Lectors and extraordinary ministers of communion in the entrance procesion?

[Brendan_64]

We follow the above. I am a lay person who sits in the pews, sometimes I am called to undertake the role of EMHC for a short time before melting back into the pews. The only difference may be that my pre-mass prayers include a petition for help with EMHC. I doubt that I could process, it took years to comfortably move from pew to altar and even now, on the rare occasion when called to take the gifts to the altar it is not a pleasant experience, although it is a time of fervent prayers that I don’t trip etc.

I can relate to that. I’m a lector, and I feel honoured to read at Mass, but the bit I have never been totally comfortable with is walking up to the sanctuary before I read, once I’m at the ambo all is fine and it feels wonderful.

There is no need to have lectors and EMHCs process, we are simply members of the congregation that carry out tasks. We should sit with our families as everyone else does, and quietly make our way up to carry out our tasks when the time comes. Involving us in the procession is clericalising us in a way.

 

[John_Lilburne]

From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), describing the functions of the reader in the introductory rites:

“195. Upon reaching the altar, the reader makes a profound bow with the others. If he is carrying the Book of the Gospels, he approaches the altar and places the Book of the Gospels upon it. Then the reader takes his own place in the sanctuary with the other ministers.”

The GIRM also has: “47. When the people are gathered, and as the Priest enters with the Deacon and ministers, the Entrance Chant begins.”

It is difficult to argue that “Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion” are not “ministers”.

 

[robwar]

I don’t think that (with the exception of altar servers) it is not a good idea for the laity to process like that. It raises the profile of the lay-people in question and could result in these people being elevated in some way above the rest of the congregation. Lectors and EMHCs ought to be given as low a profile as possible, they should sit in the pews like everyone else and then come up quietly and reverently, but without drawing undue attention to themselves, when the time comes for them to carry out their role.

I do sit in the pews like everyone else. Being part of the procession is done to bring up the Gospel only. I return to my seat, not far from the ambo in the congregation. I don’t think that is what Op question was where EMCH and lectors sit but that they were in the procession.