Commisioned
Blogged by James Preece 10th May 2008 (2 months ago)
Ella and I went to York today to be commissioned as Ministers of the Word
It's always been a concern to me that reading isn't taken very seriously. Reading and singing. You only have to mention reading and singing and people say things like "wouldn't it be lovely to have the children do it?". There's this idea that reading and singing are mickey mouse jobs for getting as many people participating as possible. No. They are not. As it says in the General Introduction to the Lectionary: The ministry of reader, conferred through a liturgical rite, must be held in respect.
So, while many people were wailing and gnashing their teeth and saying things like "Why does the silly Church want to train me to read? I know how to read? I've been reading for years!" I was thinking "Thank goodness they are taking reading seriously."
All in all it was a good day. In the morning session Caroline and Kit Dollard did a fantastic exposition of what "ministry" means. They focussed on the spiritual preparation side of things talking about things like how to pray with the scriptures. Then Fr John Wood... I owe Fr John Wood an apology. I've only ever encountered him in the context of "listening" type events where he chaired and had to be seen to "listen". I kept thinking "why doesn't this silly priest tell these silly people how silly they are being". Well, it turns out Fr John Wood isn't a silly priest at all. His talk on the practical side of reading during mass was frank, engaging, illuminating and educational. We were impressed.
We stopped for lunch and after lunch we had a reflection to make sure there was a suitable gap between lunch and mass. I thought the altar arrangements were, well, poor...
Maybe I have ridiculously high expectations, but it surely wouldn't have been hard to have put a bit of effort in. I mean, two tea-light candles? Somebody needs to put together a diocesan mobile mass kit with a decent cloth that makes the altar look a bit more special and some decent candles. It would have been good to have had a cross for us to focus on... That said, I was very impressed to see Bishop Drainey saying mass with an altar cross...
Perhaps he's been reading "Spirit of the Liturgy"?
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Tags: Reading Ministers of the Word Commissioning Liturgy Bishop Terence DraineyComments
Mark Dobson said...
Cool. I have often wondered if this kind of thing actually happens, or whether people just wander up to the front and no questions asked.
berenike said...
I thought you were a man. Sorry. One shouldn't make assumptions :-)
James said...
What on earth are you on about?
ben whitworth said...
What I think Berenike is on about (she will correct me if I am wrong) is canon 230, which states that men (viri, i.e. male adults) may be admitted to the 'stable ministry' of 'lector'. It more or less corresponds to the old 'minor order' of the lectorate.
Being commissioned as a minister of the word in the diocese of M'boro means that you get some training and an mandate from the bishop to read at Mass; it does NOT confer the 'stable ministry', so the question of gender does not come into it. (The 'stable ministry', as far as I am aware, is only ever conferred on seminarians in England & Wales.)
To use the terminology of GIRM, James and Ella will be reading 'regularly but without institution', and therefore they will go to the ambo in 'ordinary attire', since this is the 'custom of the region'. Fr Massie can cancel the order for those tie-dye liturgical kaftans. More's the pity!
James said...
Gutted.
ben whitworth said...
More to the point, how hard is it to find an ALTAR in YORK?!?!?!?
I can think of eight within the city walls (6 at St Wilfrid's, 1 at the Shrine, 1 at St George's).
And if they wanted an altar cloth, or some candlesticks, or a missal stand, they only had to give us a call. Heck, I'd have lent them my umbrellino if they'd wanted it.
berenike said...
So is Ella going to process in vested with the rest of the clergy at the beginning of Mass? (GIRM 120)
120. Once the people have gathered, the priest and ministers, clad in the sacred vestments, go in procession to the altar in this order:
The thurifer carrying a thurible with burning incense, if incense is used;
The ministers who carry lighted candles, and between them an acolyte or other minister with the cross;
The acolytes and the other ministers;
A lector, who may carry the Book of the Gospels (though not the Lectionary), which should be slightly elevated;
The priest who is to celebrate the Mass.
Relevant Part of GIRM
James said...
What's this "So is Ella going to..." business? Ella and I both went, we both got commissioned, you can pick on us both!
You are right though... the General Introduction to the Lectionary says...
"During the celebration of Mass with a congregation a second priest, a deacon, and an instituted reader must wear the distinctive vestment of their office when they go up to the ambo to read the word of God. Those who carry out the ministry of reader just for the occasion or even regularly but without institution may go to the ambo in ordinary attire, but this should be in keeping with the customs of the different regions."
The "distinctive vestment of their office"...? How exciting.
No doubt Fr Massie has already ordered one in my size...