Posted on 06/14/2005 4:28:35 PM PDT by NYer
This is a very important aspect and one that many of us rarely discuss. I serve as a lector in my parish. We ask for Father's blessing before proceeding with the reading. The parish administrator also provides us with a copy of the reading well in advance so we have time to read it through several times at home, out loud. Father insists that we take our time, adjust the microphone and enunciate the text. He often speaks about a personal experience of hearing a lector deliver their reading in a manner that truly reflected the text. In the Maronite Tradition, the priest blesses the lector with the words: "May Almighty God bless you as you read the (Letter, Epistle of St. Whoever and open the minds and hearts of the listeners". It is an awesome responsibility.
The lectors in our parish are also responsible for providing that week's Liturgy Intentions. Personally, I invest a good amount of time in researching that Sunday's Gospel and my reading, and try to reflect it in the Intentions. This past Sunday, I tossed in a prayer for our pastor and "all who have devoted their lives in love to God". To my great surprise, I later learned that a visiting family was accompanied by their son who will be entering Seminary in the Fall.
Do any of you serve as lectors? What has been your experience? How do you approach this responsibility?
I am not a lector. I will make one quick comment though about what the Eucharistic Ministers( what are we supposed to call these people now?) wear. I make an effort every Sunday morning to get myself and my children cleaned and dressed in "Sunday clothes". They are not comfortable but I have always thought it was important to dress appropriately at Mass. It's very frustrating then to get to church only to have the people handing out communion in jeans and t-shirts or short skirts with tops that show the woman's stomach. I hate the lack of respect!
I'm an EOM at my parish and a lector at the chapel I attend during the week.
Our Priest recently addressed the dress habits of parishoners. Many were displeased. Bummer. The general rule for me is if I can't wear it to work, I can't wear it to Mass. There has been the rare exception.
I became and EOM the beginning of the year. We had many new EOMs. Enough for the rotation of 10 to be every 3 weeks at the Mass I go to. After only 4 months there were people who didn't show up and didn't get people to fill in. I prefer the Blood. I have never distributed the Body. I've dropped the purificator twice. I know I'm not worthy to be there but I'm not as worried about making mistakes. Serving is the only thing that matters. Well, what matters the most.
The chapel is a little bit more lax. Normally I go for the Communion Service at 1:00. It's not attached to a parish, just a space downtown. There is one assigned priest and many that come in to fill in during the services. Usually there are less than 15 people at the Communion service. There are 4 of us who read. It's first come, first serve or you're it. The first time I read, I got tapped by the priest. He was really great about what I didn't know, I was absolutely mortified. I don't usually get to read before hand and practice. I still trip over some of the names.
ping
both my husband and I are lectors at our parish. The parish is Roman Rite, so lectors do not receive a special blessing from the priest beforehand. That does sound like a good idea though! I always pray silently before I go up to read for the Holy Spirit's guidance....I'm a little nervous about public speaking. However the more I lector, the easier it's become. Mr sassbox has lectored before at a previous parish, so it's much easier for him.
Our priest also requests that female lectors wear skirts or dresses, and that male lectors wear jackets and ties. The female EM's can wear slacks. So far all the laity who assist at Mass have been properly dressed. No immodest clothes and no overly casual clothes. Among the congregation there is sometimes a problem with teen girls wearing skimpy outfits - especially now that it's summer. But one sees too casual clothing more often than immodest stuff. I notice it, but it really doesn't bother me. Some folks at our parish don't have alot of money and it's just not my place to judge them because they aren't dressed to the nines on Sunday morning.
I serve from time to time as a lector, and also as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (called, in Anglican Usage style, the "clerk") at our AU parish.
As Father McNamara seems to imply, I believe it is important that the lector not introduce his or her own dramatization of the readings, but instead that one read with a reverent tone that at the same time avoids being a monotone. As lector one is supposed to present the Word of the Lord, and not become the lord of the Word.
At our church, the clerk, if the deacon is not present at the liturgy, assists the priest in distribution of Holy Communion. The clerk is always dressed at least in choir dress (cassock and surplice), so the question of attire is not an issue.
On the subject of attire for assisting at Mass, I personally like to follow the practice of dressing in more or less the attire (usually coat and tie) that I would wear if I were going to meet the King (who, for Texas, would be King Juan Carlos, of course). Because in assisting at Mass, not to mention receiving Holy Communion, one does meet the King--Christ the King.
I'm an unreconstructed Catholic, so Extraordinary Ministers are not my cup of tea. But it is wonderful that the priest at the little Chapel has you to rely upon. May God make us all more pliable in His hands, and more willing to serve Him wherever and however He sends us.
That is splendid!
But for you Anglican Use Catholics wouldn't it be the Duke (King) of Bavaria -- the rightful Jacobite claimant to the English throne? (stirring the pot...)
When I first arrived at FR nearly 5 years ago, I discovered the Religion Forum. Like you, it proved to be such an education. Over the years I had absorbed many misperceptions and misunderstangings about the catholic faith.
One of the first posts I read commented on meatless Fridays. It stated that Canon law had not changed. That was not my understanding so I looked it up. The poster was correct!
This is what the new Code of Canon Law brought out in 1983 says about the matter:
Canon 1251
Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Canon Law still requires that Catholics not eat meat on Fridays!
Of course, most Episcopal Conferences have determined that, instead of abstaining from meat, Catholics may perform an act of penance of their choosing. But, do you ever remember to abstain from a particular food or do some other penance on Fridays? And, at any rate, the main rule is still to abstain from meat on Fridays, the performance of another penance instead is an optional alternative.
That was incentive to start the ping list. There are many lapsed and misinformed catholics right here at FR. At work ... well, they probably consider me a 'religious fanatic' ;-D.
Do they provide you with a copy of the reading in advance? If not, you may want to suggest this. It gives you plenty of time to prepare yourself and to check on the proper pronunciation of names and places. Indeed the role of lector is "open the minds and hearts of the listeners".
I like that!
On the subject of attire for assisting at Mass, I personally like to follow the practice of dressing in more or less the attire (usually coat and tie) that I would wear if I were going to meet the King (who, for Texas, would be King Juan Carlos, of course). Because in assisting at Mass, not to mention receiving Holy Communion, one does meet the King--Christ the King.
We are at the feast - the Lamb's Supper!
I'm not a lector and I don't play one on TV. But I've heard quite a few over the years and the best lector I've ever heard was a woman who was in her 60's, I guess, mother of 6, all of whom are older than me and grown. She read the long passages from the Old Testament as if she was reading a bedtime story. No greater emphasis on passage or interpretation, but phrasing and timing. The pauses were just right. She pronounced the words so that we could understand them. It was just really good. God rest her.
You should never apologize about correcting people's dress. That is a topic that should be taught at the knee but isn't.
I looked up the guidelines for modesty that various saints and popes have stressed and preached for milenia and they aren't that hard to do. That might be a place to start. Although, being buxom, the neckline at 2" below the pit of the throat is a little frumpy.
Wanna bet she this from habit :-).
Indeed? Is this because he has contempt for the office of lector? Ask him if his casual approach to clothing applies to the vesting of the priest as well. If he says yes, you're in the wrong parish.
My guess is that he's speaking reflexively about a thing he's never thought through systematically.
They are called Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. they are not Eucharistic Ministers, because their ministry does not extend to the Eucharist, which is the thanksgiving and sacrifice, performed by the priest on behalf of all the people.
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