A closer look at Eucharistic Prayer III

Liturgical prayer—the words of the Mass—can enrich and inform our personal prayers

Last month I introduced the Eucharistic Prayer (EP), “the center and high point” of the Mass. The current liturgy has 13 Eucharistic Prayers. EP I (Roman Canon) was the only Eucharistic Prayer for many centuries, and the other 12 were composed following the Second Vatican Council. In this column I want to discuss Eucharistic Prayer III (EP III), which can be used throughout the liturgical year and is especially intended for use on Sundays and feast days.

EP III, like all of the Eucharistic Prayers, has the same elements and structure. Following the thanksgiving (preface) and the acclamation Holy, Holy, Holy (Sanctus), EP III begins with a section that expands on the holiness of God: “You are indeed Holy, O Lord, and all you have created rightly gives you praise…”

This leads smoothly into the epiclesis: “Therefore, O Lord, we humbly implore you: by the same Spirit graciously make holy these gifts…” This is followed by the institution narrative: “For on the night he was betrayed, he himself took bread…” in which Christ speaks the words of consecration through the priest and concludes with the command to do this in remembrance of Him. The anamnesis (memorial), which begins, “Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of the saving Passion of your Son,” makes mention of His resurrection, ascension, and His second coming, leading to the oblation (offering) “we offer you in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice.” This is followed by a second invocation of the Holy Spirit for unity called the communion epiclesis (common to all of the EPs composed after the Second Vatican Council), that all who partake of sacramental communion “may become one body, one spirit in Christ.” Next are a series of intercessions and then the concluding doxology Pope Benedict XVI praised the Eucharistic Prayers for their “inexhaustible theological and spiritual richness.” I want to highlight three such riches in EP III: its emphasis on sacrifice, its intercessions, and its Trinitarian language. In response to the Protestant Reformation, the Council of Trent (1562) affirmed that Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary and His sacrifice in the Mass “are one single sacrifice: ‘The victim is one and the same…the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and offered in an unbloody manner.’” 1 This truth is expressed several times in EP III. God gathers a people to Himself “so that from the rising of the sun to its setting a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name,” a reference to Malachi 1:11. The oblation (offering) says, “we offer you in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice.” EP III then asks the Father to recognize “the sacrificial Victim” whose death reconciled the world to God. Finally, the interces- sion for the world refers to “this Sacrifice of our reconciliation.”

EP III includes a series of intercessions that are noteworthy for their universal scope. First is the petition to the Holy Spirit for unity (quoted above), after which we ask the Father to “make of us an eternal offering to you, so that we may obtain in inheritance with your elect.” Then comes a petition that the Eucharist would “advance the peace and salvation of all the world.” This illustrates why St. John Paul II said that the Mass has a “universal and, so to speak, cosmic character…It unites heaven and earth. It embraces and permeates all creation.” 2

The next petition is for God’s “pilgrim Church on earth” to be confirmed “in faith and charity.” Then comes a petition for the unspoken prayers of the congregation: “listen graciously to the prayers of this family,” and then a request for God to “gather to yourself all your children scattered throughout the world.” And finally prayer for the dead—not only “our departed brothers and sisters,” but “all who were pleasing to you at their passing from this life”—that the Father would give them “kind admittance to your kingdom” where we also “hope to enjoy forever the fullness of your glory.”

A third feature of EP III is the Trinitarian theology in the opening section that follows the Holy, Holy, Holy. “You are indeed Holy,

O Lord…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.” This is theology in the form of prayer. Everything that God does in the world, says the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “is the common work of the three divine persons.” 3 The Father, through the Son and the powerful work of the Holy Spirit, blesses us with life and holiness.

These three features also illustrate how liturgical prayer—the words of the Mass—can enrich and inform our personal prayers. We can meditate on Christ’s eucharistic presence using the references to sacrifice. Under the appearances of bread and wine is Christ, the pure, holy, and living sacrifice, the sacrificial victim for our reconciliation. The intercessions can teach us how to pray for the Church and the world. And we can use the Trinitarian passage to ask the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to grant us and others abundant life and growth in holiness. Prayerful meditation on the Eucharistic Prayers will enrich our participation in Mass and our personal prayers.

1 CCC, no. 1367

2 Ecclesia de Eucharistia, no. 8

3 CCC, no. 258. ■

Father Randy Stice is director of the diocesan Office of Worship and Liturgy. He can be reached at frrandy@dioknox. org.

Healing prayers offered on third weekends at Our Lady of Fatima Church “I, the Lord, am your healer”—Exodus 15:26. The Healing Ministry at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa offers healing prayers every third weekend of the month for anyone who has a physical, emotional, or spiritual need. Individual healing prayer will be offered in Spanish in the church immediately following the 7 p.m. Saturday Mass in Spanish, and prayer will be offered in English in the chapel immediately following the 11 a.m. Sunday Mass. Members of the Healing Ministry will be happy to pray over you for any physical, emotional, or spiritual needs that you have. Above and at right are photos from the July service in English. Call Toni Jacobs at 561-315-5911 if you have any questions.

Valadie continued from page B6

“But nothing nearly this ambitious is needed to make the world a better place. If folks could just wave at their neighbors now and again, help an elderly person drag in their garbage cans, maybe share some

Daily readings

Tuesday, Aug. 15: Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mass during the day, Revelation 11:19 and 12:1-6, 10; Psalm 45:10-12, 16; 1 Corinthians 15:20-27; Luke 1:39-56

Wednesday, Aug. 16: Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 66:1-3, 5, 8, 16-17; Matthew 18:15-20

Thursday, Aug. 17: Joshua 3:7-11, 1317; Psalm 114:1-6; Matthew 18:21–19:1

Friday, Aug. 18: Joshua 24:1-13; Psalm 136:1-3, 16-18, 21-22, 24; Matthew 19:3-12

Saturday, Aug. 19: Joshua 24:14-29; Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 11; Matthew 19:13-15

Sunday, Aug. 20: Isaiah 56:1, 6-7; Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8; Romans 11:1315, 29-32; Matthew 15:21-28

Monday, Aug. 21: Memorial of St. Pius X, pope, Judges 2:11-19; Psalm 106:34-37, 39-40, 43-44; Matthew chicken off your grill. Just be nice. We can all do something, and that’s a pretty good start.”

Pretty good indeed.

Dear God—The new home is nice, but I bet they’d prefer peace around the one

19:16-22

Tuesday, Aug. 22: Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Judges 6:11-24; Psalm 85:9, 11-14; Matthew 19:23-30

Wednesday, Aug. 23: Judges 9:6-15; Psalm 21:2-7; Matthew 20:1-16

Thursday, Aug. 24: Feast of St. Bartholomew, Apostle, Revelation

21:9-14; Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18; John

1:45-51

Friday, Aug. 25: Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22; Psalm 145:5-10; Matthew 22:34-40

Saturday, Aug. 26: Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11 and 4:13-17; Psalm 128:1-5; Matthew 23:1-12

Sunday, Aug. 27: Isaiah 22:19-23; Psalm 138:1-3, 6, 8; Romans 11:33-36; Matthew 16:13-20

Monday, Aug. 28: Memorial of St. Augustine, bishop and doctor of the Church, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10; Psalm 149:1-6, 9; Matthew 23:13-22

Tuesday, Aug. 29: Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist, 1 they had. Thank you for considering what might well require one of your miracles. Amen.

If anyone wishes to make a gift toward the effort Joe and Renee have begun, you

Thessalonians 2:1-8; Psalm 139:1-6; Mark 6:17-29

Wednesday, Aug. 30: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13; Psalm 139:7-12; Matthew 23:27-32

Thursday, Aug. 31: 1 Thessalonians

3:7-13; Psalm 90:3-5, 12-14, 17; Matthew 24:42-51

Friday, Sept. 1: 1 Thessalonians 4:18; Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 10-12; Matthew 25:1-13

Saturday, Sept. 2: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-11; Psalm 98:1, 7-9; Matthew 25:14-30

Sunday, Sept. 3: Jeremiah 20:7-9; Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16:21-27

Monday, Sept. 4: 1 Thessalonians

4:13-18; Psalm 96:1, 3-5, 11-13; Luke

4:16-30

Tuesday, Sept. 5: 1 Thessalonians

5:1-6, 9-11; Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14; Luke

4:31-37

Wednesday, Sept. 6: Colossians 1:18; Psalm 52:10-11; Luke 4:38-44 can mail it to: OLPH Church, 501 S. Moore Road, Chattanooga, TN 37412 and mark it “for Ukrainian family.” ■ George Valadie is a parishioner at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga.

Thursday, Sept. 7: Colossians 1:914; Psalm 98:2-6; Luke 5:1-11

Friday, Sept. 8: Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Micah

5:1-4; Psalm 13:6; Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23

Saturday, Sept. 9: Memorial of St. Peter Claver, priest, Colossians 1:2123; Psalm 54:3-4, 6, 8; Luke 6:1-5

Sunday, Sept. 10: Ezekiel 33:7-9; Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 18:15-20

Monday, Sept. 11: Colossians 1:24–2:3; Psalm 62:6-7, 9; Luke 6:6-11

Tuesday, Sept. 12: Colossians 2:615; Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11; Luke 6:12-19

Wednesday, Sept. 13: Memorial of St. John Chrysostom, bishop and doctor of the Church, Colossians

3:1-11; Psalm 145:2-3, 10-13; Luke 6:20-26

Thursday, Sept. 14: Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 78:1-2, 34-38; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17 n an invitation to ponder the paradox of the Beatitudes in one’s own life and experience how they can be used to receive God’s blessing, immerse one’s life in God’s blessing, and become a blessing to the world. The weekend includes thoughtful meditations, practical applications, and time to reflect on the sacred spaces and beautiful trails, plus Mass, adoration, confession, and more. Visit catholicconference.org/ beatitude/ for more details.

Holy Fire Nashville, a day of talks, praise and worship, and Mass for middle-schoolers, is set for 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, with Mass at 4 p.m. The event will be hosted by the Diocese of Nashville at the Catholic Pastoral Center, 2800 McGavock Pike, Nashville. Middle school Catholics are invited and challenged to embrace their baptismal call and the powerful, relevant Gospel of Jesus. Through talks by speakers, witness by peers, praise and worship, and the rich experiences of the sacraments, Holy Fire will help young people feel seen, welcomed, and invited into a life-changing commitment to Christ. Speakers include Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville, PJ Anderson, Angele Baczmaga, Noelle Garcia, and DJ Staël. Participants are invited to travel together with others from the Diocese of Knoxville. Cost is $45 per person with an optional Chick-fil-A lunch available for purchase. Visit dioknox.org/ events/holy-fire-2023 to download a flyer and to view updates. More information on Holy Fire is also available at eqsaints.com/holyfire-nashville

Parish notes continued from page B4 Rich Cataldi, deputy Grand Knight; Trey Blancher, recorder; Sean Diehl, treasurer; Mike Wilson, chancellor; Rob Girardi, advocate; Michael Muir, warden; John Bonatto, inside guard; Alberto dela Garza, outside guard; Walt Hanson, three-year trustee; Pete McKenzie, two-year trustee; and Mike Haka, oneyear trustee.

On June 15, nine past Grand Knights of Council 8781 assembled in the school music room to witness the hanging of a historical plaque for the council. They oversaw 15 years or nearly 40 percent of the council’s business since its establishment in 1984. Those attending included Tony Angelelli (2017-18), Darell Lott (1992-94), David Hetrick (1988-89), Walt Hanson (2021-23), Em Way (198486), Doug Varga (2013-15), Don Schreyer (2015-17), Mike Gates (1998-99), and Pete McKenzie (2019-21).

The Knights recently helped Catholic Charities of East Tennessee move from Gay Street back to its reconstructed home on Dameron Avenue. Assisting were Richard Tabler, Rob and Mary Alice Girardi, Romano Vlastelica, Dr. Charlie Phan, and Walt Hanson.

The Knights council thanked its 197 members for their efforts in the 202223 fraternal year that ended June 30. The council collectively gave 18,500 volunteer hours, raised nearly $70,000 for charities, and transported more than 180,000 items (90 tons) of perishable food to pantries and homes.

The Council of Catholic Women’s summer and fall calendar of events may be viewed at https://bit.ly/ccwfall2023

Five Rivers Deanery

Holy Trinity, Jefferson City

At its meeting in June, Knights of Columbus Council 12838 at Holy Trinity elected new Officers for the 2023-24 fraternal year. The officers, installed at the church July 18, are: Dave Orzechowski, Grand Knight; Jim Fernandez, deputy Grand Knight; Tom Richards, chancellor; Greg Forman, financial secretary, Erik Perry, treasurer; Jim Pickering, recorder; Ralph Holt, warden; Randy Labauve, lecturer; Joe Frinzi, Joe Braschler, and Joseph Fromme, board of trustees; Tom Wisseman, advocate; Matt Giardiello, inside guard; Bill Jurkonie, outside guard; Holy Trinity pastor Father Jim Harvey, chaplain; and Deacon Jim Prosak, assistant chaplain. For more information on the Knights, call Mr. Orzechowski at 708-567-2665.

The 28th Appalachian Ministries of the

Catholic Charities of East Tennessee is offering a Rachel’s Vineyard healing retreat, for those experiencing emotional or spiritual difficulties from a past abortion, from Sept. 15-17 at Christ Prince of Peace Retreat Center in Benton. You can learn more about Rachel’s Vineyard on the CCETN website at ccetn.org/project-rachel. For more information, contact Sandi Davidson at sandi@ccetn.org or call or text 865-776-4510. Complete confidentiality is honored at all times.

A Picture of Love retreat for engaged couples is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 22 and 23, at St. Stephen Church in Chattanooga. This marriage-preparation program is a supplement to a couple’s marriage formation with their parish priest or deacon. Picture of Love explores the joys and challenges of living out the sacrament of matrimony with special focus on the importance of inviting Jesus to be the center of marriage and family life. The program will help each couple gain insights into their relationship as well as give them practical ideas and tools to help smooth their journey and become the “Picture of Love” to one another.

Meeting times are 6:45 to 10 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Cost is $150 per couple. Payment is due two weeks before the weekend. For a registration form, visit dioknox. org/events/picture-of-love-retreat

Also at the website are three exercises: a personality test, a “love language profile for couples,” and a fillable budget worksheet. Couples are asked to complete the exercises in advance and

Smokies week July 10-13 was a great success. A total of 102 volunteers from Holy Trinity joined to either help make home repairs for those who cannot afford them or are physically unable to make them, and to feed the teams of all denominations who took part in the effort. The team that went to home sites to make repairs included Jackie Castle, Dave Orzechowski, and Martin Witberg. The food ministry was led by Denise Frinzi and Jamie Roberts and included help and donations from dozens of others.

The Homebound Visitation Ministry met July 19. Deacon Jack Raymond explained his plans on how and when the group would carry out its ministry.

Anniversary: Jim and Mary Knox (20)

Notre Dame, Greeneville

Notre Dame’s annual Fall Festival of Nations fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 7. The event will include samples of food from around the world, free entertainment, a silent auction, a bake sale, games and inflatables, vendors and displays, an art show, a yard sale, a raffle, and more. The next meeting about the festival is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17, in the education wing. Raffle tickets are $2 for a chance to win one of three $500 prizes to be given away Oct. 7. Raffle ticket purchasers must be 18 or older. Sponsorships are available from $100 to $2,000. Vendor applications are on a table in the narthex. Call co-chairs Mark Sweet at 423-673-3018 or DJ Dalton at 423-588-0150 to get involved.

The parish’s annual Madrigal Dinners fundraiser is planned for Thursday, Nov. 30, through Saturday, Dec. 2. Those attending are invited to dress in period costume and enjoy a meal served by the youth staff. Call Wanda at 423-4706906 for more information. Practices will be held following Labor Day at 12:30 p.m. Sundays.

St. Patrick, Morristown

Knights of Columbus Council 6730 is the beneficiary of a fundraiser through Ultimate Shine Car Wash pay locations in Morristown, elsewhere in Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio through Aug. 31. To take part at a pay location, choose a wash and any additional services, hit the orange “enter fundraiser” code button, enter code 3040 before paying, then insert cash or a credit/debit card and 30 percent of the sale will go to Council 6730.

Anniversaries: John and Marlene Kar- bring them to the retreat—see the website for more details.

A Retrouvaille weekend program for married couples facing difficult challenges in their relationship is set for Sept. 8-10 in Nashville. Retrouvaille is a marriage program that helps couples restore their marriage and rebuild a loving relationship. It is a Christian marriage program, Catholic in origin, where couples of all faiths or no faith background are encouraged to attend. It is primarily a practical program to improve communication, build stronger marriages, and help couples reconnect. Presenters are not trained marriage counselors but rather couples sharing their personal stories of marital struggles and the tools they used to rediscover their love. Cost is $350 per couple. The location of the weekend will be provided upon registration. For more information, call 615-838-6724, e-mail 3043@helpourmarriage.org, or visit helpourmarriage.org or www. retrotn.com

An Engaged Encounter weekend is set for Saturday, Sept. 30, at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Alcoa. Catholic Engaged Encounter is a weekend to plan for a sacramental marriage. It is designed to give couples an opportunity to talk privately, honestly, and intensively about their prospective lives together—their strengths and weaknesses; desires, ambitions, and goals; their attitudes about money, sex, children, and family; and their role in the Church and society—in a guided format. Cost of the weekend is $205 wowski (60), Jose and Carole Amador (50), James and Donna Golden (50), Bill and Peggy Howell (50), Jeffrey and Karen Armstrong (40), Eric and Lori Batman (40), Conor and Susan O’Donoghue (35), Dennis and Jody Schang (30), Waylon and Jennifer Greene (25), Juan Montoya-Martinez and Liliana Villasenor-Salinas (15), Kenneth and Sarah Palma (10)

Smoky Mountain Deanery

Holy Ghost, Knoxville

The Fraternus group and the Troops of St. George will host their second annual Tubing the Hiwassee day trip Saturday, Aug. 26. All boys and men from Holy Ghost are invited. Cost is $30. Any youth under 12 must have a parent or guardian along. No one under 10 can ride a raft alone. RSVP to John McKinney by Aug. 21 at 425-614-6936 or john.mckinney78@yahoo.com

An English Country Dance sponsored by the Ordinariate Community was held Aug. 5 in Henkel Hall. An English-style early supper followed the dance.

The Council of Catholic Women hosted a showing July 28 of the film “Pray: The Story of Patrick Peyton” about the life of Irish missionary priest Venerable Father Patrick Peyton, who popularized the slogan “the family that prays together stays together.”

The Knights of Columbus welcomed incoming officers Morgan Crace, Grand Knight; Jose Galvan, deputy Grand Knight; Rick Sharpe, financial secretary; and Mike Seeger, recorder. They began their new roles July 1.

Immaculate Conception, Knoxville

The parish welcomes Abby Sporsen aboard as coordinator of religious education. She will follow in Brigid Johnson’s footsteps coordinating the education of children in Sunday School and sacramental preparation. Mrs. Sporsen grew up in Knoxville and has been attending IC with her family since 2005. She is a graduate of St. Joseph School in Knoxville (2010) and Knoxville Catholic High School (2014). She received a master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Tennessee and was involved in the Vol Catholic student organization, leading Bible studies, weekly meetings, and retreats. She joins IC part-time and will continue to teach at St. Joseph.

Two IC ministries, the coffee and doughnuts group and the Haiti committee, joined forces Aug. 6. The cof- per couple, which includes a certificate good for a $60 discount on the couple’s marriage license in Tennessee. To receive a $60 discount, couples must attend a marriage-preparation weekend within one year of purchasing the license. To register for a weekend or learn more, visit knoxville.engaged encounter.com or call Leslie Consoli at 865-803-6790.

Father Bill and Sherri McNeeley are leading a Holy Land pilgrimage Sept. 13-22 with an optional post-tour to Rome from Sept. 22-26. Places visited will include Tel Aviv, Caesarea, Stella Maris, Nazareth, Tiberias, Cana, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River, Mount Tabor, Jericho, Jerusalem, Temple Model, Ein Karem, Bethlehem, Bethany, the Dead Sea, the Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, Mount Zion (Upper Room), the Western Wall, the Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. For more information, including pricing and a daily itinerary, visit www. pilgrimages.com/frmcneeley or contact Danielle at danielle@206tours. com or 800-206-8687.

Mass in the extraordinary form (“traditional Latin”) is celebrated at noon each Sunday at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville; every Sunday at 8 a.m. at St. Mary Church in Athens; at 2 p.m. each Sunday and at 6 p.m. most Mondays at St. Mary Church in Johnson City; and at 11:30 a.m. every Sunday at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga. For more information on the extraordinary-form Masses, visit www. KnoxLatinMass.net n fee and doughnuts group on that date served the Haiti committee’s Singing Rooster coffee. The coffee is an export that helps empower Haitian farmers and lets IC raise funds for its sister parish in Fond des Blancs, Haiti.

The women’s group thanked parishioners for their generosity with the annual Christ Child Baby Shower on the weekend of July 8-9. The group donated hundreds of items of clothing and diapers as well as funds to the Ladies of Charity Layette Ministry.

Anniversary: Dan and Mikki Steinhoff (50)

St. John XXIII, Knoxville

Parishioner Isabella Grado is the new team director of FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Her team includes Justin Irish, Ava Keating, and Andrew O’Quinn. To learn more about what FOCUS does, contact Ms. Grado at isabella.grado@focus.org

The parish picnic July 1 at St. Albert the Great Church in Knoxville was a huge success. About 80 parishioners attended the event. The parish thanked Deacon Patrick Murphy-Racey, the Cutler family, the cooks, and the setup and cleanup folks for their help.

St. Joseph the Worker, Madisonville

Pastor Father Julius Abuh has appointed BrandiAnn Mills to be the new director of the religious education program for pre-kindergartners through eighthgraders. She will be assisted by Elisha Conley. The parish thanked Dr. Sarah Singer for leading the program last year. Call Ms. Mills at the church at 423-4427273 to ask about joining the religiouseducation team. The religious-education year runs from October to May.

The Knights of Columbus yard sale is set for 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16.

All items of value that are clean and in working order are welcome for donation, including books, clothing, furniture, pictures, decorative items, bedding goods, large and small appliances, power and hand tools, lawn and garden equipment, pots and pans, dishes and utensils, automobiles and auto parts, sporting goods, camping gear, boats and boating equipment, Christmas decorations, electronics, musical instruments, crafts, and toys. Contact any Knight or call Ed Harless at 423-494-4761 for more information.

Anniversary: Dave and Marleen Olako (50), Wayne and Donna Pfister (50) n