Qualifications for lector

[DSJJ]

Should a person who isn’t in a state that they can receive communion (divorced and remarried) be allowed to be one of the scheduled lectors. (yes the priest has told her she can receive communion anyway)

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Should a person who isn’t in a state that they can receive communion (divorced and remarried) be allowed to be one of the scheduled lectors. (yes the priest has told her she can receive communion anyway)

Someone in a state of habitual mortal sin should not be engaged in any ministry within the Church.

Having said that, it is really up to your pastor to judge these sort of situations.

No lay person has the competence to judge these sorts of situations as they do not know what has gone on in private between the pastor and the person (or persons) involved.

If this is really an issue for you then I suggest you speak to your pastor about it but do so in a non-judgmental way. I would suggest that you talk about the possible scandal this could be causing.

 

[John_Lilburne]

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :

“107. The liturgical duties that are not proper to the priest or the deacon and are listed above (cf. nos. 100-106) may also be entrusted by a liturgical blessing or a temporary deputation to suitable lay persons chosen by the pastor or rector of the church. [footnote 89: Cf. Pontifical Commission for interpreting legal texts, response to dubium regarding can. 230 § 2: AAS 86 (1994), p. 541.] All should observe the norms established by the Bishop for his diocese regarding the office of those who serve the priest at the altar.”

“101. In the absence of an instituted lector, other laypersons may be commissioned to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture. They should be truly suited to perform this function and should receive careful preparation, so that the faithful by listening to the readings from the sacred texts may develop in their hearts a warm and living love for Sacred Scripture.[footnote 86: Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, no. 24.]”

 

[DSJJ]

I realize you shouln’t judge but when the individual comes up to you and says I know I’m divorced and remarried but father said it really dosen’t matter and for me to go to communion anyway. I’d say that isn’t judging.

 

[Vico]

Should a person who isn’t in a state that they can receive communion (divorced and remarried) be allowed to be one of the scheduled lectors. (yes the priest has told her she can receive communion anyway)

The Vatican did make a statement on this very subject a few years ago, regarding the divorced and remarried. From CUF:
In general, the Church does not allow divorced and remarried Catholics to receive the sacraments. For serious reasons, there are certain exceptions to this discipline.[2]

[2] Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio (FC), no. 84.

cuf.org/faithfacts/details_view.asp?ffID=54

Familaris Consortio (1981)

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_19811122_familiaris-consortio_en.html

This means, in practice, that when, for serious reasons, such as for example the children’s upbringing, a man and a woman cannot satisfy the obligation to separate, they “take on themselves the duty to live in complete continence, that is, by abstinence from the acts proper to married couples.”(180)