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George2007
Guest
In our parish, children are reading the responsorial psalm. What is the minimum age limit for a lector?
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Phemie
Guest
I don’t know that there is a set minimum age. I’ve seen a minimum age for an instituted lector but not for a regular reader. We’ve had children who did a much better job than some of the adults.
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Br.Rich_SFO
Guest
Except specifically for a childrens Mass a Lay Reader should be a Commissioned Lay Miniater who has been Confirmed, properly trained and is in good standing with the Catholic Church.
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Phemie
Guest
And in our parish that could be an 8 year old.
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John_Lilburne
Guest
I don’t think there is any age limit for the person doing the responsorial psalm.
They are not really a “reader”. Rather, from the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“102. The psalmist’s role is to sing the Psalm or other biblical canticle that comes between the readings. To fulfill this function correctly, it is necessary that the psalmist have the ability for singing and a facility in correct pronunciation and diction.”
The decision on who does this is made by the parish priest (2002 GIRM n. 107).
The 1981 General Introduction to the Lectionary has: “20. As a rule the responsorial psalm should be sung. … 22. When not sung, the psalm after the reading is to be recited in a manner conducive to meditation on the word of God.”
Even if the psalm is not sung, I would say that saying the psalm is not required to be done by the instituted lector. 2002 GIRM has: “99. The lector is instituted to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture, with the exception of the Gospel. He may also announce the intentions for the Prayer of the Faithful and, in the absence of a psalmist, proclaim the Psalm between the readings.”
Usually instituted lectors are referred to as “men” but the age of an instituted lector is determined by the Conference of Bishops (1972 Motu Proprio “Ministeria Quaedam”, n. 8b, see romanrite.com/Churchdoc.html ).
The 1973 Directory for Masses with Children has in Chapter Three “Masses With Children in Which Only a Few Adults Participate”:
“22. … Every effort should therefore be made to increase this participation and to make it more intense. For this reason as many children as possible should have special parts in the celebration: for example … acting as cantor, … proclaiming the readings …”. But n. 24 has “… readers and cantors, whether children or adults, should be employed. …”
They are not really a “reader”. Rather, from the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“102. The psalmist’s role is to sing the Psalm or other biblical canticle that comes between the readings. To fulfill this function correctly, it is necessary that the psalmist have the ability for singing and a facility in correct pronunciation and diction.”
The decision on who does this is made by the parish priest (2002 GIRM n. 107).
The 1981 General Introduction to the Lectionary has: “20. As a rule the responsorial psalm should be sung. … 22. When not sung, the psalm after the reading is to be recited in a manner conducive to meditation on the word of God.”
Even if the psalm is not sung, I would say that saying the psalm is not required to be done by the instituted lector. 2002 GIRM has: “99. The lector is instituted to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture, with the exception of the Gospel. He may also announce the intentions for the Prayer of the Faithful and, in the absence of a psalmist, proclaim the Psalm between the readings.”
Usually instituted lectors are referred to as “men” but the age of an instituted lector is determined by the Conference of Bishops (1972 Motu Proprio “Ministeria Quaedam”, n. 8b, see romanrite.com/Churchdoc.html ).
The 1973 Directory for Masses with Children has in Chapter Three “Masses With Children in Which Only a Few Adults Participate”:
“22. … Every effort should therefore be made to increase this participation and to make it more intense. For this reason as many children as possible should have special parts in the celebration: for example … acting as cantor, … proclaiming the readings …”. But n. 24 has “… readers and cantors, whether children or adults, should be employed. …”
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puzzleannie
Guest
children (properly instructed and prepared) may read the first and second readings and psalm in a Children’s Mass, that is, where the lectionary for children may (not must) be used and the congregation is primarily school age children or younger.
most readers at Mass today, adults included, are not instituted lectors (a minor order which of course can only be a man), they are just that, readers.
obviously a child cannot be an instituted lector, but may be a reader in condition described above. a Mass where first communions are being celebrated would be one such occasion, or a school Mass.
the cantor leads the psalm if it is sung, the cantor is neither a reader nor a lector. children can be cantors and choir members as well. any reader can lead the psalm if it is recited, not sung
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Phemie
Guest
I have yet to see a document stating a minimum age. Why are we looking at age anyway? We should be looking at competence.
We don’t have Masses for children – haven’t had one in at least 10 years.
What is the problem with a well prepared child doing a reading or leading the Psalm at Sunday Mass? If they are competent shouldn’t they be allowed to offer their talent to the parish?
We don’t have Masses for children – haven’t had one in at least 10 years.
What is the problem with a well prepared child doing a reading or leading the Psalm at Sunday Mass? If they are competent shouldn’t they be allowed to offer their talent to the parish?
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TMC
Guest
I always thought they should be confirmed, with the exception of specially planned Children’s Masses (like those puzzleannie referred to). If they are confirmed, age should be no impediment. They are full members of the Church. I see it as a parallel of the bar mitzvah, which has the same function. On the other hand, I think we confirm too young, but that is perhaps another thread. All that said, no one should lector if not suited to the task, of course.
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NetNuncio
Guest
I will assume that you are asking what the minimum age is for someone to fill the role of lector.
There is no defined age for this. However, it would be expected that the person be of proper maturity and knowledge (even in Masses where large amounts of children are present) before they are allowed to fulfill the role. The use of young children to fill the role of lector in order to somehow “bait” parents to attend Mass is not only terribly deceptive, but also could be destructive to the liturgy and the worship of others.
However, in order to be formally installed as a lector, one must be over 18 (in the USA) and male (c.230, commentary). The age limit can be waived by the local ordinary in cases of advanced maturity and knowledge.
That being said, the vast amount of those filling the role of lector are not formally installed.
Adam
There is no defined age for this. However, it would be expected that the person be of proper maturity and knowledge (even in Masses where large amounts of children are present) before they are allowed to fulfill the role. The use of young children to fill the role of lector in order to somehow “bait” parents to attend Mass is not only terribly deceptive, but also could be destructive to the liturgy and the worship of others.
However, in order to be formally installed as a lector, one must be over 18 (in the USA) and male (c.230, commentary). The age limit can be waived by the local ordinary in cases of advanced maturity and knowledge.
That being said, the vast amount of those filling the role of lector are not formally installed.
Adam
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benedictgal
Guest
This remains a sore spot between my father and his pastor, especiallly since his pastor has been drawing from the pool of altar servers and having the kids read while they are dressed as servers. My dad is totally against the idea because he does not believe that the servers should be performing two duties (serving and reading).
Second, there is the idea of competency. For those of you who have children in your parish who are gifted in reading, that’s wonderfully fine and dandy. However, we live along the Texas-Mexican border and the English proficiency (and Spanish, for that matter) of many of our servers is not where it should be. Many of our servers’ reading skills are not adequate for the proclamation of the Word, something that Pope Benedict XVI makes very clear in Sacramentum Caritatis. Furthermore, because the parents predominantly speak Spanish, this does not help if the kids are preparing for English texts (an added caveat is that the lector coordinators will not make time to prepare the kids). In addition, the parish does not have a fully Spanish Mass (it is bilingual, with the Gospel being proclaimed in Spanish, as well as parts of the Liturgy of the Eucharist).
My dad takes great pains to review the rubrics with the servers and to train them properly on how to reverently serve at Mass. That is his area of of cometency. However, he does not believe that they are ready to read. He told his pastor that reading is not some rite of passage. It is something that must be taken very seriously. Furthermore, the proper formation must be given, something that the pastor has not even given to the adults who are exercising this duty at Mass.
Second, there is the idea of competency. For those of you who have children in your parish who are gifted in reading, that’s wonderfully fine and dandy. However, we live along the Texas-Mexican border and the English proficiency (and Spanish, for that matter) of many of our servers is not where it should be. Many of our servers’ reading skills are not adequate for the proclamation of the Word, something that Pope Benedict XVI makes very clear in Sacramentum Caritatis. Furthermore, because the parents predominantly speak Spanish, this does not help if the kids are preparing for English texts (an added caveat is that the lector coordinators will not make time to prepare the kids). In addition, the parish does not have a fully Spanish Mass (it is bilingual, with the Gospel being proclaimed in Spanish, as well as parts of the Liturgy of the Eucharist).
My dad takes great pains to review the rubrics with the servers and to train them properly on how to reverently serve at Mass. That is his area of of cometency. However, he does not believe that they are ready to read. He told his pastor that reading is not some rite of passage. It is something that must be taken very seriously. Furthermore, the proper formation must be given, something that the pastor has not even given to the adults who are exercising this duty at Mass.
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Phemie
Guest
That’s why I’m less concerned with the age of a reader than I am with how they read.
I’ve experienced adults who thought kids should read at Mass to train them so they can do it as adults. That resulted in one boy coming up to read who wasn’t just a bad reader, he couldn’t read the most basic words: an adult had to stand by him and whisper the words – this at the only Sunday Mass. I was so angry that day that I couldn’t even go to Communion.
When I had a chance to speak to the issue I made it clear that the Ambo is not a training ground, it’s where you aspire to be once you’ve been well trained. Just because we have not always done that with adults, taking anyone who volunteered, there is no reason to perpetuate that practice with the kids.
I’ve experienced adults who thought kids should read at Mass to train them so they can do it as adults. That resulted in one boy coming up to read who wasn’t just a bad reader, he couldn’t read the most basic words: an adult had to stand by him and whisper the words – this at the only Sunday Mass. I was so angry that day that I couldn’t even go to Communion.
When I had a chance to speak to the issue I made it clear that the Ambo is not a training ground, it’s where you aspire to be once you’ve been well trained. Just because we have not always done that with adults, taking anyone who volunteered, there is no reason to perpetuate that practice with the kids.
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benedictgal
Guest
Phemie, what makes it worse is that when you have stage mothers who insist that their child serve as a reader even when darling daughter would just rather be an altar server (because she is very uncomfortable reading and has difficulty with words). My father has told “stage mother” that she needs to practice with her daughter, but Mama Gypsy Rose doesn’t seem to have the time. What my father winds up doing is finding a competent adult who will read in the girl’s place so that she can serve.
He keeps telling his pastor, but the priest won’t listen even after my father has pointed out the appropriate reference in Sacramentumn Caritatis. When he also told the stage mother, she said, “Well, this isn’t the Vatican. We don’t have to do what the Holy Father said.”:
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Phemie
Guest
How many times have I heard “How dare Rome make rules for us in XYZ? Who do they think they are?” On the consolation side, at least those who know Rome makes the rules don’t believe I’m the one coming up with them.He keeps telling his pastor, but the priest won’t listen even after my father has pointed out the appropriate reference in Sacramentumn Caritatis. When he also told the stage mother, she said, “Well, this isn’t the Vatican. We don’t have to do what the Holy Father said.”:
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Sarabande
Guest
We’ve never had children read during regular Sunday masses for any parish I’ve been in, but I remember when I was in Catholic grade school and was teaching in a Catholic school, the children would read the 1st and 2nd readings for masses during the school day or for special masses. The responsorial psalm was usually sung by older children who had nice voices and sing in tune. It didn’t matter how young the children were to read. If they could read well and trained properly by the teachers, they did it well. But I remember the teachers taking time to really teach us how to recite slowly (as children have a tendancy to speed-read) and worked with us in pronouncing the hard words correctly.
Actually, I think some of us could have done a better job than some of the adult lectors at the time - only because we really practiced. I think when we become adults we take our ability to read for granted and don’t really practice reading out loud. I actually get more nervous about reading out loud than singing.
haha!- Status