Requirement of Readers During Mass

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I found out from one of my 7-8 grade CCD students that she does not attend Sunday Mass regularly (which sad to say is not unusual as many of the students seldom go to Mass) and that she sometimes goes when her mother has to do one of the readings. However, she happened to mention that her mother also does not attend Mass every Sunday (no reason given other than she doesn’t go). The young girl said that her mother will go only when she has to do one of the readings. I explained to her the necessity of attending Mass and failure to attend Mass other than for a legitimate reason (sickness, etc) was a serious sin and that if her mother didn’t have a legitimate reason she had NO BUSINESS being a reader. (I was firm on the “no business”. Was I too harsh with the answer? I didn’t put any of the blame on the girl. However, I thought that any person who is in some type of ministry, EMHC, Reader, CCD teacher, Cantor, etc., must be a person who is faithful to Church teachings, and be a Catholic in good standing. Should I get more information before taking it to the Pastor?
 
I think that depends on the policy of the parish but it may be brought to the attention of the diocese. I know in one diocese they were coming down hard on readers who were in irregular marriages.

Ideally we should all be in the state of grace before not only communion but also while performing other ministries. But it’s not a perfect world.
 
TobyLue said:
I found out from one of my 7-8 grade CCD students that she does not attend Sunday Mass regularly (which sad to say is not unusual as many of the students seldom go to Mass) and that she sometimes goes when her mother has to do one of the readings. However, she happened to mention that her mother also does not attend Mass every Sunday (no reason given other than she doesn’t go). The young girl said that her mother will go only when she has to do one of the readings. I explained to her the necessity of attending Mass and failure to attend Mass other than for a legitimate reason (sickness, etc) was a serious sin and that if her mother didn’t have a legitimate reason she had NO BUSINESS being a reader. (I was firm on the “no business”. Was I too harsh with the answer? I didn’t put any of the blame on the girl. However, I thought that any person who is in some type of ministry, EMHC, Reader, CCD teacher, Cantor, etc., must be a person who is faithful to Church teachings, and be a Catholic in good standing. Should I get more information before taking it to the Pastor?
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I don’t know about reading, but she should certainly not approach the Blessed Sacrament come time for Communion.
 
TobyLue said:
I explained to her the necessity of attending Mass and failure to attend Mass other than for a legitimate reason (sickness, etc) was a serious sin and that if her mother didn’t have a legitimate reason she had NO BUSINESS being a reader. (I was firm on the “no business”. Was I too harsh with the answer? I didn’t put any of the blame on the girl.
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I think you should have stopped with explaining the importance of attending Mass.

A 12-year-old has no control over whether or not her mother attends Mass. What is the point of telling a child that her mother has no business being a reader? What do you expect her to do about it?

If you think there’s a problem with the mother, take it up with the mother. Don’t use her daughter as a go-between.
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
I think you should have stopped with explaining the importance of attending Mass.

A 12-year-old has no control over whether or not her mother attends Mass. What is the point of telling a child that her mother has no business being a reader? What do you expect her to do about it?

If you think there’s a problem with the mother, take it up with the mother. Don’t use her daughter as a go-between.
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Correct. Although a child can ask her parent to take her to Mass.
 
TobyLue said:
I found out from one of my 7-8 grade CCD students that she does not attend Sunday Mass regularly (which sad to say is not unusual as many of the students seldom go to Mass) and that she sometimes goes when her mother has to do one of the readings. However, she happened to mention that her mother also does not attend Mass every Sunday (no reason given other than she doesn’t go). The young girl said that her mother will go only when she has to do one of the readings. I explained to her the necessity of attending Mass and failure to attend Mass other than for a legitimate reason (sickness, etc) was a serious sin and that if her mother didn’t have a legitimate reason she had NO BUSINESS being a reader. (I was firm on the “no business”. Was I too harsh with the answer? I didn’t put any of the blame on the girl. However, I thought that any person who is in some type of ministry, EMHC, Reader, CCD teacher, Cantor, etc., must be a person who is faithful to Church teachings, and be a Catholic in good standing. Should I get more information before taking it to the Pastor?
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I think you were right in explaining that missing Sunday Mass is considered a serious sin. However, I think you may have gone a little too far in stating that the girl’s mother has no business being a reader.

First, as other have stated, you may be putting the girl in an uncomfortable spot, since it’s her mother’s actions that bother you, not hers.

Second, I would also be careful of declaring whose business it is to do what in matters like this. I happen to be a reader at my church as well, and I do attend mass every Sunday. However, I can tell you that I’m a big ol’ sinner in a lot of other ways, and I’m willing to bet so is pretty much everyone else in the pews.

If I were you, I would try to approach it this way. While missing Sunday Mass without good reason is a sin, the fact that this woman is a reader demonstrates that she wants to be active in the Church. That’s something to be thankful for. If it still bothers you, I would recommend speaking with your Pastor about it first. Tell him how you feel about it, and ask him what the best way of dealing with the situation should be.

Hope this helps. God bless you! 🙂
 
Johnny_Local said:
the fact that this woman is a reader demonstrates that she wants to be active in the Church.
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Yes, but how would setting a bad example by skipping Mass on a routine basis be helpful to anyone, especially to those who are not fortunate enough to have a calling to the recognized ministries of the church?
 
ProVobis said:
Yes, but how would setting a bad example by skipping Mass on a routine basis be helpful to anyone?
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Hi ProVobis. Thanks for pointing this out. 🙂

Sorry I didn’t communicate this clearly in may last post. I wasn’t trying to give the impression that this woman was setting a good example. I was trying to identify some positive aspects to use as a foundation for a discussion with the woman in question. It might be more productive than taking a “How dare you!” approach.

If it were me, I would still discuss the issue with my Pastor rather than confronting the woman directly, since I don’t know her situation.
 
ProVobis said:
I think that depends on the policy of the parish but it may be brought to the attention of the diocese. I know in one diocese they were coming down hard on readers who were in irregular marriages.

Ideally we should all be in the state of grace before not only communion but also while performing other ministries. But it’s not a perfect world.
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I would think starting with the pastor would make more sense than going right to the bishop.
 
I wouldn’t have said anything to the girl. I would speak to the mother.
 
ProVobis said:
I think that depends on the policy of the parish but it may be brought to the attention of the diocese. I know in one diocese they were coming down hard on readers who were in irregular marriages.

Ideally we should all be in the state of grace before not only communion but also while performing other ministries. But it’s not a perfect world.
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Perhaps there is some ignorance on the part of the lector and even the parish in general? I was recently asked by my parish to be a sacristan. I’m a new Catholic, but when I was in training I said I thought probably it was a requirement but wanted to be sure that it was a requirement that I be in a state of Grace when performing sacristan duties. The sacristan I asked didn’t know. I just decided that I probably should go to confession first just to be sure, fortunately confession is 2 hours before the Mass I serve for.
 
Thanks for the replies - Yeah, I think the “no business” was a little out of line but I also agree with ProVobis
Yes, but how would setting a bad example by skipping Mass on a routine basis be helpful to anyone, especially to those who are not fortunate enough to have a calling to the recognized ministries of the church?
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After all many kids nowadays don’t go to Mass simply because their parents never took them. The parents will just drop them off to Sunday CCD and head on home and them come back later for them. Kids grow up thinking that Mass is not important. They don’t even pray at home and their parents never taught them the basic prayers. We know that the Church teaches that parents are the principal teachers of their children. Don’t pray with them, don’t take them to church and the kids grow up the same way. I did tell the girl that she may not have control over going to mass but should tell the mom that she wants to go to Mass.
I would think starting with the pastor would make more sense than going right to the bishop
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Before I even talk to the pastor I think I’ll find out from the person in charge of the readers without mentioning anything or naming names, see what she says, then take it from there.

Thanks to all again…
 
In my parish, “cafeteria Catholics” do readings, are Eucharistic Ministers, bring the Eucharist to lazy folks who can’t be bothered attending mass (some are even living with a spouse having been married outside of the Church). It’s utter chaos!!! When I have mentioned it to my priest several times. I was told that we shouldn’t be “judgmental” and that everyone is welcome.
 
In my parish, “cafeteria Catholics” do readings, are Eucharistic Ministers, bring the Eucharist to lazy folks who can’t be bothered attending mass (some are even living with a spouse having been married outside of the Church). It’s utter chaos!!! When I have mentioned it to my priest several times. I was told that we shouldn’t be “judgmental” and that everyone is welcome.
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What would your priest say if there were some known drug addicts as EMHC, and after mass be selling drugs outside the church, or a persons who was being sought by the police for murder, or a couple come and request to get married and are same sex but they are known to be readers, teach CCD, and are very active in church, should we just ignore that and say we cannot be judgmental? What the pope meant by “who am I to judge” he was talking about God being the ultimate judge and we cannot judge their heart, but we can judge their actions.

I would say that the Bishop definitely needs to know about this.
 
HolySpirit08 said:
In my parish, “cafeteria Catholics” do readings, are Eucharistic Ministers, bring the Eucharist to lazy folks who can’t be bothered attending mass (some are even living with a spouse having been married outside of the Church). It’s utter chaos!!! When I have mentioned it to my priest several times. I was told that we shouldn’t be “judgmental” and that everyone is welcome.
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You have a very Catholic pastor, and that’s awesome.👍
 
Originally Posted by HolySpirit08 View Post
In my parish, “cafeteria Catholics” do readings, are Eucharistic Ministers, bring the Eucharist to lazy folks who can’t be bothered attending mass (some are even living with a spouse having been married outside of the Church). It’s utter chaos!!! When I have mentioned it to my priest several times. I was told that we shouldn’t be “judgmental” and that everyone is welcome.
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and
You have a very Catholic pastor, and that’s awesome.
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WOW!:eek:

May I refer you to a Catholic Answer Tract
The council of Trent has this to say: "It is unfitting to take part in any sacred function without holiness. Assuredly, therefore, the more that Christians perceive the sacredness and divinity of this heavenly sacrament, the more must they take every care not to come to receive it without reverence and holiness, especially since we have the frightening words of St. Paul: ‘For those who eat and drink unworthily, eat and drink damnation to themselves, not discerning the Lord’s body’ (1 Cor 11:29). Those wishing to receive communion must be reminded of St. Paul’s command: ‘Let a man examine himself’ (1 Cor 11:28). Church usage makes it clear that such an examination is needed because those conscious of mortal sin, no matter how contrite they may regard themselves, must not go to the eucharist without sacramental confession beforehand.

I have seen the guidelines from several diocese in regard to EMHC and it they are:
• Be a Catholic living in harmony with the teachings of the Church and be
able to receive the Eucharist
• Be of sufficient age and maturity to perform the duties of an EMHC at
Mass or to the sick and homebound in various locations (i.e. private
homes, nursing homes, hospitals)
• Be chosen and appointed by the pastor for the parish entrusted to him.

So actually looking at it a Cafeteria Catholic does not meet the first requirement because they are not in harmony with the teachings of the Church. You can’t pick and choose what you want to believe.

As far as receiving communion while married outside the Church, which the church would consider living in sin, see St. Paul’s warning above.
 
So the mother’s a reader and doesn’t come to mass except when she’s rostered on. Admittedly, we don’t know why she doesn’t come but we’ll leave that to one side for now. When she does come, she brings her daughter with her and the daughter attends CCD classes.

It seems to me that if the mother was to be told that she couldn’t be a reader anymore (unless of course she upped her mass attendance) the parish would lose two people - the mother and the daughter. I’m not saying for a moment that there’s nothing wrong with the mother not attending mass (let alone being a reader and not attending mass), but what I am saying is that whacking people with a big stick isn’t really a great way to encourage them (or help them for that matter). Certainly, the mother should be encouraged to come to mass and encouraged in the development of her faith (along with the daughter) but this needs to be done is a positive and constructive way which won’t leave her feeling alienated.
 
Exactly. Liberal Catholics ARE cafeteria Catholics as are liberal pastors. I mention it once and then I let it go and let them answer for their choices to God.
 
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