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Archdiocese of Vancouver
Office of Religious Education
The intent of this workshop is to assist the pastors in the training of lectors in the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
The content of the workshop is meant to serve as suggestions for the ministry of Lector to complement the instructions given by the parish.
Historically, the term Lector referred to one of the Minor Orders in the Church, which were abrogated in 1972. Today the service of the Lector is one of the ministries in the Church, in which men and women may be formerly instituted, with the responsibility to proclaim the Sacred Scriptures in a liturgical assembly.
THE MINISTRY OF LECTOR
Scripture itself tells us that God's word is "living and active." His Word is not primarily a written text, but a Word spoken and proclaimed in the midst of a community of faith. His Word brings forth creation and whenever it is spoken anew it recreates. It is by his Word that Israel was brought into being and continually challenged to renew its faithfulness to Him; it is by His Word that the Church was called into being and constantly challenged to renew and reform itself.
THOSE CHOSEN TO BE LECTORS
The pastor of the parish has the responsibility for the liturgical life of his community, including the selection and training of those who will serve in the ministry of Lector. While the parish may define an acceptable minimum age it is assumed that the individual should have received the Sacrament of Confirmation and possess the maturity and ability necessary for the ministry. It is not necessary, however, that the Lector be highly gifted in communication techniques. What is important is that the Lector has adequate vocal projection, self-confidence, maturity, poise and a love of Scripture.
• Approach to the ministry
o The Lector gives voice to God’s Word in the community of worship. It is important that the Lector work with the priest and other members of the parish to express the unity that flows from authentic liturgy.
• Commitment to the ministry
o The individual should be:
• willing to be scheduled for service on a regular basis;
• able to arrange a substitute when unable to serve;
• responsible regarding guidelines for appropriate attire;
• ready to undertake training.
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD: STRUCTURE AND NATURE
The Mass is made up of two parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Readings from Scripture form the main part of the Liturgy of the Word. The homily, profession of faith, and general intercessions or prayers of the faithful develop and respond to the Scriptures proclaimed. In the readings, explained by the homily, God speaks to his people of redemption and salvation and nourishes their spirit; Christ is present among the faithful through His Word. Through the chants the people make God's word their own and express their adherence to it through the profession of faith. Following this the community prays the general intercessions for the needs of the Church and for the world's salvation (General Introduction to the Roman Missal, 33)
An overview of the Liturgy of the Word for the Sunday Mass
• First Reading - a proclamation from the Old Testament or the Acts of the Apostles during the Easter season, ending with "The Word of the Lord."
o Congregation responds- "Thanks be to God."
• Responsorial - taken from the Psalms -sung or recited
• Second reading - a proclamation from the New Testament (Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul’s letters or other Epistles), ending with "The Word of the Lord."
o Congregation responds- "Thanks be to God."
• Gospel acclamation- according to the season of the year, the Gospel is preceded by the Alleluia or other chant - it's purpose is to solemnize the proclamation of the Gospel and prepare for it - it should always be sung and is usually omitted when not sung
• Gospel Reading – Proclaimed by a priest or deacon and taken from one of the four Gospels-central part of the Liturgy of the Word – The posture of standing for the acclamation and Gospel text is an act of reverence indicating that the congregation recognizes and acknowledges that Christ is present and speaking to them.
• Homily- preached by a priest or deacon and an integral part of the liturgy - given on Sundays and on all Holydays of obligation and recommended on weekdays. It is a necessary source of nourishment for the Christian life, because it is the living interpretation of God's word for today, encouraging the community to praise God and ask His help in this Eucharist and to live during the week what they celebrate on Sunday.
• Profession of Faith – Creed - the community responds and assents to the word of God which it has heard proclaimed and interpreted; it also prepares the faithful for the celebration of the Eucharist by recalling the Faith that defines the Church.
• General Intercessions - Prayers of the Faithful - in these prayers the people exercise their priestly function by interceding for all people. The priest leads the invitation to prayer and the lector reads the petitions - the priest concludes with a prayer to the Father.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist then begins with the procession of gifts at the Offertory.
CATECHETICAL BACKGROUND for lectors
A basic catechetical understanding of the ministry of lector is always beneficial…
• As God’s word is living and active, we must see His Word as not primarily a written text but a Word spoken and proclaimed in the midst of a community of faith.
• God’s Word brings forth creation and whenever it is spoken anew it recreates.
• It is by His Word that Israel was brought into being and called continually to renew its faithfulness to Him; it is by His Word that the Church was called into being and constantly challenged to renew itself.
God's Word has power beyond all other words. He speaks this Word to reveal Himself, but also to reveal to us our own deepest nature. It is this Word, which tells us that we are His people, that our destiny is intrinsically interwoven with His life. And, more than this, it is by this Word that He makes Himself present to us. For this reason, the Church has never known a sacramental celebration apart from the proclamation of God's Word. God establishes his presence by his Word and the power of that presence once again calls a community into being to receive God's gift and respond in faith.
God has spoken his definitive Word to us in Jesus Christ. It is He who is the living and effective Word of God present in the worshipping community. The purpose of celebrating God's Word is not to read biblical texts but to encounter Jesus in a manner that elicits from us a unified response of living fidelity. Our celebration of the Word in the Eucharistic celebration is above all else a celebration of the presence of Jesus.
A sacramental celebration of the Word of God is never mere reading of texts. It is the public proclamation in the midst of the assembled faithful of who God is, where God can be found and how God works in and through us. It is a sacramental event. When the Word is truly proclaimed and heard things happen. We experience the power and presence of the living God in this community, here and new. It is the discovery that the great works of God are not simply history but are enacted anew in our own community as we gather to worship.
SUGGESTIONS FOR PREPARATION PRIOR TO COMING TO THE CHURCH
SPIRITUAL:
• Lectors should be encouraged to ground their lives in the Word of God. They are encouraged to read the Scriptures often. Prayer based on the Gospels and psalms will help lectors to become more aware of their spiritual responsibility to live what they read and to prepare seriously for proclaim God's word to his people.
TEXT PREPARATION
• Lectors should "study" the texts during the week before they are assigned to read. Studying refers to reading over the texts and praying with them to understand their meaning in the context of faith. Lectors may be provided with a Lector Workbook at the start of the Church year (November) or can borrow a copy through the ORE resource library. This is an excellent tool for preparation.
• In the Lector workbook, you will find some Masses which have multiple options for readings. It is the priest who chooses which readings are to be read therefore it is essential that you arrive early for immediate preparation.
SOME SUGGESTED GUIDELINES FOR LECTORS
General Duties
• The lector’s functions are:
o To proclaim the Scripture readings (except the Gospel)
o To announce the intentions of the General Intercessions.
o To lead the Responsorial Psalm, unless sung by the cantor.
Promptness
• Arrive 15 minutes prior to Mass and report to the sacristy. It is helpful if a sign-in sheet is available to indicate his or her presence.
Attire
• Written expectations should be given to avoid any confusion.
Preparation upon arrival
• Check the Lectionary at the ambo to insure it is open to the assigned readings
• Check and adjust the microphone
o Adjust to your level, as you will be the first to use it.
Prayers of the Faithful / General Intercessions.
• It is recommended that a separate book/binder be used for this purpose. It should be kept in the sacristy or another designated place.
• The lector should review the intercessions prior to the Mass to ensure intelligible proclamation with correct pronunciation.
Mass with two Lectors.
• Parishes should try to schedule two or three lectors for Sunday Mass, as it adds solemnity to the celebration by fuller participation of the congregation, as well as providing a diversity of voices.
• The preferred option would be to have two lectors do one reading each and the third lector read the Prayers of the Faithful and any announcements before or after the Mass.
Procession
• In the entrance procession the lectors process in after the servers and before the priest. The Lectionary should not be carried in procession. Once the procession arrives at the foot of the altar, the lectors stand on either side of the priest. After genuflecting to the tabernacle, if it is in the center of the sanctuary, or otherwise bowing to the altar, the Lectors go to their seats.
Moving to and from the ambo (Because the physical arrangements of sanctuaries vary, the following basic instructions may need to be made more detailed by the pastor.)
• The Lector proceeds to the Ambo after the Opening Prayer. Ensure that the congregation is seated and ready to hear God's Word prior to starting.
• Following the reading, pause briefly (three seconds) before proceeding to your seat. Proclaiming the Word
• The Scriptures should be proclaimed only from the Lectionary.
• The readings must always be from the Scriptures and may never be taken from non-biblical sources.
• The Scriptures should be proclaimed as written with no additions, deletions or changes. (The detailed rubrics printed in red type are for the Lector’s instruction only and are not read. For example, do not say “the first reading is a reading from…” or “the Responsorial Psalm is…”)
• The Lector begins with "A reading from…”
• The Lector concludes the reading with a slight pause followed by the phrase "The Word of the Lord." (The lectionary should remain on the ambo and not be raised.)
o The previous phrase "This is the Word of the Lord, " was changed several years ago for two reasons.
1. "The Word of the Lord" is a more literal translation of the Latin Verbum Domini.
2. once the Word is proclaimed it is no longer contained in the Lectionary, but in the hearts of the assembly. Saying "This is..." puts emphasis on the book instead of the proclaimed Word.
• If the psalm is not sung the Lector should pause briefly (three- five seconds) after the first reading before going on to the Responsorial Psalm.
o The lector begins the psalm by simply reciting the antiphon. Looking up and starting the antiphon is all that is needed to cue the assembly for their response.
• The second reading begins and ends the same way as the first.
• The Gospel Acclamation is to be sung by the choir, cantor or sometimes the Lector. If it is not sung the acclamation may be omitted.
The Prayers of the Faithful
• The Lector should be in place at the ambo before the end of the Creed.
• After the priest offers the opening prayer the Lector begins the intentions.
o Unless the response is not the usual one of "Lord Hear Our Prayer", it is not necessary to tell people how to answer each intention.
o The Lector should remain at the ambo until the priest offers the concluding prayer.
Announcements
• The priest or lector may read the announcements following the Prayer After Communion.
Recessional
• After the final blessing and dismissal, the lectors walk to the front of the Altar and stand on either side of the priest. After the genuflection or bow, they follow the altar servers in the recessional. The Lectionary should remain at the ambo.
Glossary of terms
LECTIONARY
• The liturgical book containing the biblical texts used in the Eucharist and Sacraments. The Lectionary is published in four volumes.
o VOLUME I
• Contains the Sunday readings arranged according to the liturgical year from Advent to the Solemnity of Christ the King, in three cycles, A, B and C. Cycle A focuses on the Gospel of Matthew; Cycle B on Mark and Cycle C on Luke. The Gospel of John is read on the last three Sundays of Lent, the Sundays of Easter, and from the 17th to the 21st Sundays of Ordinary time in Cycle B and on other important solemnities of the Church year.
o VOLUME II
• Year I Weekday readings arranged according to the liturgical year for odd-numbered years. Includes readings called “commons of the saints” for celebrations of Mary and the saints which do not have “proper” texts.
o VOLUME III
• Year II Weekday readings arranged according to the liturgical year for even-numbered years.
o VOLUME IV
• RITUAL MASSES- readings for the Sacraments (Marriage, Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders), as well as for various occasions: e.g. funerals, Masses for particular needs.
AMBO
• The ambo or pulpit is the place from which the Word of God is proclaimed and the homily given. The Lector and priest should use it for all Scripture readings, including the Responsorial Psalm and the Prayers of the Faithful.
LECTERN
• A less conspicuous stand for the commentator and leader of song.
LECTOR BOOK
• A special binder that may be used to hold the Prayers of the Faithful and announcements.
PRINCIPLES OF PROCLAMATION
• The art of proclaiming the Scriptures differs from speech making. Even though the vocal techniques may be fundamentally the same, in proclamation the text must be primary. The Lector is a messenger of the Word of God. He or she does not read stories, but rather proclaims the mystery of salvation.
• Contact with the assembly - contact is achieved not simply by words, but especially through one's manner of speaking. This in turn is realized through physical attitude, inflection and a sense of dialogue with one's listeners. The Lector should not lean over the pulpit, but stand with reverence. Make eye contact if possible. Make your proclamation a prayer.
• Expression - All communication expresses subjectivity (emotion, sentiments, etc) In the liturgy we must distinguish between individual expression and symbolic representation of a situation. Although the Lector should be transparent in the service of the Word, a certain amount of individual expression is necessary to make the proclamation come alive. This expression should never take precedence over the Word. Proclaiming the Scriptures in the liturgy is a symbolic act and we must remember that it is Christ who is present in His word.
• Techniques to consider in preparation
Preparing the text
• Make sure you know the meaning of what you read. Look up unfamiliar words in the dictionary. Invest in a Biblical Commentary
• Examine the phrasing. The readings are written in sense lines which are an aide to good proclamation
• Key words - each phrase is dominated by a key word whose emphasis carries the primary meaning of the phrase. The Lector Workbook prints these key words in italics. These words should be emphasized vocally through pitch, pause, duration or the sound of the word.
• Rhythm - Each selection and each part of the selection has its own rate and rhythm. Be careful to note these differences in the selection and be ready to speak them accordingly-Avoid sounding "sing-song."
• Painting verbal "pictures" - be conscious that words put together can provide us with ideas and images. When you prepare a reading, form physical details of the situation in your mind and in your heart. This will make the event you are reading more intelligible to you.
Additional preparation:
• If you have access to the Internet, check out www.lectorprep.org.
o This is a U.S. site, which means it utilizes a different translation; however it has an excellent section called Lector Notes containing theological and historical backgrounds to the readings, as well as a pronunciation guide.
• Train yourself to breath from your diaphragm in order to gain greater control and volume.
• Learn to articulate all the sounds in each word you speak, so that you can project your voice. It is very helpful to remember to SPEAK TO THE ASSEMBLY RATHER THAN THE MICROPHONE.
• Learn to control the rate of your speech
o It is common for beginners to read much too fast - Speak slowly.
Posture
• Body language communicates many things without ever saying a word.
• Strong posture is standing tall with muscles relaxed and feet firmly "planted" and slightly apart.
• It is helpful to put all tension in your feet if you are nervous. Don't tense your upper body.
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