Can Acolytes "transfer" to another diocese

[Dicerning]

I have a friend who was instituted as an acolyte in Lincoln. He now lives in my diocese that doesn’t have acolytes (the permanent kind).

Is his “acolytedness” still in existance. Does he need to be incardinated here to function?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I have a friend who was instituted as an acolyte in Lincoln. He now lives in my diocese that doesn’t have acolytes (the permanent kind).

Is his “acolytedness” still in existance. Does he need to be incardinated here to function?

His Institution as Acolyte is permanent, however he may only act in that ministry with the permission of the Bishop where he wishes to act as an acolyte. He should ask his old Bishop for a letter and present it to his new Bishop requesting permission to carry out his Instituted ministry.

 

[Deacon_Ed]

If he was installed as an acolyte by the bishop then that installation is permanent. Whether or not he can serve as an acolyte is up to the bishop of the diocese in which he now lives. He would need to petition the new bishop with a letter from his previous bishop indicating that he is in good standing.

Since Lincoln is unique (I believe) in installing acolytes that are not going forward toward ordination, I’m not sure that a receiving bishop will do anything with regard to allowing him to serve.

Deacon Ed

 

[Dicerning]

His Institution as Acolyte is permanent, however he may only act in that ministry with the permission of the Bishop where he wishes to act as an acolyte. He should ask his old Bishop for a letter and present it to his new Bishop requesting permission to carry out his Instituted ministry.

Does this mean he cannot even be an altar server or EMHC? Without permission?

Can he act as lector? ( I assume that since he is an acolyte he is a lector)

Could it be that since he is an acolyte that he cannot be an altar server ( like me who is not an acoyte but I am an altar sever) without permission from out bishop?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Does this mean he cannot even be an altar server or EMHC? Without permission?

Can he act as lector? ( I assume that since he is an acolyte he is a lector)

Could it be that since he is an acolyte that he cannot be an altar server ( like me who is not an acoyte but I am an altar sever) without permission from out bishop?

It is generally assumed that a person only need the permission of the Pastor or celebrating priest to act in the Commissioned ministry of Altar Server or Reader or EMHC, A Lector is a separate and distinct Instituted Ministry like that of Acolyte.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Out of curiosity, what do “instituted acolytes” do that lay altar servers cannot or do not do?

 

[Dicerning]

Out of curiosity, what do “instituted acolytes” do that lay altar servers cannot or do not do?

Purify the sacred vessels is about the only thing I can think of. I do believe that when an acolyte is present at Mass then He bumps the “layperson” (yes I know acoyltes are laymen) out of a role.

I may need to be corrected on this but an example would be if an acolyte is present then they MUST be the Lector…(since acolytes are Lectors first). I am not sure about altar servers being bumped by acolytes but I do believe that EMHCs are supposed to be “bumped” by an acolyte.

 

[Dicerning]

It is generally assumed that a person only need the permission of the Pastor or celebrating priest to act in the Commissioned ministry of Altar Server or Reader or EMHC, A Lector is a separate and distinct Instituted Ministry like that of Acolyte.

I know a Lector is a separate ministry but isn’t an acolyte instituted as a Lector before they become Acolytes?

 

[Deacon_Ed]

An instituted acolyte takes precedence over an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion who is not instituted. In the absence of a deacon he may purify the sacred vessels after Mass.

And, to clarify what I said earlier, he may function as an ordinary lay person in his new diocese (that is, he may do everything except purify the sacred vessels) without permission from the bishop other than needing delegation to serve as an EMHC (as any ordinary lay person would require). With the permission of the bishop to serve as an instituted acolyte he would then no longer require delegation to serve as an EMHC and he may purify the sacred vessels.

Deacon Ed

 

[Dicerning]

An instituted acolyte takes precedence over an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion who is not instituted. In the absence of a deacon he may purify the sacred vessels after Mass.

Deacon Ed

So if an acolyte (in good standing with the bishop) is present at Mass then he MUST be an EMHC if they are being used?

In my friends case (he is an acolyte) He attends Mass every Sunday…does this mean he should be an EMHC every week? ( I would think that he should be)

I wish he would…the other EMHCs are very disrespectful with their handling of the cup after communion. Some of them race into the sacristy and dump the remains down the drain (which is not a sacraraium).

 

[cameron_lansing]

See Ministeria quaedam for details at ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/P6MINORS.HTM

 

[Phemie]

So if an acolyte (in good standing with the bishop) is present at Mass then he MUST be an EMHC if they are being used?

In my friends case (he is an acolyte) He attends Mass every Sunday…does this mean he should be an EMHC every week? ( I would think that he should be)

I wish he would…the other EMHCs are very disrespectful with their handling of the cup after communion. Some of them race into the sacristy and dump the remains down the drain (which is not a sacraraium).

I would think that if he is not allowed to function as an instituted acolyte in his new diocese then he doesn’t automatically get to be EMHC.

 

[Dicerning]

I would think that if he is not allowed to function as an instituted acolyte in his new diocese then he doesn’t automatically get to be EMHC.

Please re-read my post

Originally Posted by Dicerning View Post
So if an acolyte **(in good standing with the bishop) **is present at Mass then he MUST be an EMHC if they are being used?

In my friends case (he is an acolyte) He attends Mass every Sunday…does this mean he should be an EMHC every week? ( I would think that he should be)

I wish he would…the other EMHCs are very disrespectful with their handling of the cup after communion. Some of them race into the sacristy and dump the remains down the drain (which is not a sacraraium).

 

[Aramis]

He should be one of the EMHC’s at whatever mass he attends.

Likewise, a Lector should be the reader at whatever mass he attends.

Both are supposed to vest in Alb and cincture; that often is ignored.

 

[Just_Lurking]

From the GIRM (see here):

The Ministry of the Instituted Acolyte and Lector

1. The acolyte is instituted to serve at the altar and to assist the priest and deacon. In particular, it is his responsibility to prepare the altar and the sacred vessels and, if it is necessary, as an extraordinary minister, to distribute the Eucharist to the faithful.84

In the ministry of the altar, the acolyte has his own functions (cf. below, nos. 187-193), which he must perform personally.

1. The lector is instituted to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture, with the exception of the Gospel. He may also announce the intentions for the Prayer of the Faithful and, in the absence of a psalmist, proclaim the Psalm between the readings.

In the Eucharistic Celebration, the lector has his own proper office (cf. below, nos. 194-198), which he must exercise personally.

Other Ministries

1. In the absence of an instituted acolyte, lay ministers may be deputed to serve at the altar and assist the priest and the deacon; they may carry the cross, the candles, the thurible, the bread, the wine, and the water, and they may also be deputed to distribute Holy Communion as extraordinary ministers.85
2. In the absence of an instituted lector, other laypersons may be commissioned to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture. They should be truly suited to perform this function and should receive careful preparation, so that the faithful by listening to the readings from the sacred texts may develop in their hearts a warm and living love for Sacred Scripture.86

 

[John_Lilburne]

I regard the instituted ministries as applying to the person wherever they are located. The person is making a lifelong commitment to the ministry, but not to living is a particular location. Some extracts that support this:

Catechism of the Catholic Church, n 903: “Lay people who possess the required qualities can be admitted permanently to the ministries of lector and acolyte.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1671: “Certain blessings have a lasting importance because they consecrate persons to God, or reserve objects and places for liturgical use. Among those blessings which are intended for persons - not to be confused with sacramental ordination - are the blessing of the abbott or abbess of a monastery, the consecration of virgins and widows, the rite of religious profession and the blessing of certain ministries of the Church (readers, acolytes, catechists, etc.).”

Ceremonial of Bishops, 790: “Unless they have already done so, candidates for ordination are to receive these ministries …”. The permanent nature of institution is clear, since it is not to performed on someone a second time.

Canon 1050, 3°: “for those to be promoted to the diaconate, certificates of the reception of baptism, of confirmation and of the ministries mentioned in Canon 1035.” [The Code of Canon Law - New Revised English Translation, (Harper Collins, London, 1997) 235.]

Canon 230.1: “Lay men whose age and talents meet the requirements prescribed by decree of the Bishops’ Conference, can be given the stable ministry of lector and of acolyte …”.

The Rite of Institution of Readers, n 5: “Then all stand, and the bishop, without his miter, invites the people to pray: Brothers and sisters, let us ask God our Father to bless these servants who have been chosen for the ministry of reader. Let us pray that they may be faithful to the work entrusted to them …”.

Pope Paul VI’s 1972 Motu Proprio Ministeria quaedam, n IV: “Two ministries, adapted to present-day needs, are to be preserved in the whole Latin Church, namely, those of reader and acolyte.” [Documents on the Liturgy (Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1982) page 909, n 2929.] So the idea that a bishop can choose not to use Instituted Acolytes is not consistent with this (and with parts of Canon Law requiring that seminarians be instituted.)

The punishment of “loss of ecclesial office” is part of the Code of Canon Law. But a bishop who decides to give this punishment to a individual (of loss of the office of acolyte) needs to follow the proper procedures of a trial to do this.

 

[Just_Lurking]

I regard the instituted ministries as applying to the person wherever they are located. The person is making a lifelong commitment to the ministry, but not to living is a particular location.

Everything you’ve cited applies equally as well, if not more so, to ordained deacons.

Do you also claim that deacons should be able to move to another diocese and immediately exercise their office unless and until the new bishop acts to deprive them of that ability?

 

[cameron_lansing]

Offhand, I think that most canonists would probably view installation on a stable (stabiliter) basis into the ministry of acolyte or lector (c. 230) as distinct from the conferral of ecclesiastical office (officium ecclesiasticum; c. 145+) and would view them more in the nature of a function (munus; Ministeria quaedam).

Consequently, it would seem to me that the question would not be that of removal from ecclesiastical office but rather restriction of the exercise of the ministry.

 

[Aramis]

Everything you’ve cited applies equally as well, if not more so, to ordained deacons.

Do you also claim that deacons should be able to move to another diocese and immediately exercise their office unless and until the new bishop acts to deprive them of that ability?

A deacon is required to notify the bishops involved should he move.

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Everything you’ve cited applies equally as well, if not more so, to ordained deacons.

Do you also claim that deacons should be able to move to another diocese and immediately exercise their office unless and until the new bishop acts to deprive them of that ability?

When a deacon (or priest) moves to another diocese he needs to get permission from the local bishop to serve as a cleric. He also requires the permission of the bishop in the diocese where he is incardnated to serve in the new diocese. If, after a sufficient period of time, he wishes to remain in that new diocese and to serve there he may petition for excardnation from his previous diocese and incardnation in his new diocese. Again, this requires the two bishops to agree; the old bishop releases him and the new bishop immediately accepts him.

Deacon Ed