What is the outline for the Concluding Rite? (GIRM 90)
To the Concluding Rites belong the following:
a) brief announcements, should they be necessary;
b) the Priest’s Greeting and Blessing, which on certain days and occasions is expanded and
expressed by the Prayer over the People or another more solemn formula;
c) the Dismissal of the people by the Deacon or the Priest, so that each may go back to doing
good works, praising and blessing God;
d) the kissing of the altar by the Priest and the Deacon, followed by a profound bow to the altar
by the Priest, the Deacon, and the other ministers.
When should announcements be made? Why should the take place? How long should they be? (GIRM 166). When the Prayer after Communion is concluded, brief announcements should be made to the people, if there are any.
Why are announcements placed at this part of the Mass? Why should they be brief? Why does the GIRM say, “if there are any”?
How should the Mass end? (GIRM 167-169) Then the Priest, extending his hands, greets the people, saying, The Lord be with you. They reply, And with your spirit. The Priest, joining his hands again and then immediately placing his left hand on his breast, raises his right hand and adds, May almighty God bless you and, as he makes the Sign of the Cross over the people, he continues, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All reply, Amen. Immediately after the Blessing, with hands joined, the Priest adds, Ite, missa est (Go forth, the Mass is ended) and all reply, Thanks be to God. Then the Priest venerates the altar as usual with a kiss and, after making a profound bow with the lay ministers, he withdraws with them.
What if Adoration, a procession or another liturgical action follows the Mass? (GIRM 170) If, however, another liturgical action follows the Mass, the Concluding Rites, that is, the Greeting, the Blessing, and the Dismissal, are omitted.