non-catholic lector?

[Supergirl]

The other day I was attending mass and the lector was a girl I knew. She is not Catholic, but she attends liturgy at the college where we go to school because there are no churches of her denomination anywhere nearby and our liturgy is the closest to that of her denomination, even closer than most protestant services.Are non-catholic lectors allowed? I always thought that they weren’t.

 

[OrthoCath]

Drive a little farther and find another Catholic Church. Unfortunately, just like in every faith you have good Priest (Pastors) and bad Priest (Pastors). Regardless of the time period you would have lived in, this would be true. If you lived in 104 A.D. and 2004 A.D. you would still find bad Priest. Priests are human and thus sinful.

BTW, if you can’t find a good Roman Catholic Church you like, you do know that you can attend ANY Eastern Catholic Church. You may receive ALL of the sacraments in those Churches. Perhaps one of those Churches might interest you: crosslink.net/~hrycak/ch_indx-s.html

Or you might like to go to an indult Traditional Latin Mass:
web2.airmail.net/~carlsch/MaterDei/churches.htm

 

[Supergirl]

OrthoCath:

Drive a little farther and find another Catholic Church.

I don’t own a car, so scratch that idea till I graduate.:nope:

 

[Joan_M]

A non-Catholic should, under most circumstances, not read. Does the priest know that she is not Catholic? It is most likely that he does not know. Perhaps you should speak with him, and ask if he is aware that this person is not Catholic.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Supergirl:

The other day I was attending mass and the lector was a girl I knew. She is not Catholic, but she attends liturgy at the college where we go to school because there are no churches of her denomination anywhere nearby and our liturgy is the closest to that of her denomination, even closer than most protestant services.Are non-catholic lectors allowed? I always thought that they weren’t.

I don’t believe that a Bishop would install a non-Catholic as a Lector and Church Law does not allow a female to be installed in this office to begin with.

A non-Catholic should not even be allowed to be a Lay Reader in my opinion without the Bishops specific permission.

 

[Irish_Melkite]

Supergirl,

What Church does your friend belong to? It seems to me that might be pertinent to the discussion here.

Many years,

Neil

 

[debbie_m]

Br. Rich SFO:

I don’t believe that a Bishop would install a non-Catholic as a Lector and Church Law does not allow a female to be installed in this office to begin with.

Hi Br. Rich,

Actually, women are permitted to be lectors since 1969, as stated in the 1975 GIRM U.S. Adaptations. (This is the same in Canada.)

1. Women As Readers
   The Conference of Bishops has given permission for women to serve as readers in accord with no. 66 of the “General Instruction” (November, 1969).

Here is the link to view the entire document:

catholic.com/library/liturgy/girm_1975_app.asp

Blessings, Debbie

 

[debbie_m]

[The other day I was attending mass and the lector was a girl I knew. She is not Catholic, but she attends liturgy at the college where we go to school because there are no churches of her denomination anywhere nearby and our liturgy is the closest to that of her denomination, even closer than most protestant services.Are non-catholic lectors allowed? I always thought that they weren’t.
[/QUOTE]

Here is the answer in Redemptionis Sacramentum (just came out this past April 2004):

46.] The lay Christian faithful called to give assistance at liturgical celebrations should be well instructed and must be those whoseChristian life, morals and fidelity to the Church’s Magisterium recommend them. It is fitting that such a one should have received a liturgical formation in accordance with his or her age, condition, state of life, and religious culture.117 No one should be selected whose designation could cause consternation for the faithful.118
To view the entire document go to this link:

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html#_ftnref118

Blessings, Debbie

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

debbie m.:

Br. Rich SFO:

I don’t believe that a Bishop would install a non-Catholic as a Lector and Church Law does not allow a female to be installed in this office to begin with.

Hi Br. Rich,

Actually, women are permitted to be lectors since 1969, as stated in the 1975 GIRM U.S. Adaptations. (This is the same in Canada.)

1. Women As Readers
   The Conference of Bishops has given permission for women to serve as readers in accord with no. 66 of the “General Instruction” (November, 1969).

Here is the link to view the entire document:

catholic.com/library/liturgy/girm_1975_app.asp

Blessings, Debbie

There is a difference between Lector and Reader.

Can. 230~1 Lay men whose age and talents meet the requirements prescribed by decree of
the Episcopal Conference, can be given the stable ministry of lector and of acolyte,
through the prescribed liturgical rite. This conferral of ministry does not, however, give
them a right to sustenance or remuneration from the Church.

The Conference of Bishops has given permission for women to serve as** readers** in accord with no. 66 of the “General Instruction” (November, 1969). This is in accord with #2 of Canon 230 that a lay person (male or female) can serve in the functional role of lector as a Reader on a temporary basis as needed.

 

[debbie_m]

Br. Rich SFO:

I don’t believe that a Bishop would install a non-Catholic as a Lector and Church Law does not allow a female to be installed in this office to begin with.

Okay, I didn’t realize that lector and reader were different. I know that there are instituted Lectors and our parish doesn’t have any. Oddly, most parishes have a ministry for Lectors, yet, this is a wrong use of the word Lector considering they are all lay people and mostly women.

Anyway, I thought you were implicitly saying that women should not be readers – I have heard this before. Sorry for assuming!

God bless,
Debbie

 

[Franciscum]

debbie m.:

Okay, I didn’t realize that lector and reader were different. I know that there are instituted Lectors and our parish doesn’t have any. Oddly, most parishes have a ministry for Lectors, yet, this is a wrong use of the word Lector considering they are all lay people and mostly women.

Anyway, I thought you were implicitly saying that women should not be readers – I have heard this before. Sorry for assuming!

God bless,
Debbie

Only lectors are instituted. Readers are commissioned.

“Lector” is simply Roman for “reader”, but it’s abusive use in the Church today to describe what are actually readers should cease.

 

[mercygate]

debbie m.:

Br. Rich SFO:

I don’t believe that a Bishop would install a non-Catholic as a Lector and Church Law does not allow a female to be installed in this office to begin with.

Hi Br. Rich,

Actually, women are permitted to be lectors since 1969, as stated in the 1975 GIRM U.S. Adaptations. (This is the same in Canada.)

1. Women As Readers
   The Conference of Bishops has given permission for women to serve as readers in accord with no. 66 of the “General Instruction” (November, 1969).

Here is the link to view the entire document:

catholic.com/library/liturgy/girm_1975_app.asp

Blessings, Debbie

Women may serve as lectors. Installation is another matter. Lectors in general are not installed; no authorization is required from the bishop (unlike for EMHC’s). Installed lectors must be men.

 

[Franciscum]

debbie m.:

Okay, I didn’t realize that lector and reader were different. I know that there are instituted Lectors and our parish doesn’t have any. Oddly, most parishes have a ministry for Lectors, yet, this is a wrong use of the word Lector considering they are all lay people and mostly women.

Anyway, I thought you were implicitly saying that women should not be readers – I have heard this before. Sorry for assuming!

God bless,
Debbie

Only lectors are instituted (for life). Readers are commissioned (for a definate period, usually 1-2 years.)

“Lector” is simply Latin for “reader”, but its abusive use in the Church today, given that it’s an official title, to describe what are actually readers should cease.

In my parish, I think the use of “lector” to descibe readers is actually driven largely by the sexism-feminism of our “eucharistic and liturgical coordinators” – both women.

 

[mgy100]

If I were at a mass and anyone but a Catholic was a lector I would stand up and walk out. Period. End of story, I am not getting into a heated debate, but I prefer it when the priest reads everything and gives communion. Please, that is how I feel. I’m not trying to argue.

 

[Supergirl]

Irish Melkite:

Supergirl,

What Church does your friend belong to? It seems to me that might be pertinent to the discussion here.

Many years,

Neil

Sorry- I haven’t had time to check the forums in awhile…
She’s charismatic episcopal, if you’ve heard of that denomination. From what she’s told me, it sounds like they’re fairly close to Roman Catholicism because they (most likely) have valid orders and have all 7 sacraments…

Br. Rich- sorry, I didn’t realize there was a distinction between a lector and a reader. She was a reader, not a lector.

 

[debbie_m]

Supergirl:

Sorry- I haven’t had time to check the forums in awhile…
She’s charismatic episcopal, if you’ve heard of that denomination. From what she’s told me, it sounds like they’re fairly close to Roman Catholicism because they (most likely) have valid orders and have all 7 sacraments…

Br. Rich- sorry, I didn’t realize there was a distinction between a lector and a reader. She was a reader, not a lector.

**
Charismatic Episcopal is not in communion with the Catholic Church and it is safe to say they do not have valid orders or valid sacraments (unless there has been some strange circumstance, however, they would still not be in communion with the Catholic Church). Quite a few protestants think that because they have some similar traditions then, therefore, they are in communion with the Catholic Church. This is wrong – they just don’t know or understand. (I am a convert, therefore, I hear alot of this.)

Anyway, the main point is that she should not be reading at Mass unless she is a** Catholic and in good standing with the Catholic Church, as stated in Church teaching. ** Here is the official Church teaching re-stated in a recent document called “Redemptionis Sacramentum.”:

*46. The lay Christian faithful **called to give assistance at liturgical celebrations **should be well instructed and must be those whose Christian life, morals and **fidelity to the Church’s Magisterium *recommend them…No one should be selected whose designation could cause consternation for the faithful.
.
**
***"fidelity to the Church’s Magisterium " ***means that they must be a Catholic in good standing, following the Catholic Church’s teachings.

Unfortunately, not all priests follow the Church’s teachings or they just don’t know. You may want to bring this to the attention of the priest and print out the quote from the document to show him. Allowing a non-Catholic to read is confusing to other Catholics and confusing to her as well. This may be opportunity to ask her if she would like to become Catholic! Who knows – she may say yes!

To view the entire document go to this link:

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html#_ftnref118

God bless,
Debbie

“This is the good news the prophets foretold: The Saviour will be born of the Virgin Mary.”

 

[Ulysses]

mgy100:

If I were at a mass and anyone but a Catholic was a lector I would stand up and walk out. Period. End of story, I am not getting into a heated debate, but I prefer it when the priest reads everything and gives communion. Please, that is how I feel. I’m not trying to argue.

 

[Ulysses]

I agree with you. Sometimes, at daily Mass, there seem to be as many people in the sanctuary (on the altar nowadays) as there are people in the pews.

Very often, someone will assist the priest in giving Holy Communion(not necessarily an extraordinary eucharistic minister) when there are few communicants. This action is not in agreement with the G.I.R.M.

Everybody wants to get in the act!

 

[buffalo]

Another example of watered down Catholicsm. Everthing is OK. All religions are the same anyway bs. But, she’s a good person. And on and on and on it goes.

 

[Podo2004]

Br. Rich SFO:

I don’t believe that a Bishop would install a non-Catholic as a Lector and Church Law does not allow a female to be installed in this office to begin with.

A non-Catholic should not even be allowed to be a Lay Reader in my opinion without the Bishops specific permission.

really now? Where was I when that rule was set? Really now, girls can be lectors or altar servers if they wish. The only thing they can’t be are priests( and bishops)
Podo