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need_to_know
Guest
I’ve recently signed up for reading at Mass. We have training in about three weeks and then I guess I’ll be starting after that. Does anyone have any advice?
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promethius
Guest
Yes. To be a reader you must be in a state of grace, so be sure to visit confession as soon as needed because you never know when someone may get sick and you may be called on to read.
Also, practice out loud beforehand. You can borrow from drama classes as well, by printing out a copy of your reading and highlighting all the nouns. By paying special focus on emphasis on these words, you can add a lot of depth to your reading.
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theistgal
Guest
I learned a good trick for practicing reading text out loud, many years ago when I worked at a radio station.
Read the text verrryyy sloowwwlly forwards … then verrryyy sloowwwlly BACKWARDS … then verrryyy sloowwwlly forwards again … then read it at a normal pace (forwards, of course!
).Seriously, don’t know why that works, but it really does! Maybe because you have to stop and think about each word, especially when you hit the “backwards” part.
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dhgray
Guest
Remember: People listen 1/2 as fast as they read. You should speak 1/2 as fast as you read. If you think you are speaking too slow … then you are reading at the right speed.
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Pax_Vobiscum_57
Guest
Print out the readings and mark where you think you should pause with a symbol of some sort like / for each beat. And /// before “The Word of the Lord.”
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yellowbird
Guest
I love being a Lector. I was scared 1/2 to death the first time but now it’s actually something I enjoy.
My advice: Always get there early. They begin to freak out if they think you are a no-show.
Read with proper emphasis, but don’t be overly dramatic. You are a reader, not an actor. That’s what my Priest says.
If you’re going to be reading the prayers, have someone help you with the proper pronounciations beforehand if they are people you aren’t familar with.
You’ll do great!
My advice: Always get there early. They begin to freak out if they think you are a no-show.
Read with proper emphasis, but don’t be overly dramatic. You are a reader, not an actor. That’s what my Priest says.
If you’re going to be reading the prayers, have someone help you with the proper pronounciations beforehand if they are people you aren’t familar with.
You’ll do great!
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benedictgal
Guest
You will be getting practice manuals with notations for the pronunciation and separation of the texts. However, be warned that some of St. Paul’s epistles have sentences that carry on for several lines. What I have had to do is use my RSV-CE 2nd edition as a guide to know when the sentence should break. Otherwise, it would sound as though I were reading a run-on sentence.
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pnewton
Guest
Do not guess on pronunciations you do not know. DO not guess. Look them up learn them. Study the word and see where and why it pronounced that way. It will make it easier when you are reading.
Then pronounce it backwards. (Just kidding)
Then pronounce it backwards. (Just kidding
)
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Scar
Guest
…i am a lector at church, have been for 30 plus years… my advice is to remember that you will make mistakes and that lightning will not strike you. You will do a great job. Thanks for offering, it’s hard to get people to pony up the time, talent and treasure of their lives. I am sure your parish will be richer for your service. Remember one thing more. You are there to serve. Serve well weed hopper
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adowcday
Guest
Only two lectors over the past thirty years have been over-dramatic. Emphasizing important words or phrases vocally is helpful. Also, almost never does a lector go too slowly. What sounds too slow for you (especially if you are nervous, as will likely be the case at first) is generally just right.
Finish your sentences as strongly as you start. Many people tend to trail off at the end of a sentence.
Enunciate clearly.
Less technically, but even more importantly, read, study and meditate upon the scriptures. It is amazing how much difference it makes when the lector really, deeply understands what a passage in scripture means and proclaims God’s Word from the heart. If you love God’s Word, your lectoring will be qualitatively different and better.
And, as others have said, pray that God would use you to speak to the hearts of the people who are listening.
Finish your sentences as strongly as you start. Many people tend to trail off at the end of a sentence.
Enunciate clearly.
Less technically, but even more importantly, read, study and meditate upon the scriptures. It is amazing how much difference it makes when the lector really, deeply understands what a passage in scripture means and proclaims God’s Word from the heart. If you love God’s Word, your lectoring will be qualitatively different and better.
And, as others have said, pray that God would use you to speak to the hearts of the people who are listening.
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quiet52
Guest
I especially like this advice. My parish has a couple of lectors who seem to be reading the passages for the first time to the congregation. The readings are thus flat and difficult to follow. More mistakes are made – because they’re not familiar with the passages, they insert or skip words and twist the meaning of the passage… Just as “passion” can be contagious, so can non-passion be contagious. Your previous study of the passages, not just for familiarity but for meaning and for your personal growth, is a gift to the congregation. The Word of the Lord is precious – this will be conveyed on a subconscious level when the Word you read during Mass is precious to you.
Another bit of advice – when you read the lector announcements at the end of Mass, please be familiar with them ahead of time!
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LilyM
Guest
But not in an affected way. Don’t overmouth your words. Be aware of the microphone - don’t stand too close or too far away from it. Watch your volume - since you’ll have a microphone (presumably) you shouldn’t need to be much louder than normal.
One trick, which is relatively easy if you’ve gone through the text a few times, is to try to look up and at the congregation as much as you can while you proclaim the reading. People tend to keep their head down the whole time, or their eyes glued on the page. Doing the opposite helps your voice project better.
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yellowbird
Guest
Ahhhh! No! Not this!!! Don’t look up! It’s waaaaay more scary when you look up!!!
:frighten:
(kidding! It’s good advice… although I admit it totally freaks me out!)
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margya
Guest
I recommend this book: Lectors Guide to Biblical Pronunciations, Updated by Jospeh M. Staudacher. Published by Our Sunday Visitor. It costs &6.95. Practice and Be natural about reading. Double Check the Lectionary to make sure the readings are the correct ones for the day. Dress nicely and modestly when a being Lector.
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kage_ar
Guest
Do this. A few weeks ago, we had the readings from Jonah, where he is told to go to Ninevah - and the name of the place is repeated often in that passage.
The person who was reading pronounced it “Nivea”. I wanted to giggle, had this image of sinners with really moist skin.
If you have to call someone and ask how to pronounce a word, do it and say it over and over until it feels natural.
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yellowbird
Guest
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LilyM
Guest
I don’t mean memorise the whole reading and stare at the congregation without a single blink or look downwards the whole time you proclaim it or anything
(actually it’d be fun to try … mwahahah)Most readers couldn’t go too long without going back to the paper anyway. I just mean don’t bury your nose in the lectionary.
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maryjk
Guest
Only speak 1/2 as fast as you read, if you are a fast reader. If you are a generally slow reader, just read a loud. We have a number of readers that read sooooo ssslllooowwwwlllyyy, that I can’t understand what they are saying. It becomes just a bunch of words.
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need_to_know
Guest
Thanks for all your replies, all very helpful!
If I read the readings before mass, which Bible should I use? I already have a Bible but I’m sure it isn’t the translation the Church uses. When I read the readings in advance I want to make sure it is exactly as I will see it during Mass. Which translation is the one used in the lectionary? (I’m in England).
If I read the readings before mass, which Bible should I use? I already have a Bible but I’m sure it isn’t the translation the Church uses. When I read the readings in advance I want to make sure it is exactly as I will see it during Mass. Which translation is the one used in the lectionary? (I’m in England).
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LilyM
Guest
I’m not certain - ask at the training. In the US the entire lectionary is actually available online so you don’t need to buy a Bible. Maybe the UK one is too.
In the parish I last read in, they would actually mail you the text of the readings a week in advance so you knew what you were getting. Maybe you can arrange with your parish either to do this for you, or let you come in and get a photocopy or printout or something.
Or else you can buy a Sunday Missal with the text of the readings in it - unless your pastor is being very naughty, it should be exactly what you’ll be reading out.
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