The Lay Ministries

[Matthew_Holford]

The Church has two ordinary lay ministries, Lector and Acolyte.

It seems that they are reserved, in practice, to men preparing for the Priesthood and Permanent Diaconate.

In most places readers and altar servers are appointed to carry out those duties assigned to Lectors and Acolytes respectively.

I understand that these ordinary lay ministries are not restricted to seminarians and men preparing for the Permanent Diaconate.

Why does the Church not make more regular use of these ministries?

 

[curlycool89]

The Church has two ordinary lay ministries, Lector and Acolyte.

It seems that they are reserved, in practice, to men preparing for the Priesthood and Permanent Diaconate.

In most places readers and altar servers are appointed to carry out those duties assigned to Lectors and Acolytes respectively.

I understand that these ordinary lay ministries are not restricted to seminarians and men preparing for the Permanent Diaconate.

Why does the Church not make more regular use of these ministries?

From what I’ve heard here in Canada (I believe the CCCB decided this), the titles of lector and acolyte are reserved to men preparing for ordination, but in practice their jobs are assumed by lay readers and alter servers (of both genders). I don’t know the status of these in the US or the UK.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

From what I’ve heard here in Canada (I believe the CCCB decided this), the titles of lector and acolyte are reserved to men preparing for ordination, but in practice their jobs are assumed by lay readers and alter servers (of both genders). I don’t know the status of these in the US or the UK.

I don’t have the source to hand but when Pope Paul VI abolished the minor orders and created the lay ministries of Lector and Acolyte (which are restricted to men) I believe that he intended that these two ministries would be open to lay men not just those preparing for the Priesthood and Permanent Diaconate. I know that these terms are often incorrectly used for persons commissioned as readers and altar servers. May be your bishops’ conference wanted to clarify the correct use of these terms. You may be correct in that they have also decided to restrict these ministries to seminarians and men preparing for the Permanent Diaconate. I do not know.

I don’t know about the US. I am not aware of the English and Welsh Bishops making any ruling on the matter. But, in practice as far as I am aware the only lectors and acolytes we have are seminarians and men preparing for the Permanent Diaconate.

I don’t understand why wider use of these ministries is not made. I’m sure that when Paul VI instigated them he intended their wider use. Plus, there are ‘rubrics’ that say lectors should read the pre-Gospel readings at Mass and that acolytes should minister to the priest at the altar. This is also supposed to be the case especially at Masses celebrated by a bishop. So it seems to me that it is still the mind of the Church that wider use be made of these ministries.

 

[pnewton]

I don’t understand why wider use of these ministries is not made. I’m sure that when Paul VI instigated them he intended their wider use. Plus, there are ‘rubrics’ that say lectors should read the pre-Gospel readings at Mass and that acolytes should minister to the priest at the altar. .

For one, there are not enough to go around. My parish has two deacons in formation and one priest. The young man who is in seminary hasn’t reached the level of acolyte yet. The two priest candidates do serve the role. Yet with five Masses a weekend, they still do not cover half. Furthermore, we are the only parish in the diocese with two candidates. After next year, we will have none.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

For one, there are not enough to go around. My parish has two deacons in formation and one priest. The young man who is in seminary hasn’t reached the level of acolyte yet. The two priest candidates do serve the role. Yet with five Masses a weekend, they still do not cover half. Furthermore, we are the only parish in the diocese with two candidates. After next year, we will have none.

With all due respect I believe that you have missed my point.

The shortage you refer to exists because these ministries are being limited to seminarians. If they weren’t then there maybe no shortage.

They would be recruited from the parish in the way we recruit readers, extraordinary ministers of holy communion, etc. They would remain instituted in their ministries for life and wouldn’t leave the parish after a period of time.

They are not routes to the priesthood or the permanent diaconate. They are lay ministries in their own right.

 

[Phemie]

There has been resistance to this lay instituted ministry of which Canon Law says

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.

In Canada the CCCB has decreed that only men seeking ordination to either the permanent or transitional diaconate may be instituted to these ministries.

In the US the NCCB issued this decree:

The National Conference of Catholic Bishops, in accord with the prescriptions of canon 230§1, hereby decrees that a layman who is to be installed in the ministries of lector or acolyte on a stable basis must have completed his twenty-first (21) year of age. The candidate must also possess the skills necessary for an effective proclamation of the Word or service at the altar, be a fully initiated member of the Catholic Church, be free of any canonical penalty, and live a life which befits the ministry to be undertaken.

It’s my understanding that not more than a handful of dioceses in fact have these instituted ministries on a stable basis. It’s also my understanding that it’s primarily because the ministry is limited to men – some bishops don’t want to open that can of worms.

 

[The_Reginator]

The Church has two ordinary lay ministries, Lector and Acolyte.

It seems that they are reserved, in practice, to men preparing for the Priesthood and Permanent Diaconate.

In most places readers and altar servers are appointed to carry out those duties assigned to Lectors and Acolytes respectively.

I understand that these ordinary lay ministries are not restricted to seminarians and men preparing for the Permanent Diaconate.

Why does the Church not make more regular use of these ministries?

While assisting at the local Novus Ordo Mass I never came across these two terms. These titles are used at the Tridentine Mass I often assist at, though. As you must know, there are no ‘readers’ and only altar boys in the EF.

BTW, I didn’t think that each altar boy at a Mass was an Acolyte. Could someone set me straight here? Thanks.

Reg.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

So Canada has restricted these ministries to men preparing for the priesthood or permanent diaconate.

The USA have said men who are not preparing for the priesthood or permanent diaconate can be instituted to these lay ministries under certain conditions.

I am not aware of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales issuing any ruling on the matter.

Why is the hierarchy so resistant to their use?

 

[Phemie]

While assisting at the local Novus Ordo Mass I never came across these two terms. These titles are used at the Tridentine Mass I often assist at, though. As you must know, there are no ‘readers’ and only altar boys in the EF.

BTW, I didn’t think that each altar boy at a Mass was an Acolyte. Could someone set me straight here? Thanks.

Reg.

In the EF the acolyte was a cleric on his way to ordination.
In the OF the acolyte is an instituted lay ministry reserved to men (both those seeking ordination and those who wish to remain acolytes permanently). As acolytes they are automatically EMHCs and may purify the sacred vessels. Altar servers perform the functions of instituted acolytes but are usually not EMHCs nor are they allowed to purify the vessels.

 

[pnewton]

With all due respect I believe that you have missed my point.

You are right. I did. Then let me ask this. What point would it served, other than an ego stroke, to have these as an instituted ministry? After all, readers can read and altar servers can serve the altar. What about the current system would be improved by having an institution ceremony and a name change?

Perhaps these are not expanded simply be cause it serves no purpose.

 

[DeepeningFaith]

Phemie is 100% correct. I was going to post before I noticed s/he (sorry, I forget if you are a guy or girl ) already had. I really think this is due to the whole can of worms issue. If Bishops weren’t so worried about being politically correct, I think we’d see a lot more use of these institutions. Also, there are VERY few diocese in the US that allow this for men outside of seminary.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Why is the hierarchy so resistant to their use?

I would guess that it’s because these ministries are restricted to men.

At the synod of bishops in 2008 one of the proposals was to open the ministry of lector to women source]. My guess is that if this happened there would be much wider use of instituted lectors.

 

[diggerdomer]

The Church has two ordinary lay ministries, Lector and Acolyte.

It seems that they are reserved, in practice, to men preparing for the Priesthood and Permanent Diaconate.

In most places readers and altar servers are appointed to carry out those duties assigned to Lectors and Acolytes respectively.

I understand that these ordinary lay ministries are not restricted to seminarians and men preparing for the Permanent Diaconate.

Why does the Church not make more regular use of these ministries?

The Church does make regular use of these ministries.

I’m sorry, given that fact, what is your question/concern?

 

[Matthew_Holford]

I’m sorry, given that fact, what is your question/concern?

I think that the question is quite simple and needs no further explanation. I don’t believe I raised a ‘concern’.

 

[diggerdomer]

I think that the question is quite simple and needs no further explanation. I don’t believe I raised a ‘concern’.

You asked why the Church does not make more regular use of these ministries.

I claim the Church DOES make regular use of these ministries. The Church certainly has in my experience.

Why do you think the Church does not? What’s your concern?

 

[Matthew_Holford]

You asked why the Church does not make more regular use of these ministries.

Yes, I did.

I claim the Church DOES make regular use of these ministries. The Church certainly has in my experience.

In what way? Do you mean that it uses them in the case of men preparing for the priesthood or the permanent diaconate? Do you know of men who were instituted into these ministries who were not preparing for the priesthood or the permanent diaconate? If you do I would be most interested to know where this is happening.

Why do you think the Church does not? What’s your concern?

I believe that in most places, and if you read other posts in this thread I am not alone, men are not instituted into the ordinary lay ministry of Lector and then remain a Lector for life and carry out that ministry on a permanent basis. I believe that in most places, and if you read other posts in this thread I am not alone, men are not instituted into the ordinary lay ministry of Acolyte and then remain an Acolyte for life and carry out that ministry on a permanent basis.

 

[Aramis]

While assisting at the local Novus Ordo Mass I never came across these two terms. These titles are used at the Tridentine Mass I often assist at, though. As you must know, there are no ‘readers’ and only altar boys in the EF.

BTW, I didn’t think that each altar boy at a Mass was an Acolyte. Could someone set me straight here? Thanks.

Reg.

The rubrics called for acolytes to serve; lay servers were permitted to serve as a traditional and common yet perpetually extraordinary minister in some of the acolyte’s capacity.

The rubrics called for lectors to serve, holding the lectionary for the subdeacon to proclaim, and in the absence of a subdeacon being permitted to read the epistle. If no lector was present, the acolyte could hold the book; if no acolyte, a server could.

Likewise, the subdeacon is to hold the gospel book for the deacon; failing that, a lector or an acolyte, then a server.

Some of the tasks of the acolyte may not be performed by laymen. Even under the OF, that is still true. Under the OF, an Acolyte may purificate the vessels; other laymen may not.

The USCCB has not barred non-seminarians, nor has it encouraged non-seminarians, to be admitted to these; they are in all but name and obligation to obedience still the minor orders.

Essentially, if available, all the acolytes should be doing the tasks, but if not enough acolytes are present, lay altar servers may do most of them.

 

[puzzleannie]

The Church has two ordinary lay ministries, Lector and Acolyte.

It seems that they are reserved, in practice, to men preparing for the Priesthood and Permanent Diaconate.

In most places readers and altar servers are appointed to carry out those duties assigned to Lectors and Acolytes respectively.

I understand that these ordinary lay ministries are not restricted to seminarians and men preparing for the Permanent Diaconate.

Why does the Church not make more regular use of these ministries?

you can find dozens of threads here complaining that lay ministers are used too much and too widely in the Church, so the last question I don’t understand.

 

[Aramis]

you can find dozens of threads here complaining that lay ministers are used too much and too widely in the Church, so the last question I don’t understand.

The poster is asking about the instituted ministries, essentially, minor orders. VII imposed a terminology change, which also eliminates a category of persons under canon law: clerks.

Under the old Canon Law, you had Major Clerics, Clerks (aka minor clerics), tonsured religious, and laity. Now, you have major clerics and laity, with some alterations for professed religious.

Instituted Lectors and Instituted Acolytes perform exactly the same liturgical roles as did the minor-orders ordained Lectors and ordained Acolytes.

Lay-readers are different from Lectors, and Altar Servers are different from Acolytes; in both cases, they are extraordinary ministers vs ordinary ministers.

 

[diggerdomer]

Yes, I did.

In what way? Do you mean that it uses them in the case of men preparing for the priesthood or the permanent diaconate? Do you know of men who were instituted into these ministries who were not preparing for the priesthood or the permanent diaconate? If you do I would be most interested to know where this is happening.

I believe that in most places, and if you read other posts in this thread I am not alone, men are not instituted into the ordinary lay ministry of Lector and then remain a Lector for life and carry out that ministry on a permanent basis. I believe that in most places, and if you read other posts in this thread I am not alone, men are not instituted into the ordinary lay ministry of Acolyte and then remain an Acolyte for life and carry out that ministry on a permanent basis.

Thanks for responding.

My experience I referred to is with men preparing for ordination who are instituted as lectors and acolytes. That’s why I said the Church does make regular use of these ministries.

Personally, I know of no men instituted in these ministries who were not preparing for ordination.

Does this help? Thanks again for your response.