some advice?

[Templum]

HI,

Who has the power to say who reads or not at the Mass? Can a priest refuse someone for the readings? What qualities does a Mass Reader need?

Templum

 

[TheDoctor]

Who has the power to say who reads or not at the Mass?

The Pastor.

Can a priest refuse someone for the readings?

Yes.

What qualities does a Mass Reader need?

Varies from Diocese to Diocese and Pastor to Pastor but generally lectors (lay readers) are members of the Parish, volunteered or chosen, able to read and speak clearly in the language they are going to read and are comfortable speaking to an audience.

 

[1ke]

Who has the power to say who reads or not at the Mass?

The pastor in general or the priest presiding at a particular liturgy.

Can a priest refuse someone for the readings?

Yes.

What qualities does a Mass Reader need?

Typically the bishop will establish guidelines for his diocese, or may leave that to the pastor.

Can. 230 §1. Lay men who possess the age and qualifications established by decree of the conference of bishops can be admitted on a stable basis through the prescribed liturgical rite to the ministries of lector and acolyte.

Nevertheless, the conferral of these ministries does not grant them the right to obtain support or remuneration from the Church.

§2. Lay persons can fulfill the function of lector in liturgical actions by temporary designation. All lay persons can also perform the functions of commentator or cantor, or other functions, according to the norm of law.

§3. When the need of the Church warrants it and ministers are lacking, lay persons, even if they are not lectors or acolytes, can also supply certain of their duties, namely, to exercise the ministry of the word, to preside offer liturgical prayers, to confer baptism, and to distribute Holy Communion, according to the prescripts of the law.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

HI,

Who has the power to say who reads or not at the Mass? Can a priest refuse someone for the readings? What qualities does a Mass Reader need?

Templum

This is usually handled by a Ministry - the Lector Ministry. There will be training for people who are interested. It should be parish members, who have volunteered and gone through the training, and are calm about public speaking.

If there are no problems, the priest or pastor should not be involved in this ministry. If there are problems, they should be brought to his attention.

 

[Sunbreak]

In my parish, it’s the pastor who decides. Too small a parish to have anything like a “lector ministry” whatever that is. Sometimes I’ve been asked to read at the last minute and a few times even in another language which I have been studying and can pronounce but not fluent in.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

In my parish, it’s the pastor who decides. Too small a parish to have anything like a “lector ministry” whatever that is. Sometimes I’ve been asked to read at the last minute and a few times even in another language which I have been studying and can pronounce but not fluent in.

Sorry to assume that everyone has a large parish with ministries to accomplish these things! Of course if there is no Lector Ministry, then the priest handles it. Good for you for stepping up in your other language!!

 

[Templum]

HI,

I need to add details. The Mass Reader Leader has set his/her own standard for the readings and has given us a manual to follow. He/she has been chosen by another priest who oversaw the Mass, but didn’t lead it. The Foreign guest priest leads it. Now, the Mass Reader Leader does his/her thing and doesn’t talk at all with the guest priest. He was chosen by the guest priest to lead the readings, so he doesn’t associate with him. The guest priest has his standard for the readings. What can be done for these 2 to work in harmony? I admit that the Mass Reader Leader is a lay and has his/her subjective ways of choosing candidates, but so does the guest priest. In this case, who should decide who is the reader? The priest who oversees the Mass? The guest priest or the Mass Reader Leader?

I’m confused? Who should be setting a standard for the readings is my question given the facts above? I should have given these details earlier, but didn’t think it necessary. Now, it’s necessary.

Also, if it’s the guest priest since he’s more present and in connection with the church priests at large, does he have the right to judge anyone’s spiritual condition? That is, if someone likes the bible and can read it clearly and be understood, isn’t that enough? Does one have to be as religious as the priest? Who is to judge the spiritual condition of a reader? Should that even be done?

Thanks,
Templum

 

[TheRealJuliane]

HI,

I need to add details. The Mass Reader Leader has set his/her own standard for the readings and has given us a manual to follow. He/she has been chosen by another priest who oversaw the Mass, but didn’t lead it. The Foreign guest priest leads it. Now, the Mass Reader Leader does his/her thing and doesn’t talk at all with the guest priest. He was chosen by the guest priest to lead the readings, so he doesn’t associate with him. The guest priest has his standard for the readings. What can be done for these 2 to work in harmony? I admit that the Mass Reader Leader is a lay and has his/her subjective ways of choosing candidates, but so does the guest priest. In this case, who should decide who is the reader? The priest who oversees the Mass? The guest priest or the Mass Reader Leader?

I’m confused? Who should be setting a standard for the readings is my question given the facts above? I should have given these details earlier, but didn’t think it necessary. Now, it’s necessary.

Also, if it’s the guest priest since he’s more present and in connection with the church priests at large, does he have the right to judge anyone’s spiritual condition? That is, if someone likes the bible and can read it clearly and be understood, isn’t that enough? Does one have to be as religious as the priest? Who is to judge the spiritual condition of a reader? Should that even be done?

Thanks,
Templum

There should be no judging of someone’s spiritual condition. Sounds like this Mass Reader Leader has seized a little too much power and thinks that the readers need to be holy as judged by him/her?

Who is your pastor in this parish? Why would the guest priests be able to choose the Leader of any ministry? I don’t understand the hierarchy here. Where are the actual parish priests in this process? Why do they leave these tasks to the guest priests?

 

[1ke]

There should be no judging of someone’s spiritual condition. Sounds like this Mass Reader Leader has seized a little too much power and thinks that the readers need to be holy as judged by him/her?

Who is your pastor in this parish? Why would the guest priests be able to choose the Leader of any ministry? I don’t understand the hierarchy here. Where are the actual parish priests in this process? Why do they leave these tasks to the guest priests?

It is quite a jumbled tale, so it is difficult to say what is really going on. I would not assume anyone, lay leader or priest, is judging someone’s spiritual condition. But, objectively we know that there are minimum criteria for those in liturgical roles including readers, such as being in good standing, not in an irregular marriage, typically they should be someone who is confirmed. So, that may be what is going on.

Certainly the OP should speak to their pastor. But really we cannot say much more beyond what we already have: the pastor and priest-celebrant of a particular liturgy can select those who participate in liturgical roles, and the pastor may indeed delegate the selection and training to a lay person.

 

[Templum]

Hi,

I want to thank you all for your ideas…Sorry if my story is “a jumbled tale,” but that’s how the system in this parish feels at this time. Anyhow, the guest priest will be having a meeting with some people in order to structure things a bit more…I hope that the hierarchy and roles will be better defined…I’ll see that soon hopefully.

Your ideas were inspirational.

Thanks,
Templum

 

[UncleBill]

Sorry to assume that everyone has a large parish with ministries to accomplish these things! Of course if there is no Lector Ministry, then the priest handles it. Good for you for stepping up in your other language!!

What is the CRAZINESS Lay ministries? Ministry is done by CLERGY!