Introduction

The USCCB Secretariat of Divine Worship has the mandate to review and approve musical settings of the people's parts in the Order of Mass (see General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 393). It reviews manuscripts for conformity to the liturgical texts, including their capitalization and punctuation. Minor repetitions in the text may be approved on a case-by-case basis, although substitutions, insertions, or re-arrangements of the text are not permitted. Depending on the number of other music settings and manuscripts that have been received, the review process can take six to eight weeks. In addition to the Secretariat's verification of the accuracy of the text before it can be used in the liturgy, manuscripts also require the permission of the copyright holder; when necessary, the Secretariat will refer the composer to the appropriate office, which is usually either the International Commission on English in the Liturgy or the USCCB permissions department.

Musical settings of the Order of Mass must conform to the official text of the Roman Missal, and may contain any or all of the parts shown below. (Any musicians wishing to set other texts from the Order of Mass should contact the Secretariat to obtain the official text.)

To submit musical settings or other manuscripts with liturgical texts included, or for more information, Contact Us, select Divine Worship as the office, and mention "Music Setting" or "Liturgical Manuscript" in your message.

Copyright Permissions Requirements

Excerpts from the English translation of the Roman Missal © 2010 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.

Texts for Order of Mass Settings

Lord, Have Mercy

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

(Greek)
Kyrie, eleison. Kyrie, eleison.
Christe, eleison. Christe, eleison.
Kyrie, eleison. Kyrie, eleison.

Glory to God in the Highest

Glory to God in the highest,
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.

Nicene Creed

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,
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.

Holy, Holy, Holy

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.

Memorial Acclamations

[Priest]
The mystery of faith.

  1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord,
    and profess your Resurrection
    until you come again.

  2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup,
    we proclaim your Death, O Lord,
    until you come again.

  3. Save us, Savior of the world,
    for by your Cross and Resurrection
    you have set us free.

Lamb of God

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.

Ordo Missae

Kyrie, eleison

Kýrie, eléison. Kýrie, eléison.
Christe, eléison. Christe, eléison.
Kýrie, eléison. Kýrie, eléison.

Gloria in excelsis

Glória in excélsis Deo
et in terra pax homínibus bonæ voluntátis.
Laudámus te,
benedícimus te,
adorámus te,
glorificámus te,
grátias ágimus tibi propter magnam glóriam tuam,
Dómine Deus, Rex cæléstis,
Deus Pater omnípotens.
Dómine Fili Unigénite, Iesu Christe,
Dómine Deus, Agnus Dei, Fílius Patris,
qui tollis peccáta mundi, miserére nobis;
qui tollis peccáta mundi, súscipe deprecatiónem nostram.
Qui sedes ad déxteram Patris, miserére nobis.
Quóniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dóminus, tu solus Altíssimus,
Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spíritu: in glória Dei Patris.
Amen.

Credo

Credo in unum Deum,
Patrem omnipoténtem, factórem cæli et terræ,
visibílium ómnium et invisibílium.
Et in unum Dóminum Iesum Christum,
Fílium Dei Unigénitum,
et ex Patre natum ante ómnia sǽcula.
Deum de Deo, lumen de lúmine, Deum verum de Deo vero,
génitum, non factum, consubstantiálem Patri:
per quem ómnia facta sunt.
Qui propter nos hómines et propter nostram salútem
descéndit de cælis.
Et incarnátus est de Spíritu Sancto
ex María Vírgine, et homo factus est.
Crucifíxus étiam pro nobis sub Póntio Piláto;
passus et sepúltus est,
et resurréxit tértia die, secúndum Scriptúras,
et ascéndit in cælum, sedet ad déxteram Patris.
Et íterum ventúrus est cum glória, iudicáre vivos et mórtuos,
cuius regni non erit finis.
Et in Spíritum Sanctum, Dóminum et vivificántem:
qui ex Patre Filióque procédit.
Qui cum Patre et Fílio simul adorátur et conglorificátur:
qui locútus est per prophétas.
Et unam, sanctam, cathólicam et apostólicam Ecclésiam.
Confíteor unum baptísma in remissiónem peccatórum.
Et exspécto resurrectiónem mortuórum,
et vitam ventúri sǽculi. Amen.

Sanctus

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dóminus Deus Sábaoth.
Pleni sunt cæli et terra glória tua.
Hosánna in excélsis.
Benedíctus qui venit in nómine Dómini.
Hosánna in excélsis.

Mysterium Fidei

[Sacerdos/Priest/Sacerdote]
Mystérium fídei.

1.   Mortem tuam annuntiámus, Dómine,
      et tuam resurrectiónem confitémur, donec vénias.

2.   Quotiescúmque manducámus panem hunc
      et cálicem bíbimus,
      mortem tuam annuntiámus, Dómine, donec vénias.

3.   Salvátor mundi, salva nos,
      qui per crucem et resurrectiónem tuam liberásti nos.

Agnus Dei

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: miserére nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: miserére nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi: dona nobis pacem.