Lector Announcements

[stclare248]

Is is proper for the lector, when making introductory announcements before Mass begins, to introduce the whole cast of characters? Ex: “Our extraordinary minister of Communion will be Jane Brown, our organist is Lois Green, our celebrant is Fr. John and I am Joe Schmoe, your lector.”

It is annoying, at best. Are there any authoritative sources that prohibit this Broadway approach to the liturgy?

 

[FrDavid96]

Is is proper for the lector, when making introductory announcements before Mass begins, to introduce the whole cast of characters? Ex: “Our extraordinary minister of Communion will be Jane Brown, our organist is Lois Green, our celebrant is Fr. John and I am Joe Schmoe, your lector.”

It is annoying, at best. Are there any authoritative sources that prohibit this Broadway approach to the liturgy?

Unfortunately, the answer to your question is no.

Perhaps the parish could install a huge LED screen in the sanctuary so that as the Mass begins, the screen could display the opening credits instead of having them announced verbally.

 

[SMHW]

Unfortunately, the answer to your question is no.

Perhaps the parish could install a huge LED screen in the sanctuary so that as the Mass begins, the screen could display the opening credits instead of having them announced verbally.

snort

 

[robwar]

Is is proper for the lector, when making introductory announcements before Mass begins, to introduce the whole cast of characters? Ex: “Our extraordinary minister of Communion will be Jane Brown, our organist is Lois Green, our celebrant is Fr. John and I am Joe Schmoe, your lector.”

It is annoying, at best. Are there any authoritative sources that prohibit this Broadway approach to the liturgy?

I am assuming that this was a parish you visited? I am a lector and as a lector, I only read what is presented for me to read in either pre or post Mass announcements. At a previous parish I was a lector at there had been a lot of turmoil at the parish and the Priest decided to bring it together and have people have a name with faces in pre-Mass announcements. The presiding priest is always announced anyway. The last time I visited the parish, i noticed that they stopped the pre name announcements. While the bulletin does print the upcoming names of servers, lectors etc in the next Sunday’s Masses, I think people don’t always connect the names with the faces. This sort of thing is very uncommon and if there is any question, it would always be better to call the parish office and just ask why they have this and what is the reason? The priest at this parish ran the priest formation at the seminary and I think he knows what he is doing.

 

[929dad]

Unfortunately, the answer to your question is no.
.

What document says that? Though I don’t personally like these kinds of announcements and worked to stop having them at my church, there is nothing I read in the GIRM that even suggests they are not allowed.

 

[RandalJ]

I have been a Lector for many years and have been trained several times. This sort of behavior is discouraged. The role of the Lector is not to bring attention to him/herself it is only to impart the word of God - to the best of your ability.
A good lector is one who can impart the meaning of the reading to the congregation, which can often be difficult, especially when reading from Paul.

 

[FrDavid96]

What document says that? Though I don’t personally like these kinds of announcements and worked to stop having them at my church, there is nothing I read in the GIRM that even suggests they are not allowed.

That is correct.

That’s why, in response to the question “Are there any authoritative sources that prohibit this …?”

My answer was “…no.”

What do you think *should *have been the answer?

 

[929dad]

Sorry, I misread your first response. I thought it read that you were saying it wasn’t allowed.

I don’t know what the best answer should be. I’m the music director and in concert with the worship committee we agreed to stop listing everyone. There hasn’t been any real negative feedback to the decision. But, I started with the priests to make sure they were on board before I brought it to anyone else. That’s usually the best place to start.

 

[robwar]

I have been a Lector for many years and have been trained several times. This sort of behavior is discouraged. The role of the Lector is not to bring attention to him/herself it is only to impart the word of God - to the best of your ability.
A good lector is one who can impart the meaning of the reading to the congregation, which can often be difficult, especially when reading from Paul.

That is correct but you are assuming that the lector took this up on their own. I am a lector myself and read what is printed before me in pre/post Mass announcements. I am sure that this lector didn’t do this on their own accord and this was printed up for them to read. Usually who ever on the parish staff puts it together under the approval of the priest. The better thing to do here is if the OP is so bothered by it, is to approach the priest or the parish staff in charge and express their concern and if enough people feel the same maybe their will be a change. I’ve only seen this at one parish I’ve lector at and it was initialed for a time to deal with turmoil at the parish and bring the community together. Parishes are our family of faith and it is pretty hard when names and faces are put together to stay in contention and strife.

 

[Pax2u]

Wow, I wouldn’t like that! Never have seen/heard it, thank goodness!

I’ve had the person announce a visiting priest’s name…that’s been the extent of it.

 

[2HeartsSlave]

Is is proper for the lector, when making introductory announcements before Mass begins, to introduce the whole cast of characters? Ex: “Our extraordinary minister of Communion will be Jane Brown, our organist is Lois Green, our celebrant is Fr. John and I am Joe Schmoe, your lector.”

It is annoying, at best. Are there any authoritative sources that prohibit this Broadway approach to the liturgy?

Is common sense authoritative? lol

 

[robwar]

Sorry, I misread your first response. I thought it read that you were saying it wasn’t allowed.

I don’t know what the best answer should be. I’m the music director and in concert with the worship committee we agreed to stop listing everyone. There hasn’t been any real negative feedback to the decision. But, I started with the priests to make sure they were on board before I brought it to anyone else. That’s usually the best place to start.

that’s the ticket here and you worked with others on staff as well as the priests and made a change. I think if more followed your example a number of the liturgy complaints I see on CAF would be dealt with at the appropriate place, the priest at the parish. When I read names of the others at the previous parish, I felt like it brought attention to me which I am not comfortable with because I am not a lector to have people look at me or draw attention to myself. I understood the reason at the time and was obedient to what was presented for me to read.

 

[tawny]

Is is proper for the lector, when making introductory announcements before Mass begins, to introduce the whole cast of characters? Ex: “Our extraordinary minister of Communion will be Jane Brown, our organist is Lois Green, our celebrant is Fr. John and I am Joe Schmoe, your lector.”

It is annoying, at best. Are there any authoritative sources that prohibit this Broadway approach to the liturgy?

I am a lector in my church and the only announcements we make are those prescribed.
We do not make any introductory announcements whatsoever.

 

[agw123]

Unfortunately, the answer to your question is no.

Perhaps the parish could install a huge LED screen in the sanctuary so that as the Mass begins, the screen could display the opening credits instead of having them announced verbally.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I have never heard that happen. Could get interesting at a Mass with 6 altar boys and 10 EMHCs and what have you.

Before Mass begins at our aprish the cantor actually makes the “welcome announcement.” All they say is what Sunday it is, who the celebrant is (we have 4 assigned priests and many vistors coming and going), if there is a second collection, and what the processional hymn is. Pretty straightforward.

Parish announcements are given right before the final blessing and usually the priest does that.

 

[John_Lilburne]

The correct term for the person making introductory announcements at the start of Mass is “commentator” rather than “lector”. The lector proclaims the readings from the ambo. The commentator makes introductions from a place other than the ambo.

General Instruction of the Roman Missal n. 105b has:
“The commentator, who, if appropriate, provides the faithful briefly with explanations and exhortations so as to direct their attention to the celebration and ensure that they are better disposed for understanding it. The commentator’s remarks should be thoroughly prepared and notable for their restraint. In performing this function the commentator stands in a suitable place within sight of the faithful, but not at the ambo.”

 

[robwar]

The correct term for the person making introductory announcements at the start of Mass is “commentator” rather than “lector”. The lector proclaims the readings from the ambo. The commentator makes introductions from a place other than the ambo.

General Instruction of the Roman Missal n. 105b has:
“The commentator, who, if appropriate, provides the faithful briefly with explanations and exhortations so as to direct their attention to the celebration and ensure that they are better disposed for understanding it. The commentator’s remarks should be thoroughly prepared and notable for their restraint. In performing this function the commentator stands in a suitable place within sight of the faithful, but not at the ambo.”

Usually if there are two lectors, one of the lectors is the person making the introductory announcements. While that may not be the correct “term”, I think this is just splitting of hairs here because in most parishes it is the person that is the lector making the pre-Mass announcements. This whole thread is getting a little ridiculous because a number of people have make comments that someone is taking in upon themselves to read off names etc.
I can reassure you that nothing is further from the truth and no one is up there making it up or doing their own thing. Those pre-Mass announcements have already been typed up and out to be read. If someone doesn’t like what is being read off, then they need to approach the appropriate person in their parish and prepares that stuff and complain to them.

 

[Brendan_64]

Why would it be even necessary to announce who is going to be the lectors, EMHC’s, or even the priest. Why would it be helpful if the parishioners could ‘put a name to a face’? Why would it even be important that they know the name of the priest celebrating the Mass? The Mass is not about these people, who they are makes no difference. It is better that they are unobtrusive and less attention is drawn to them, as drawing attention to the individuals takes away from what is actually important, the Eucharist and the Word. Who the lectors, EMHC’s or even the priest is, should not be acknowledged. The Mass is the Mass, regardless of who says it or who serves it.