Priests, deacons, lectors

[on_the_hill]

When a priest and deacon are both celebrating Mass, the deacon generally reads the Gospel, right?

What if a lector isn’t present? Would the priest do the first two readings and the deacon do the Gospel? Or would the deacon do all three? Or would the deacon do the first two and the priest the Gospel?
Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[Corki]

Since the first two readings (one if daily Mass) are properly done by a lay reader or an instituted lector, I think the priest would designate someone from the congregation to do the reading.

 

[MT1926]

If no one from the congregation is willing to read our deacon usually does all three. If the deacon isn’t present Father has done all three.

 

[MT1926]

Also, our deacon doesn’t read the gospel every time he is at mass. Sometimes Father reads it.

 

[ChurchSoldier]

Generally it is part of the Deacon’s role to proclaim the Gospel to the world which is why they usually read it.

Part of the nature of that ministry. Clergy in the Church, yet also serving in the world!

 

[pianistclare]

When a priest and deacon are both celebrating Mass, the deacon generally reads the Gospel, right?
*
Deacons don’t celebrate Mass.
The Deacon may read the Gospel if present. He would not read the first or second reading. *

What if a lector isn’t present?
*A person from the congregation would read, most likely. *Would the priest do the first two readings and the deacon do the Gospel?

*The priest or Deacon proclaim the Gospel *

These scenarios are unlikely.
If a daily Mass, there are people present. Many times Father has asked someone in the congregation to read prior to Mass.

 

[on_the_hill]

Interesting. I’ve been to daily Masses where the priest read all three, but never saw a priest ask someone from the congregation to read.

 

[Red_James]

Interesting. I’ve been to daily Masses where the priest read all three, but never saw a priest ask someone from the congregation to read.

Guess it depends on the Parish. I’ve see the priest read all three readings on a Sunday when a lector didn’t show up. On our daily weekday morning mass, the priest always reads the readings; he doesn’t throw anyone under the bus. I guess people are too shy to read?

 

[Phemie]

Guess it depends on the Parish. I’ve see the priest read all three readings on a Sunday when a lector didn’t show up. On our daily weekday morning mass, the priest always reads the readings; he doesn’t throw anyone under the bus. I guess people are too shy to read?

Is yours a small parish? I ask only because I consider us small (~1300 parishioners) yet there isn’t a Sunday I can remember that would have seen fewer than 3 or 4 readers at Mass. We always assign two to each Sunday Mass and there are generally a few more there to fill in if need be.

At weekday Mass, where the congregation rarely exceeds eight, no one is assigned but for years a few of the regulars have taken turns reading, deciding on the spot who will read that day. They read very well but had never considered doing so at Sunday Mass, probably because of shyness. A few years ago, because of their quality, they were invited to be readers at the Saturday evening Mass which they all regularly attend. They accepted and that expanded our roster for that celebration.

 

[deaconjohnO]

Also, our deacon doesn’t read the gospel every time he is at mass. Sometimes Father reads it.

The ministry of the deacon is threefold. Word, Sacrament, and Charity. The deacon is the sacramental sign of Christ the Servant. Deacons should be exercising the duties they were ordained to perform. One of those duties is to proclaim the Gospel at Mass as part of the threefold ministry. The GIRM also lays out the role of deacon during the Mass. Part of that role is to proclaim the Gospel at Mass. If an able bodied deacon is present and vested at Mass the Priest shouldn’t be reading the Gospel. In some areas of the world (including here in the U.S.) there are few deacons. In these areas Priests may be unfamiliar with their role at Mass (even those they were deacons themselves). This may be why your priest “sometimes” reads the Gospel at mass.

 

[MT1926]

The ministry of the deacon is threefold. Word, Sacrament, and Charity. The deacon is the sacramental sign of Christ the Servant. Deacons should be exercising the duties they were ordained to perform. One of those duties is to proclaim the Gospel at Mass as part of the threefold ministry. The GIRM also lays out the role of deacon during the Mass. Part of that role is to proclaim the Gospel at Mass. If an able bodied deacon is present and vested at Mass the Priest shouldn’t be reading the Gospel. In some areas of the world (including here in the U.S.) there are few deacons. In these areas Priests may be unfamiliar with their role at Mass (even those they were deacons themselves). This may be why your priest “sometimes” reads the Gospel at mass.

In his defense, not sure if this is an allowable defense or not, but Deacon usually serves the mass with our older priest (going on 94). So it seems when Father is having a good day he proclaims the Gospel at Mass and when he is feeling weak Deacon does it.

Anyway, thanks for the info. I was not aware of the duties of Deacons.

God Bless

 

[Red_James]

Is yours a small parish? I ask only because I consider us small (~1300 parishioners) yet there isn’t a Sunday I can remember that would have seen fewer than 3 or 4 readers at Mass. We always assign two to each Sunday Mass and there are generally a few more there to fill in if need be.

At weekday Mass, where the congregation rarely exceeds eight, no one is assigned but for years a few of the regulars have taken turns reading, deciding on the spot who will read that day. They read very well but had never considered doing so at Sunday Mass, probably because of shyness. A few years ago, because of their quality, they were invited to be readers at the Saturday evening Mass which they all regularly attend. They accepted and that expanded our roster for that celebration.

My parish used to have that many people 15-20 years ago, but people have since moved out and the population has dwindled to maybe 450-600 parishioners for an average Sunday. We only hit 1100-1200 on Christmas and Easter. Its infrequent, but occasionally a lector doesn’t show, typically during the summer months, and Father has to read all three readings on Sunday. Weekday masses are funny. We have a morning mass and a noon mass. During the noon mass, someone always volunteers to read the reading, the psalm, and the general intercessions. The noon mass has around ten people. During the morning mass, nobody ever reads, and that mass probably never exceeds ten people, unless a solemnity falls on a weekday, and people go to mass before work. Guess people don’t want to read until they’ve had their coffee or something. Lol.

 

[Phemie]

My parish used to have that many people 15-20 years ago, but people have since moved out and the population has dwindled to maybe 450-600 parishioners for an average Sunday. We only hit 1100-1200 on Christmas and Easter. Its infrequent, but occasionally a lector doesn’t show, typically during the summer months, and Father has to read all three readings on Sunday. Weekday masses are funny. We have a morning mass and a noon mass. During the noon mass, someone always volunteers to read the reading, the psalm, and the general intercessions. The noon mass has around ten people. During the morning mass, nobody ever reads, and that mass probably never exceeds ten people, unless a solemnity falls on a weekday, and people go to mass before work. Guess people don’t want to read until they’ve had their coffee or something. Lol.

1300 is the entire Catholic population in our town. The combined attendance at the two Masses (Saturday evening & Sunday morning) rarely exceeds 225.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

The ministry of the deacon is threefold. Word, Sacrament, and Charity. The deacon is the sacramental sign of Christ the Servant. Deacons should be exercising the duties they were ordained to perform. One of those duties is to proclaim the Gospel at Mass as part of the threefold ministry. The GIRM also lays out the role of deacon during the Mass. Part of that role is to proclaim the Gospel at Mass. If an able bodied deacon is present and vested at Mass the Priest shouldn’t be reading the Gospel. In some areas of the world (including here in the U.S.) there are few deacons. In these areas Priests may be unfamiliar with their role at Mass (even those they were deacons themselves). This may be why your priest “sometimes” reads the Gospel at mass.

I thought I read that there were about 17,000 permanent deacons in the U.S. Is that really “few?” Or perhaps they’re geographically clustered unevenly.

 

[pianistclare]

I thought I read that there were about 17,000 permanent deacons in the U.S. Is that really “few?” Or perhaps they’re geographically clustered unevenly.

I don’t know. Around here we have oodles of them.
We have 4.5 at our parish.
One works for CRS part time,
One directs RCIA
One handles all the repair needs by bringing in a high lift to change light bulbs, bringing the humongous Christmas tree every year, and anything that requires his enormous truck like hayrides, etc. He also teaches Confirmation classes for me at times.
The last one teaches Teen RICA, helps me with various other classes, and does a lot of Social Justice Ministry, including the parish 30 acre garden which grows food for SVdeP.
The last one is slated to be ordained in June.
Hence, the “half”.

 

[John_Lilburne]

From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal:

“59. By tradition, the function of proclaiming the readings is ministerial, not presidential. The readings, therefore, should be proclaimed by a lector, and the Gospel by a deacon or; in his absence, a priest other than the celebrant. If, however, a deacon or another priest is not present, the priest celebrant himself should read the Gospel. Further, if another suitable lector is also not present, then the priest celebrant should also proclaim the other readings.”

I think the deacon should do all the readings, rather than the Priest do readings before the Gospel then the Deacon read the Gospel. This is consistent with the “function of proclaiming the readings is ministerial, not presidential” idea.

I think the “further” in the last sentence indicates that it is an unusual solution of the Priest presiding to read the readings before the Gospel. It is the solution if there is not another Priest or Deacon. Then they would do the readings before the Gospel if there is not a lay reader available.

 

[Rasoleil]

I didn’t think it necessary to start a new thread and gather any more attention than what I’ve gotten so far ( I’ll explain), but I am a lector, and last Saturday was my last day. I have given my notice yet, as I’ve still have to compose myself. I’ll keep it short, becuse it’s emabarassing enough for now. I bowed, went up to the ambo to read, look down to get the lectionary readings, and much to my suprise, no lectioinary. No nothing. I actually thought that it was my imagination, then I had to look again. There wouldn’t be any reason why the lectionary wouldn’t be there, would there? I was so prepared, as I pray, read, study, contemplate every day, starting the day after my previous readings. Well, I wasn’t ready for this, and I’m trying to lighten up here, but it’s so difficult becuse it was so embarrasing to me.
I was disappointed in myself, because, at least in my opinion, I had panicked, esp. with me having to look twice, not being convinced the frist time I didn’t see the scriptures. I don’t think that I was imagining things, but I know that I heard laughter, and that was the most difficult thing for me. Were it not for the fact that this wasn’t about me ( not that I didn’t feel this way), the Mass, of course, I would have thought about just walking off right then and there and not looking back. But it wasn’t about me, so I had to carry on. Anyway, I looked around, hoping that someone would get the idea ( lay ministers, servers, etc.) that I had nothing from which to read. I had to walk off the altar and toward the first pews where the lay ministers, servers, etc. sat, and wasn’t until then then someone offered to give me a missalette.
All I could think of to say before I read was “excuse me” and start reading. Although I was well-prepared, I was just so thrown off, and even reading from the missalette, I felt myself making mistakes when reading. People alter told me that I did well and obviously knew that there had to be no lectionary there.
I’ve already said too much, but because of that experience, I’ve lost the faith and the confidence to ever read as a lector again. Just the idea of me getting up and reading before a congregation just causes me to feel nervous, have alot of anxiety, and feeling of panic.

 

[tawny]

I didn’t think it necessary to start a new thread and gather any more attention than what I’ve gotten so far ( I’ll explain), but I am a lector, and last Saturday was my last day. I have given my notice yet, as I’ve still have to compose myself. I’ll keep it short, becuse it’s emabarassing enough for now. I bowed, went up to the ambo to read, look down to get the lectionary readings, and much to my suprise, no lectioinary. No nothing. I actually thought that it was my imagination, then I had to look again. There wouldn’t be any reason why the lectionary wouldn’t be there, would there? I was so prepared, as I pray, read, study, contemplate every day, starting the day after my previous readings. Well, I wasn’t ready for this, and I’m trying to lighten up here, but it’s so difficult becuse it was so embarrasing to me.
I was disappointed in myself, because, at least in my opinion, I had panicked, esp. with me having to look twice, not being convinced the frist time I didn’t see the scriptures. I don’t think that I was imagining things, but I know that I heard laughter, and that was the most difficult thing for me. Were it not for the fact that this wasn’t about me ( not that I didn’t feel this way), the Mass, of course, I would have thought about just walking off right then and there and not looking back. But it wasn’t about me, so I had to carry on. Anyway, I looked around, hoping that someone would get the idea ( lay ministers, servers, etc.) that I had nothing from which to read. I had to walk off the altar and toward the first pews where the lay ministers, servers, etc. sat, and wasn’t until then then someone offered to give me a missalette.
All I could think of to say before I read was “excuse me” and start reading. Although I was well-prepared, I was just so thrown off, and even reading from the missalette, I felt myself making mistakes when reading. People alter told me that I did well and obviously knew that there had to be no lectionary there.
I’ve already said too much, but because of that experience, I’ve lost the faith and the confidence to ever read as a lector again. Just the idea of me getting up and reading before a congregation just causes me to feel nervous, have alot of anxiety, and feeling of panic.

If you are to be the designated Lector for the Mass; it is your responsibility to see that the Ambo is prepared with the Lectionary & opened to the correct page of readings. This is how our Lectors are instructed by the Deacon.

 

[Rasoleil]

Fair enough. And thank you very much! I did fail on all accounts, but I did the right thing by resigning being a lector. I am not worthy because of my negligence, and my wife has been trying to persuade me to convert to her faith, Lutheran Church, LCMS, Missouri Synod. This would make our marriage more peaceful as she not only hates the Catholic Church, but hates that I am a Catholic. It’s more important to keep peace in our marriage. Thank G-D!

 

[Reuben_J]

I didn’t think it necessary to start a new thread and gather any more attention than what I’ve gotten so far ( I’ll explain), but I am a lector, and last Saturday was my last day. I have given my notice yet, as I’ve still have to compose myself. I’ll keep it short, becuse it’s emabarassing enough for now. I bowed, went up to the ambo to read, look down to get the lectionary readings, and much to my suprise, no lectioinary. No nothing. I actually thought that it was my imagination, then I had to look again. There wouldn’t be any reason why the lectionary wouldn’t be there, would there? I was so prepared, as I pray, read, study, contemplate every day, starting the day after my previous readings. Well, I wasn’t ready for this, and I’m trying to lighten up here, but it’s so difficult becuse it was so embarrasing to me.
I was disappointed in myself, because, at least in my opinion, I had panicked, esp. with me having to look twice, not being convinced the frist time I didn’t see the scriptures. I don’t think that I was imagining things, but I know that I heard laughter, and that was the most difficult thing for me. Were it not for the fact that this wasn’t about me ( not that I didn’t feel this way), the Mass, of course, I would have thought about just walking off right then and there and not looking back. But it wasn’t about me, so I had to carry on. Anyway, I looked around, hoping that someone would get the idea ( lay ministers, servers, etc.) that I had nothing from which to read. I had to walk off the altar and toward the first pews where the lay ministers, servers, etc. sat, and wasn’t until then then someone offered to give me a missalette.
All I could think of to say before I read was “excuse me” and start reading. Although I was well-prepared, I was just so thrown off, and even reading from the missalette, I felt myself making mistakes when reading. People alter told me that I did well and obviously knew that there had to be no lectionary there.
I’ve already said too much, but because of that experience, I’ve lost the faith and the confidence to ever read as a lector again. Just the idea of me getting up and reading before a congregation just causes me to feel nervous, have alot of anxiety, and feeling of panic.

Maybe it helps for a lector to bring his missalette. You could do a last minute rehearsal before the mass, checking the commas and pronounciation, etc., a personal missalette is always handy. After all you are a lector.

And yes, check the ambo before the mass that everything is in order. What page is the reading, mark the page correctly or even test the mike. That kind of thing is part of preparation too for a lector.