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Liturgical
Ministers
Lectors
"The Lord has given me a well-trained tongue, that I may know how to speak
to the weary a word that will rouse them."
Contact:
Kathy Nugent
(201) 986-0922
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Current
Lector Schedule
History
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About
Being a Lector
What Does a Lector Do?
A Lector's basic responsibilities that are
performed at weekday and Sunday Masses include:
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To proclaim readings from Scripture, except
the Gospel, to the congregation.
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To announce the intentions for the General
Intercessions (prayer) when a Deacon is not present.
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In absence of a psalmist or cantor (weekday
Masses) to read the psalm and response between readings.
What must I do to become a lector?
What is required to become part of this
ministry?
A Lector must have:
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A love of Scripture.
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A voice that is pleasing to the ear and can
project to the back of the worship space.
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A willingness to carefully prepare prior to an
assignment so that the words and intent of the readings are clear
and understandable to the congregation.
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The ability to read slowly, clearly and with
feeling.
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Being able to arrive at Mass 15 minutes early.
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A Lector is responsible for finding a
replacement if he/she cannot attend their assigned Mass.
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Since Ministries are not to be duplicated in
the same liturgy, we ask that Lectors not be engaged in music
ministry, as a Eucharistic Minister, or any other liturgical
ministry while serving as a Lector.
What is the time commitment?
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Preparation time will vary from person to
person, but a half hour should be sufficient to read and reflect on
assigned readings. A workbook is given to each Lector to help with
preparation.
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Lectors are assigned to the Mass that they
normally attend. A Lector is assigned to read based on the size of
the Lector pool for each Mass. A Lector may be assigned to read as
frequently as once every two weeks or as infrequently as once every
two months.
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Lectors for regular weekday Masses come
forward on an "as needed" basis.
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Lectors will meet as a group from time to time
for spiritual enrichment events.
History:
Instituted Lectors
In 1972 Paul VI reformed what had been called "minor orders" which
included that of Lector, in his Motu Proprio Ministeria quaedam.
The Lector was to be instituted by a bishop in a liturgical ceremony. The
term "instituted reader" is used to distinguish someone who has been
instituted in this way, from someone who is simply appointed to read at
Mass.
In the Service of the Word
The ministry of the reader and the commentator is:
- To proclaim the readings from Scripture, with
the exception of the gospel.
- To announce the intentions for the general
intercessions.
- In the absence of the psalmist, to sing or read
the psalm between the readings.
- To provide explanations and commentaries with
the purpose of introducing the faithful to the celebration and preparing
them to understand it better.
Those who exercise the ministry of lector must be truly qualified
and carefully prepared in order that the faithful will develop a warm and
lively love for Scripture from listening to the reading of the sacred
texts.
BEDE the Venerable
Bede, also known as
Venerable Bede; Father of English History. His feast day is on May 25.
Bede was born around the time England was finally completely
Christianized, 673, in Wearmouth, England. R
He was raised from age seven in the abbey of Saints Peter and Paul at
Wearmouth-Jarrow, and lived there his whole life. Spiritual student of the
founder, Saint Benedict Biscop. Priest; ordained by Saint John of
Beverley. Benedictine. Monk. Teacher. Hagiographer. Writer. His writings
started the idea of dating this era from the incarnation of Christ.
The central theme of Bede's
Historia Ecclesiastica is of the Church using the power of its spiritual,
doctrinal, and cultural unity to stamp out violence and barbarism. Our
knowledge of England before the 8th century is mainly the result of Bede's
writing. Doctor of the Church on 13 November 1899 by Pope Leo XIII. He
died on May 25, 735.
Bede can be depicted as an old monk with a book and pen; old monk with a
jug; monk writing at a desk; old monk dying amidst his community.
POLLIO
His day of memorial is on the 28th
of April. He was a lector of the church of Cybalae in Pannonia.
Pollio was martyred in the persecutions of Diocletian between 284
and 305 A.D. Pollio was burned alive in 304 A.D.
SABAS
Sabas was a Goth. He was a
lector in a church in what is now Romania. Captured by heathen Goths, he
refused to eat food that had been sacrificed to idols. He and several
others were martyed for this. He was tortured to death, then thrown into
the river Mussovo in 372. |
