Procedure for Ministers of the Word

ST. LEONHARD’S INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH-SPEAKING
CATHOLIC PARISH

Procedures for Ministers of the Word

We are grateful for your generosity in offering to proclaim the Holy Scripture at our liturgies at St. Leonhard's Church. What you do is vital to the experience of the Mass for all. Your presentation of the Word of God,your careful preparation_,your overall clarity and pacing, as well as your general appearance, all of these things help to contribute to the spiritual experience of the assembly.

We recommend that you occasionally read over these notes about the ministry of Lectors. Take some time during the week to pray over the readings and practice them so that they are not only familiar to you but also become a part of you as you proclaim the Scriptures at Mass.

1. Please arrive at least 20 minutes before the start of Mass. Contact the Presider, so that they know you are present to do the Scripture reading. In this way, they can then communicate to you ahead of time any special instructions regarding that particular liturgy. Check to make sure the Prayers of the Faithful are on the Ambo/Lectern. (On Saturday, contact the Choir Director to see if any hymns need to be announced during the Mass).

2. Gather with the other ministers, altar servers and the Presider at the back of the church a few minutes before the liturgy begins for a short communal prayer. Bring along with you the large, red Gospel Book. Be sure that this week’s Gospel reading is clearly marked. Proceed behind the servers and just before the priest(s) in procession up the main aisle during the opening song. Hold the book up just above your line of vision, so that it can be seen by the congregation, as you slowly proceed up the aisle.

3. When you arrive at the steps of the Sanctuary, proceed to the altar placing the Gospel Book on its stand on the altar. The priest and servers will wait for you to do this and then bow together with you when you step down and face the altar. After the bow, please sit in the body of the church near the front so that you can conveniently come up for the First Reading.

4. The first reading is immediately after the Opening Prayer. The opening prayer comes after the Gloria (There is no Gloria during Advent and Lent). The Presider will begin the prayer with outstretched arms and say "Let us pray...”. When the Opening Prayer is over, slowly proceed to the ambo for the readings, bowing slightly in front of the altar.

5. After the first reading, remain in the sanctuary for the Responsorial Psalm. (On Saturday, when required, announce the page number in Breaking Bread for the Responsorial Psalm). Sit in the row of choir seats just behind the ambo.

6. Wait for a few seconds (10) after the Psalm before returning to the ambo to proclaim the Second Reading.

7. After you have finished the readings, place the Lectionary on the lower shelf of the side table just behind the ambo and return to your place in the body of the church, bowing in front of the altar.

8. When the congregation is finished praying the Creed (which follows the homily) proceed once again to the ambo for the Prayers of the Faithful, bowing before the altar.

9. After the Prayers of the Faithful, return to your seat in the congregation, bowing first in front of the altar. (On Saturday, after the Prayers of the Faithful, announce the hymn for the Presentation of the Gifts). When there are no altar servers, go to the front of the altar and remove the Gospel Book stand and place it near the side table.

Notes

On the last weekend of the month, the following month’s schedule and a copy of the readings will be distributed to those on the schedule. If you are not present this weekend, a provision will be made for you to receive the information.

When you know in advance that you will not be present for a particular period (especially for the major holidays), notify Prosy Hennessy (Coordinator for the Ministers of the Word) so that the schedule can be adjusted accordingly.

If you are unavailable for your scheduled Mass, it is your responsibility to arrange for a replacement. Please use the contact list at the back of these notes (for names and phone numbers). Remember to give a copy of the readings to your replacement. When you arrange for a replacement, let Prosy Hennessy know about the change.

Again, we thank you for offering your time, gifts and generous service to the Community as a Minister of the Word. The Ministry of Lector is a wonderful work. Through us, God’s Word continues to be proclaimed to God’s people.

In a document on Sacred Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council, it was pointed out that the two parts, which comprise the Mass, namely the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, are so closely connected with each other that they form a single act of worship. In the first part of the Mass, God speaks to God’s own people through the Scriptures and the homily. God’s people should be instructed by God’s Word and nourished by the Lord’s Body and Blood. Ideally, this then encourages Christian action, shown through service to God’s People.

This points out the importance of the Liturgy of the Word. It is not simply a prelude to the Mass but an integral part of it. That is why Pope Paul VI restored the role of the Lector to the official status of ministry in the church. We are like the sower who scatters the seeds in the hope that they will take root in fertile soil and grow.

To become a good lector, we should literally immerse ourselves in the Scripture readings; try to understand them, even though we are only presenting a small part of the Old and New Testament each week. At each Mass, various literary forms are presented by the Lector:

Stories from the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)

Poetry and Hymns - rich in images and feelings -

especially in the psalm and the Second Reading.

Letters or Epistles from St. Paul and the apostles.

Each of these literary forms gives the lector a great opportunity to present God’s Word to the entire congregation.

The first step is this effort is to READ THE SELECTION. There are 3 Cycles in the Liturgical Year: A, B and C. The reason for the Liturgical Cycles is that it allows for a greater variety of Scripture selection. Check the notes to find out what the readings will be. There you will find each Sunday clearly indicated by date and the number of the week or designated feast day. Merely looking over the readings just before Mass is never enough. To prepare well we should prepare at home, reading out loud to get a feeling of our own voice and minimize that sense of being self-conscious. Reading other biblical translations can sometimes help, too, in this prayerful preparation. Another important aspect of preparing at home is Understanding the Selections:

Do I know all these words,

how to say them and

what they mean?

PRONUNCIATION can sometimes be a problem and there are many funny examples, for instance, when the Phillipians became the Philippines, the Colossians the Galoshians, etc. Most of the time, pronunciation will involve the names of persons, peoples and places. It is also important to know not only the correct pronunciation, but also the MEANING behind the words. Ask the coordinator or the priest if you are in doubt.

Once you are comfortable with the text, you need to turn to the presentation of the readings: The first thing to overcome is nervousness, which can include dread, fear and anxiety. To do this we need to get the focus of attention off ourselves - what if I make a mistake, what if I lose my place or do the wrong readings: CONCENTRATE on the readings instead, and - by being prepared - you will develop more confidence.

It can not be over-emphasized that the words of scripture which the Lector proclaims must be clearly articulated in a way which leads the congregation to hear and understand what is being spoken. Not all are called to this important ministry. With this in mind_,in order to be a good and effective Lector, please take some time to consider the following points:

An essential requirement for the Lector is to be HEARD. A common mistake for a Lector is to read as if he or she were in a small room. PROJECT your voice but do not force your voice, do not shout. As a general rule, always speak just a bit louder than you think you will need to, in order for everyone to hear you better.

The microphone is a great tool which is there to help you, so make sure the microphone has been moved close enough to the lectern and is turned on. Also, you may need to adjust the angle or height of the microphone. However, do this before the Mass!

DICTION Is also important - many lectors tend to neglect this, dropping the consonants at the end of the words, e.g. “the Lor of the covenenan.” But overdoing it can also be distracting.

A good lector will use a wide RANGE OF VOICE in proclaiming God's Word. Using only one note when speaking means that we are monotone - and monotonous speaking Is the best way to put people to sleep and not pay attention. Certain words or phrases should be selectively emphasized. (The notes can be a good help in this area.) On the other hand, raising and lowering your voice continuously produces a sing-song effect, giving the listener the feeling of being patted on the head. You should try to vary your voice according to the meaning of the text. Learn to shift your voice without becoming artificial and overly dramatic.

Another important aspect of reading is your PACE. Most lectors make the mistake of reading too fast. Remember that you are familiar with the passages while, most likely, the congregation is not. Of course, reading too slowly and using too many pauses can be just as distracting for the listeners. That is why preparing the readings beforehand is so important. Be sure in your practice before Saturday or Sunday's liturgy to read out loud.