Basic Texts for the Roman Catholic Eucharist
Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with Children  I - III
(from the 1975 edition of the Sacramentary for Mass)

This webpage with the previous/old translations is retained for historical/archival/academic purposes only. It is not intended for presiders to use while celebrating the Liturgy, but is designed for comparative study of the Eucharistic Prayers. In order to see both the similarity in structure and the differences in wording and length of the various prayers, they are printed in parallel columns below. Texts and responses sung or spoken by all the people are indicated in bold type. Optional responses are indicated within [square brackets]. The "words of institution" are printed in dark red. Some of the texts spoken by the presider are optional for certain Masses or liturgical seasons, as indicated in small print below. Note that in the second and third EP for Children, the congregation does not speak the "Memorial Acclamation."


Preface Dialogue:

Priest:  The Lord be with you.   All:  And also with you.
Priest:  Lift up your hearts.   All:  We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest:  Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.   All:  It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Preface (giving praise and thanksgiving to God):

EP for Children I EP for Children II EP for Children III

Priest: God our Father, you have brought us here together so that we can give you thanks and praise for all the wonderful things you have done.

We thank you for all that is beautiful in the world and for the happiness you have given us. We praise you for daylight and for your word which lights up our minds. We praise you for the earth, and all the people who live on it, and for our life which comes from you.

We know that you are good. You love us and do great things for us.

[So we all sing (say) together:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.]

Father, you are always thinking about your people; you never forget us. You sent your Son Jesus, who gave his life for us and who came to save us. He cured sick people; he cared for those who were poor and wept with those who were sad. He forgave sinners and taught us to forgive each other. He love everyone and showed us how to be kind. He took children in his arms and blessed them.

[So we are glad to sing (say):
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.]

God our Father, all over the world your people praise you. So now we pray with the whole Church: with {Benedict}, our pope and {name of local bishop}, our bishop. In heaven the blessed Virgin Mary, the apostles and all the saints always sing your praise. Now we join with them and with the angels to adore you as we sing (say):

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):

Priest: We thank you, God our Father.

*You made us to live for you and for each other. We can see and speak to one another, and become friends, and share our joys and sorrows.

[*during the Easter Season, the preceding paragraph may be replaced with the following:
You are the living God; you have called us to share in your life, and to be happy with you for ever. You raised up Jesus, your Son, the first among us to rise from the dead, and gave him new life. You have promised to give us new life also, a life that will never end, a life with no more anxiety and suffering.]

And so, Father, we gladly thank you with every one who believes in you; with the saints and the angels, we rejoice and praise you, saying:

 

 

Holy, Holy (the "Sanctus", based on the praise of the Seraphim in Isa 6:3):

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.

Epiclesis (calling upon the Holy Spirit):

EP for Children I EP for Children II EP for Children III

Priest: God our Father, you are most holy and we want to show you that we are grateful.

We bring you bread and wine and ask you to send your Holy Spirit to make these gifts the body + and blood of Jesus your Son.

Then we can offer to you what you have given to us.

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.

Priest: Yes, Lord, you are holy; you are kind to us and to all. For this we thank you. We thank you above all for your Son, Jesus Christ.

*You sent him into this world because people had turned away from you and no longer loved each other. He opened our eyes and our hearts to understand that we are brothers and sisters and that you are Father of us all.

[*during the Easter Season, the preceding paragraph may be replaced with the following:
He brought us the good news of life to be lived with you for ever in heaven. He showed us the way to that life, the way of love. He himself has gone that way before us.]

He now brings us together to one table and asks us to do what he did.

Father, we ask you to bless these gifts of bread and wine and make them holy. Change them for us into the body + and blood of Jesus Christ, your Son.

Institution Narrative (recalling the words of Jesus at the Last Supper) and Memorial Acclamation:

EP for Children I EP for Children II EP for Children III

Priest: On the night before he died, Jesus was having supper with his apostles. He took bread from the table. He 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.

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

We do now what Jesus told us to do. We remember his death and resurrection and we offer you, Father, the bread that gives us life, and the cup that saves us. Jesus brings us to you; welcome us as you welcome him.

Let us proclaim our faith:

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.

[skip the following Memorial Acclamation]

Priest: On the night before he died for us, he had supper for the last time with his disciples. He took bread and gave you thanks. He broke the bread and gave it to his friends, saying:

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

In the same way he took a cup of wine. He gave you thanks and handed the cup to his disciples, saying:

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

[skip the following Memorial Acclamation]

Memorial Acclamation:

Priest:  Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:

All:  A - Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
   
or B - Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory.
    or C - When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory.
 
  or D - Lord, by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the Savior of the World.

Anamnesis, Offering, and Intercessions:

EP for Children I EP for Children II EP for Children III

Priest: Father, because you love us, you invite us to come to your table. Fill us with the joy of the Holy Spirit as we receive the body and blood of your Son.

Lord, you never forget any of your children. We ask you to take care of those we love, especially of N. and N., and we pray for those who have died.

Remember everyone who is suffering from pain or sorrow. Remember Christians everywhere and all other people in the world.

We are filled with wonder and praise when we see what you do for us through Jesus your Son, and so we sing:

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: God our Father, we remember with joy all that Jesus did to save us. In this holy sacrifice, which he gave as a gift to his Church, we remember his death and resurrection.

Father in heaven, accept us together with your beloved Son. He willingly died for us, but you raised him to life again. We thank you and say:

All: Glory to God in the highest. [or some other suitable acclamation of praise]

Priest: Jesus now lives with you in glory, but he is also here on earth, among us. We thank you and say:

All: Glory to God in the highest. [or some other suitable acclamation of praise]

Priest: One day he will come in glory and in his kingdom there will be no more suffering, no more tears, no more sadness. We thank you and say:

All: Glory to God in the highest. [or some other suitable acclamation of praise]

Priest: Father in heaven, you have called us to receive the body and blood of Christ at this table and to be filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Through this sacred meal give us strength to please you more and more.

Lord our God, remember {Benedict}, our pope, {name of local bishop}, our bishop, and all other bishops.

*Help all who follow Jesus to work for peace and to bring happiness to others.

[*during the Easter Season, the preceding paragraph may be replaced with the following:
Fill all Christians with the gladness of Easter. Help us to bring this joy to all who are sorrowful.]

Bring us all at last together with Mary, the Mother of God, and all the saints, to live with you and to be one with Christ in heaven.

Doxology and Great Amen:

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]


See also these pages, with related texts from the 1975 Sacramentary:


The English translation of Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with Children © 1975, ICEL. All rights reserved.

These webpages were compiled by Felix Just, S.J.
This page was last updated on August 16, 2017