Can Protestants do the Readings?

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Dawn_VanName

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Where in the General Instructions can I find the roles of the readers and if a non-Catholic can do the readings?
Thank you,
 
Dawn VanName:
Where in the General Instructions can I find the roles of the readers and if a non-Catholic can do the readings?
Thank you,
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GIRM 101
 
Paragraph 133 of the Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism is also an authoritative source:
The reading of Scripture during a Eucharistic celebration in the Catholic Church is to be done by members of that Church. On exceptional occasions and for a just cause, the Bishop of the diocese may permit a member of another Church or ecclesial Community to take on the task of reader.
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Here, “another Church” = Eastern Orthodox, and “ecclesial Community” = Protestant.
 
Thank you very much. That was an eye opener! I didn’t even know the Church had that documentation.
We have a protestant at our parish (wife and children are Catholic) who doesn’t just do it on “exceptional occassions” but nearly every Sunday! Also, he doesn’t want to become Catholic. We do have other readers at our parish who are present to read. I question if the bishop was really ever contacted for permission. Do I have a right to know and see a letter from the bishop on this?
I’m wondering how do I approach this?
Thank you.
Dawn
 
Dawn VanName:
Thank you very much. That was an eye opener! I didn’t even know the Church had that documentation.
We have a protestant at our parish (wife and children are Catholic) who doesn’t just do it on “exceptional occassions” but nearly every Sunday! Also, he doesn’t want to become Catholic. We do have other readers at our parish who are present to read. I question if the bishop was really ever contacted for permission. Do I have a right to know and see a letter from the bishop on this?
I’m wondering how do I approach this?
Thank you.
Dawn
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You most certainly do have a right to see that letter or at least hear from the priest that the bishop has given his permission. Although such an abuse does not render the Mass invalid, it does degrade the Mass to the point that the Mass is illicit. And no abuse, however small, is to be tolerated. It’s like preparing a fine meal and throwing some dead flies on it before serving it to your guests. The most important thing to remember is that your priest is a priest and should be addressed courteously and with the respect that he is due. Not that you wouldn’t do that, or anything, but it’s still worth saying because I almost said something very rude to my parish priest a few weeks ago… it’s very easy to get so angry that you forget who you are and who the priest is. lol. Chances are that your priest was poorly catechized, so he is probably unaware that he is permitting something that is not what the Church wants.
 
No, you don’t have the right to see letters from bishops to priests regarding any particular individual. There is a privacy factor that most parishes very strictly enforce and which will keep people from indiscriminately snooping where they may not belong. You’re welcome to discuss your feelings with the priest, but don’t expect that you’re going to get past that discussion in finding out specifics of the situation.
 
loyola rambler:
No, you don’t have the right to see letters from bishops to priests regarding any particular individual. There is a privacy factor that most parishes very strictly enforce and which will keep people from indiscriminately snooping where they may not belong. You’re welcome to discuss your feelings with the priest, but don’t expect that you’re going to get past that discussion in finding out specifics of the situation.
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You do not have the right to see the letter. BUT YOU do have the RIGHT to speak to the Bishop about your concerns. Goto the Priest first and then if necessary goto the Bishop. You have a right as a Catholic to a Mass in accord with Rome.

God Bless and be gentle.

Scott
 
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CatholicNerd:
It’s like preparing a fine meal and throwing some dead flies on it before serving it to your guests.
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I was a “dead fly” myself once. Didn’t like it at all.

On Good Friday before my reception into the Church at the Easter Vigil, my pastor asked me to do the reading at Morning Prayer. I demurred, saying that only a Catholic in good standing should be proclaiming the word of God from the ambo. He replied that “If we can have a Rabbi up here reading for a wedding, there’s certanly no harm in having YOU do it.” I complied because there were 50 people there and I thought it best not to make an issue of it and that “obedience” was the better part. But it took some of the impact out of Confirmation.
 
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