life to all things and make them holy,
and you never cease to gather a people to
yourself, so that from the rising of the sun to
its setting
a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name.

He joins his hands and, holding them extended over the offerings, says:

Therefore, O Lord, we humbly implore

you: by the same Spirit graciously make
holy
these gifts we have brought to you for consecration,

He joins his hands and makes the Sign of the Cross once over the bread and chalice
together, saying:
that they may become the Body and 
Blood of your Son our Lord Jesus
Christ,

He joins his hands.

at whose command we celebrate these mysteries.

In the formulas that follow, the words of the Lord should be pronounced clearly and
distinctly, as the nature of these words requires.

For on the night he was betrayed

He takes the bread and, holding it slightly raised above the altar, continues:

he himself took bread,

and, giving you thanks, he said the blessing,
broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying:
 He bows slightly.
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT,
FOR THIS IS MY BODY,
WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.

He shows the consecrated host to the people, places it again on the paten, and genuflects
in adoration.
After this, he continues:
In a similar way, when supper was ended,

He takes the chalice and, holding it slightly raised above the altar, continues:
he took the chalice,
and, giving you thanks, he said the
blessing, and gave the chalice to his
disciples, saying:

He bows slightly.
TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND
DRINK FROM IT, FOR THIS IS
THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD,
THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT,
WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY
FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.

He shows the chalice to the people, places it on the corporal, and genuflects in adoration.
Then he says:

The mystery of faith.

And the people continue, acclaiming:

When we eat this bread and drink this cup,

we proclaim your death, O Lord,
until you come again.
Then the main celebrant, with hands extended, says:
Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the
memorial of the saving Passion of your
Son, his wondrous Resurrection and
Ascension into heaven,
and as we look forward to his second
coming, we offer you in thanksgiving
this holy and living sacrifice.

Look, we pray, upon the oblation of your Church

and, recognizing the sacrificial Victim
by whose death you willed to reconcile us to
yourself,
grant that we, who are
nourished by the Body and
Blood of your Son and filled
with his Holy Spirit,
may become one body, one spirit in Christ.

Celebrant or one concelebrant continues:

May he make of us
an eternal offering to you,
so that we may obtain an inheritance with your elect,
especially with the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of
God, with Blessed Joseph her most chaste spouse.
with your blessed Apostles and glorious Martyrs,
St. SCHOLASTICA, St. BENEDICT,
and with all the Saints,
on whose constant intercession in your
presence we rely for unfailing help.
 The main celebrant continues:

May this Sacrifice of our

reconciliation, we pray, O Lord,
advance the peace and salvation of all the world.
Be pleased to confirm in faith and
charity your pilgrim Church on
earth, with your servant FRANCIS
our Pope and JOSE our Bishop,
the Order of Bishops, all the clergy,
and the entire people you have gained for your own.

Listen graciously to the prayers of this family,

whom you have summoned before you:
in your compassion, O merciful Father,
gather to yourself all your children
scattered throughout the world.

The main celebrant continues:

To our departed brothers and

sisters and to all who were
pleasing to you
at their passing from this life,
give kind admittance to your kingdom.
There we hope to enjoy for ever
the fullness of your glory

He joins his hands.

through Christ our Lord,

through whom you bestow on the world
 all that is good.

He takes the chalice and the paten with the host and, raising both, he says:

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

The people acclaim:

Amen.
COMMUNION RITE
Presider:

A t the Savior’s command

and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
He extends his hands and, together with the people, continues:

Our Father, who art in

heaven, hallowed by thy
name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily

bread; and forgive us our
trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass
against us; and lead us not into
temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

With hands extended, the Presider alone continues, saying:

D eliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,

graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
He joins his hands.
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The people conclude the prayer, acclaiming:

For the kingdom,

the power and the glory are
yours now and forever.

SIGN OF PEACE
Then the Presider, with hands extended, says aloud:

L ord Jesus Christ,

who said to your Apostles:
Peace I leave you, my peace I give
you, look not on our sins,
but on the faith of your Church,
and graciously grant her peace and
unity in accordance with your will.

He joins his hands.

Who live and reign forever and ever.

The people reply:

Amen.
The Presider, turned towards the people, extending and then joining his hands, adds:

The peace of the Lord be with you always.

The people reply:

And with your spirit.

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Then, if appropriate, the Deacon, or the Presider, adds:

Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

And all offer one another a sign, in keeping with local customs, that expresses peace,
communion, and charity. The Presider gives the sign of peace to a Deacon or minister.

Then he takes the host, breaks it over the paten, and places as mall piece in the chalice,
saying quietly:

May this mingling of the Body and Blood

of our Lord Jesus Christ
bring eternal life to us who receive
it.

BREAKING OF THE BREAD

Meanwhile the following is sung or said:

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the

world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the
world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
grant us peace.
The invocation may even be repeated several times if the fraction is prolonged. Only the final
time,
however, is grant us peace said.

PRIVATE PREPARATION
Then the Presider, with hands joined, says quietly:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God,

who, by the will of the Father
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 and the work of the Holy Spirit,
through your Death gave life to the world,
free me by this, your most holy Body and
Blood, from all my sins and from every evil;
keep me always faithful to your
commandments, and never let me be parted
from you.

COMMUNION
The Presider genuflects, takes the host and, holding its lightly raised above the paten or above the
chalice, while facing the people, says aloud:

B ehold the Lamb of God,

behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

And together with the people he adds once:

Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my

roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be
healed.
The Presider, facing the altar, says quietly:

May the Body of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.

And he reverently consumes the Body of Christ. Then he takes the chalice

and says quietly:

May the Blood of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.

And he reverently consumes the Blood of Christ.
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After this, he takes the paten or ciborium and approaches the communicants. The
Presider raises a host slightly and shows it to each of the communicants, saying:

The Body of Christ.

The communicant replies:

Amen.
While the Presider is receiving the Body of Christ, the Communion Chant begins.
When the distribution of Communion is over, the Presider or a Deacon or an acolyte purifies
the
paten over the chalice and also the chalice itself.

While he carries out the purification, the Presider says quietly:

What has passed our lips as food, O

Lord, may we possess in purity of
heart, that what has been given to us
in time may be our healing for
eternity.
Then the Presider may return to the chair. If appropriate, a sacred silence may be
observed for a while, or a psalm or other canticle of praise or a hymn may be sung.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Presider:

Let us pray.
Pause for silent prayer.

L 25
 ord ,
may Saint Benedict, who passed to you strengthened by
these mysteries, pray for us.
May our lives express the loves
which urges us on to our eternal glory.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
People:
Amen.

CONCLUDING RITE
The Presider receives the miter and, extending his hands, says:

The Lord be with you.

People:

And with your spirit.

Presider:

B lessed be the name of the Lord.

People:
Now and forever.

Presider:
O ur help is in the name of the Lord.
People:
Who made heaven and earth.

Then the Presider receives the crozier, if he uses it, and says:

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 May almighty God bless you,
making the Sign of the Cross over the people he adds:

the Father , and the Son,

and the Holy  Spirit.
People:

Amen.

DISMISSAL
Then the Deacon, or the Presider himself, with hands joined and facing the people, says:

T he Mass is ended.
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.

People: Thanks be to God.

WORDS OF GRATITUDE

RECESSIONAL
The final hymn is sung. Then the Priest venerates the altar as usual with a kiss, as at the
beginning. After making a profound bow with the ministers, he withdraws.

That in all things God may be glorified!

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