Lector's Bow

[rondirect]

They should receive and accept direction from their Pastor, so that there is consistency within the parish, I think.

When it comes to liturgical ministries, there should be no “die hards” of any kind - everyone should take up the spirit of obedience and follow the direction of the pastor. He is the person in charge of the liturgy; not the volunteers who help out.

I agree with you; however our pastor will not bring it up nor correct this because I know he would think of it as trite and would want to maintain the peace. I could speak to him and see for sure but I am not the Lector coordinator. I wonder also, how many PIPs really notice or care.

 

[rondirect]

I read this as meaning that the lector has processed in with the priest. While that was a common practice years ago, my observation is that this is no longer so.

I read the OP’s question as pertaining to situations where the lector does not enter in the procession and thus has not already genuflected, not at the altar, and perhaps not even when entering his/her pew if the tabernacle is not in the sanctuary. Would the same advice apply in this case?

The Lectors in our church process in and bow and take their sit on the ambo side only.

 

[felsguy]

The Lectors in our church process in and bow and take their sit on the ambo side only.

Thank you, I see I interpreted your situation incorrectly. I’m asking though, is it appropriate for lectors who do not process in and who do not sit in the sanctuary to reverence the altar by bowing before they approach the ambo?

 

[Phemie]

Thank you, I see I interpreted your situation incorrectly. I’m asking though, is it appropriate for lectors who do not process in and who do not sit in the sanctuary to reverence the altar by bowing before they approach the ambo?

The GIRM has a section on genuflections and bows (IV. Some General Norms for
All Forms of Mass.

There is no call for a bow by the lectors before the readings; there is for the deacon when he asks for a blessing before proclaiming the Gospel.

OTOH, this section of the GIRM certainly indicates that lectors in my parish should be genuflecting when they cross the nave to reach the ambo since the Tabernacle is dead center of the sanctuary. I don’t think this walk from one side to the other can be considered a procession.

 

[Quaesitor]

At my local Catholic Church we have been taught that everyone bows on entering and leaving the Sanctuary so as the Lectors and EM’s approach, even if they are on the side of the Ambo they always reference the altar. It doesn’t seem overly done to me as they are entering one of the more holy places in our church and as such it shows respect.

My :twocents:

 

[jmcrae]

I agree with you; however our pastor will not bring it up nor correct this because I know he would think of it as trite and would want to maintain the peace. I could speak to him and see for sure but I am not the Lector coordinator. I wonder also, how many PIPs really notice or care.

If you aren’t receiving any direction either from the Coordinator or from the Pastor, then I would say, do what you see most of the other readers doing, when you are called upon to serve.

It might be a question to bring up at the next training session, assuming you have regularly scheduled training sessions, to see what the Coordinator’s opinion on the issue is.

Otherwise, don’t worry about it any more, since there’s nothing you can do about it.

 

[rondirect]

If you aren’t receiving any direction either from the Coordinator or from the Pastor, then I would say, do what you see most of the other readers doing, when you are called upon to serve.

It might be a question to bring up at the next training session, assuming you have regularly scheduled training sessions, to see what the Coordinator’s opinion on the issue is.

Otherwise, don’t worry about it any more, since there’s nothing you can do about it.

I am not a lector, but I know many who are and they are told to bow before and after the reading. The reason why I created this thread is to find out if their was any directives from the church regarding this issue so I can bring it up to the pastor and coordinator with a formal document. My take away from all of this is varied, so I make the conclusion that it is a parish by parish decision. I can see and appreciate all viewpoints that were posted here. I just wanted a concrete answer that a lector friend of mine asked of me. Unfortunately, as I said, there is none. Thanks everyone for your (name removed by moderator)ut. Without documentation to support it, there will be chaos: some lectors will still want to reverence the altar with a bow and insist on it, while others will agree that a simple reverent walk to and from the ambo (not crossing in front of the altar) is all that is needed. There will be no uniformity and it will only confuse the PIPs. I will however speak to my pastor about it (I already contacted the diocesan liturgical director) and see what he says. His say so will be our parish documentation that the lectors will agree upon only.

Otherwise, I agree with you…let it be and don’t worry about it anymore.

 

[YADA]

I read this as meaning that the lector has processed in with the priest. While that was a common practice years ago, my observation is that this is no longer so.

I read the OP’s question as pertaining to situations where the lector does not enter in the procession and thus has not already genuflected, not at the altar, and perhaps not even when entering his/her pew if the tabernacle is not in the sanctuary. Would the same advice apply in this case?

At our parish - the lectors process in at the start of Mass and process out at the end of Mass - this is the norm in every parish I have attended in my diocese and in several other dioceses I have had the pleasure of attending

 

[Phemie]

At our parish - the lectors process in at the start of Mass and process out at the end of Mass - this is the norm in every parish I have attended in my diocese and in several other dioceses I have had the pleasure of attending

In our parish the first reader processes in with the Lectionary – I know, not allowed, but that’s what my pastor wants because Canada doesn’t have a Book of Gospels and he doesn’t care about what the GIRM says – but reader doesn’t remain in the sanctuary so is not involved in the recessional.

 

[YADA]

In our parish the first reader processes in with the Lectionary – I know, not allowed, but that’s what my pastor wants because Canada doesn’t have a Book of Gospels and he doesn’t care about what the GIRM says – but reader doesn’t remain in the sanctuary so is not involved in the recessional.

Our Deacon carries the Gospel …

If there is no Deacon - one of the Lectors carries the Gospel Book and places it on the altar -

At the end of Mass when the priest kisses the altar and with the altar servers moves to the front of the altar the lectors rejoin them for the recessional … and no - the Gospel Book is not carried out as we are sent out into the world having received and carrying both the Word of God and the Body and Blood forth to love and serve

Priest, Deacon, Altar servers, and Lectors genuflect upon reaching and leaving the altar …

 

[John_Lilburne]

The liturgical books are to be faithfully followed in the celebration of the sacraments (Code of Canon Law, canon 846). One of these liturgical books is “Ceremonial of Bishops” (1989, Liturgical Press, ISBN 0814618189 ). It has:

“Reverence toward the altar
72 A deep bow is made to the altar by all who enter the sanctuary (chancel), leave it, or pass before the altar.”

So it depends where the reader is before he or she goes to the ambo to do the reading.

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal envisages them being in the sanctuary from the entrance procession. It describes the entrance procession and has: “195. … Then the reader takes his own place in the sanctuary with the other ministers.” (The Roman Missal, published by Catholic Truth Society, 2011, ISBN 9781860827303, page 76.)

But I have rarely seen this. Usually the reader is sitting with the congregation, entering the sanctuary before the reading and leaving it after the reading. So in this case the reader should bow twice.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Thank you, I see I interpreted your situation incorrectly. I’m asking though, is it appropriate for lectors who do not process in and who do not sit in the sanctuary to reverence the altar by bowing before they approach the ambo?

In my parish, the lectors do not process in, approach from their seats in the congregation, bow to the altar before entering the Sanctuary, and leave down a set of side steps without bowing again. Very simple.

 

[VicFerrari]

The tabernacle in my parish is outside of the sanctuary, off to one side in a niche.

It’s sad to watch people dutifully bow, genuflect or courtesy to either the altar or large crucifix behind it and then walk past the tabernacle without so much as a head nod.

“They know not what they do.”

 

[rondirect]

In my parish, the lectors do not process in, approach from their seats in the congregation, bow to the altar before entering the Sanctuary, and leave down a set of side steps without bowing again. Very simple.

Received my inquiry back from our diocesan Liturgical Director at the Cathedral. He states that anyone entering before or leaving after from the sanctuary should bow towards the altar at all times. He further says that if there is one lector for both readings, they should sit within the Sanctuary during the Psalm, but that is a parish thing.