When you are at mass who celebrates the Mass? The obvious answer is the priest. However according the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we all, those of us who have gathered for the Liturgy are, in fact, celebrants.

The word Liturgy comes from two old Greek words, Leitos meaning the people and Ergon meaning work, which, when combined, means the work of the people. It originally meant, ‘work on behalf of the people’, in the sense of some civic activity at the expense of the individual. But in the religious context, it refers to the work of the people. So, when we talk about Liturgy we are referring to something that we all do.

In paragraph 1140 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read: ‘It is the whole community, the Body of Christ united with its Head, that celebrates. ‘”Liturgical services are not private functions but are celebrations of the Church which is ‘the sacrament of unity,”’ namely, the holy people united and organised under the authority of the bishops. Therefore, liturgical services pertain to the whole Body of the Church. They manifest it, and have effects upon it.’

It continues, in the very next paragraph: ‘The celebrating assembly is the community of the baptized who, “by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, that . . . they may offer spiritual sacrifices.” This “common priesthood” is that of Christ the sole priest, in which all his members participate: (Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy, and to which the Christian people, “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people,” have a right and an obligation by reason of their Baptism)’ – here quoting from the Vatican Document on the Liturgy. There is only one priest, Christ, the High Priest. The ordained priest share in this priesthood. The non-ordained share the common priesthood and we all engage in the Leitos ergon, the work of the people.

When we come to Holy Mass, we are not spectators. We are active participants. Yes, some have particular roles and functions, according to their office: ‘Certain members are called by God, in and through the Church, to a special service of the community. These servants are chosen and consecrated by the sacrament of Holy Orders…’ (CCC #1142) The roles are not restricted to the Ordained; ‘other particular ministries also exist, not consecrated by the sacrament of Holy Orders, their functions determined by the Bishops… “Servers, readers, commentators, and members of the choir also exercise a genuine liturgical function.”’ (CCC #1143)

So when next you are asked who celebrated Mass, your answer should be, ‘We all did.’