NEW TRAINING DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED

Our parish will host opportunities to train both “Eucharist  Ministers” and lectors here at St. Catherine of Siena. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion will be trained from 9 a.m. until 10:30 a.m., and lectors will be trained from 11 a.m. until  12 noon. I am extending this opportunity to those who feel a calling to the these lay roles in the Church.

Lectors: Proclaim the Sacred Scriptures at Mass and other liturgies of the Catholic Church, notice that the word “Proclaim” is used rather than “to read it,” since the role of the lector is to engage the  congregation by knowing the scripture and proclaiming it and making some eye contact with the  congregation. This requires practice as not to stumble over the individual names and locales in the  readings, and to well emphasize words, bringing the accounts of Christ, prophets, kings and everyday  people of the ancient world to life. Lectors also offer the Prayers of the Faithful at Mass as we collect our parish voices for the needs of the Church, the world, our nation, and our communities. If you would like to be part of this important ministry, please call the parish office, 658 1642, and leave your name with Lisa Cerchia.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: First of all, the term “Eucharistic Minister” cannot be found in the Code of Canon Law, even though almost every parish and priest in the United States uses it. The correct term for this lay role is Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.  Canon 910.1 states that the ordinary minister of Holy Communion is a bishop, priest or deacon. In other words, the cleric is supposed to distribute Communion. The exception to this rule is found in canon 910.2, which notes that the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion is either an “acolyte,” or another member of the faithful deputed in accord with canon 230.3. Acolyte used here is a seminarian who has been received by the Church through his education and spiritual formation and who is on his way to the Catholic  Priesthood, a permanent, life-long role (Canon Law uses the word “temporary” when referring to Lector and Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion since those roles are not meant to be a life-long  commitment, e.g., the Catholic Priesthood).

Thus, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are both lay-men and lay–women, who are trained, and offer service in the distribution of Holy Communion when no able-bodied cleric is present at the Mass.  

All this to say our parish is in need of new Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and lectors for the smooth and timely celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and I am asking our parishioners to consider assisting me. As noted above, there will be training  sessions, and if anyone has any questions or concerns, they should feel free to call or speak with me, I am happy to answer any questions you may have.