THE Mass

Roman Catholicism teaches that, in the Mass, Jesus Christ repeatedly offers Himself for the salvation of the world. The Council of Trent has proclaimed this 'sacrifice' as "...identical with the sacrifice of the Cross, inasmuch as Jesus Christ is a priest and Victim both. The only difference lies in the manner of offering, which is bloody on the cross and bloodless on our altars." The Roman Catholic Catechism explains that the whole reason for attending Mass is "...to offer sacrifice to God." Cardinal Francis J. Spellman says: "The Sacrifice of the Mass forms a pivot on which all else turns. If it is what Catholics believe it is, then here is the greatest external manifestation of the love of God for man, and the most magnificent testimonial to the validity of Catholicism; but if it is false, it is the worst farce and blasphemy ever perpetrated upon God or man, and the catholic faith collapses into nothingness."