Resources for Liturgical Ministers

Liturgical ministry is an excellent opportunity to fulfill your baptismal call of service to one another. Our liturgies should utilize the talents and gifts that God has given this community to the fullest extent. Whether participation is through “behind the scenes” preparation and planning or a public role of service within the Mass, parishioner contributions help our liturgies to be truly life-giving celebrations.

Please prayerfully consider joining one of these ministries. Members of the Faith Formation, Worship and Evangelization Commissions coordinate the training and scheduling of liturgical ministries.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

“Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion" (EMHC) is the formal title of laypeople who distribute the Eucharist during Mass.

Extraordinary Ministers for the distribution of Holy Communion are properly formed, instructed and commissioned lay persons. EMHCs may be male or female. They should reflect the cultural diversity of their parish community. These ministers are appointed for a given parish community to aid in the distribution of Holy Communion at Mass and to the sick and homebound.

1. Be a Catholic who sincerely tries to live the Gospel message in their communal and individual lives. They should participate in the Sunday Eucharist regularly and practice their faith. In addition, they should be willing and able to carry out the ministry on behalf of the community.

2. Must be confirmed and be of sufficient age and maturity to perform the duties of an EMHC at Mass or to the sick and homebound in various locations (i.e. private homes, nursing homes, hospitals).

3. Be chosen and appointed by the pastor or a member of the Worship, Faith Formation, and Evangelization Commission.

Depending on what Mass you assist at, it can be as often as twice a month or as little as once every couple of months.

Prior to beginning their ministry, EMHCs will be trained in the following:

1. Theology of the Eucharist and understanding of the Mass;

2. Theology and spirituality of ministry;

3. Universal church, diocesan, and parish guidelines and procedures for their ministry.

EMHC training comes in two parts.

1. You must attend the EMHC Preparation Class at the Parish Office.

2. You must attend a training session with Father Anthony.

If you would be interested in serving as an Extraordinary Minister of Communion, contact Father Anthony.

Altar Server

Assistance at the altar by servers represents a long liturgical tradition. These servers enhance the quality of the celebration for the whole gathered assembly by taking part in processions and by ensuring that all items required for the celebration are available at the appropriate moments (Introduction to the Order of Mass, #22).

It is important that altar servers have an enthusiasm for public prayer. The server is not someone who performs a function or two and then settles back to observe the rest.  Altar servers listen, sing, and pray with the entire assembly. Training is provided and altar servers are scheduled one Mass monthly.  Altar servers are to arrive at the sacrisity fifteen  minutes before Mass or other liturgies and are to arrange for their own substitutes as needed. 

Altar servers are lay men and women, girls and boys, who are designated to serve at the altar and assist the priest and the deacon; they may carry the cross, the candles, the thurible, the bread, the wine, and the water; and they may also be deputed to distribute Holy Communion as extraordinary ministers (General Instruction of the Roman Missal - GIMR #100).

In the absence of an instituted acolyte, lay ministers may be deputed to serve at the altar and assist the priest and the deacon; they may carry the cross, the candles, the thurible, the bread, the wine, and the water; and they may also be deputed to distribute Holy Communion as extraordinary ministers

Candle Bearer

Candle bearers are baptized boys and girls, who are mature enough to understand and carry out their liturgical function. They should have celebrated their first Reconciliation and are able to participate in the liturgy by listening, singing and praying with the entire assembly.
 
Candle bearers serve from age 7-10. Families are encouraged to serve together.

Cross Bearer

Cross bearers are baptized boys and girls, who are mature enough to understand and carry out their liturgical function. They should have received their first Holy Communion and normally receive the Eucharist whenever they participate in the liturgy. Cross bearers are to be familiar with and able to participate in the liturgy by listening, singing, and praying with the entire assembly. Cross bearers lead liturgical processions and assist the candle bearers as needed.
 
Cross bearers serve from age 10-13. Families are encouraged to serve together.

Acolytes

Acolytes are baptized lay men and women, boys and girls, who are mature enough to understand and carry out their liturgical function. They should have received their first Holy Communion and normally receive the Eucharist whenever they participate in the liturgy. Acolytes need to know the individual parts of the Mass and their specific meaning, the various objects used in the liturgy and their proper names, and the differing functions of the liturgical ministers during Mass and other liturgical celebrations. They need to understand their work as a generous service to God and God's people. Finally, they should be prepared to exercise their functions with reverence and proper decorum. Acolytes who have received the Sacrament of Confirmation will be dually commissioned as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.

Acolytes serve from age 13 and up.

Acolytes of the Word

During the seminary formation year, acolytes and transitional deacons are regularly present for Mass and other liturgical celebrations. In order for the parish acolytes who devote themselves to a special service to the faithful to remain vigilant to their call and service in this ministry, the Acolyte of the Word assists the priest with the Roman Missal at the chair and assists the Acolyte of the Altar in preparing the altar. During the Liturgy of the Eucharist, they assist the deacon as directed. The deacon should have a collaborative relationship with the Acolyte of the Word in service to both the liturgy and the faithful. The Acolyte of the Word, unless having completed the sacraments of initation, does not serve as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion or in other liturgical rites prescribed to the ministry of acolyte.

Acolyte of the Altar

During the seminary formation year, acolytes at the altar assist the priest and deacon in special service of the Church, with the appropriate formation required to fulfill their functions properly and to carry out these functions in anticipation for a life of pastoral action at the altar. One function in particular is attentiveness to the Roman Missal. To better acquaint themselves with the Missal, they are encouraged to turn pages as directed. They collaborate with the Acolyte of the Word in preparing the altar, and assist with the purfication and storage of sacred vessels after Communion. They proclaim the Prayer of the Faithful, and collaborate with other liturgical ministers at Mass and other liturgical celebrations. They also serve as a regular extraordinary minister of Holy Communion.

Lector

“The Word of God as proclaimed in the Sacred Scripture lies at the heart of our Christian life and is integral to all our liturgical celebrations (Book of Blessings, 1827).”

The proclamation of the Word of God is truly a service to the Church. Lectors bring the living Word of God to the liturgical assembly. The ministry of the Word should, therefore, be treated seriously and with great dignity. (GIRM 55)

The Word of God is not merely read during the liturgy. It is proclaimed, yet not with theatrical show. Effective proclamation involves the delivery of the message with clarity, conviction and appropriate pace. It demands the ability to evoke faith in others by demonstrating one's own faith. Proclamation is a special ministry which presupposes faith. It also rouses faith in those who hear the Word proclaimed.

Any baptized Catholic can be a Reader. You should have received your Confirmation, be a registered parishioner, and regularly attend Mass at St. Boniface Parish or St. Meinrad Parish.

Depending on what Mass you read, it can be as often as twice a month or as little as once every couple of months.

All liturgical ministers, especially lectors, must be properly trained for their ministry. This ministry of the Word requires skill in public reading, knowledge of the principles of liturgy, and an understanding of the scriptures. Only properly trained and commissioned lectors should be scheduled for liturgy (GIRM 101).

Reader training comes in two parts.

1. You must attend the Lector Preparation Class at the Parish Office.

2. You must attend a training session with Father Anthony.

If you would be interested in serving in the Ministry of Lector, contact Mike Edwards.

Mass Coordinator (Sacristan) 

The ministry of the sacristan is a bit like the work of the weaver. In order for all the members of a community of faith to take their full, conscious, and active part in liturgical celebrations, there needs to be someone who prepares and oversees the things of the liturgy. There needs to be someone who gathers up the diverse things of the liturgy, readies them, and renders them useful to the community gathered in the living prayer of the liturgy. This someone is the sacristan. A sacristan, whose ministry extends beyond the confines of the sacristy, as it must, will be faced with a variety of situations and circumstances that call for a wide array of skills. Not only does the sacristan need to be handy and adept at preparing the physical things of the liturgy, he or she needs to be comfortable communicating and working with people. (From A Guide for Sacristans, LTP Publications pp2-3)

Any parishioner who desires to help in the organization of the physical set-up of the liturgy, and is good at organization and working with others, can be a sacristan.

Depending on what Mass you assist at, it can be as often as twice a month or as little as once every couple of months.

Sacristan training is conducted by Father Anthony and TBD (Sacristy Coordinator SB) TBD (Sacristy Coordinator SM) and is held two times a year. Dates and time are announced on the eCalendar and in the bulletin.

If you would be interested in serving in the Ministry of Sacristan, contact Father Anthony.

• Prepare Weekly Bulletin for Mailing

• Sanctuary Lamp

• Porter
  • Pre-Mass - Plan to arrive 30 minutes before Mass, set panic bars in the retracted position upon arrival, unlock flushbolt on the front door, open sacristies, and cue pre-Mass lighting and light candles throughout the sanctuary and on the side altars.
  • Post-Mass - Check narthex and pews for items to be placed in the lost and found, straighten missalettes – spine toward the center of each pew section with printed prayers (back of the book) face up – and lift kneelers. Before departure, set panic bars in the extended position, lock flushbolt on the front door, close and lock sacristies and turn off all lighting in the narthex, church, sanctuary and sacristy. Please report any non-emergency maintenance issue online at www.sbcatholic.church/maintenance | www.smcatholic.church/maintenance
• Sacristan

• Livestream

• Hospitality – Greeter

• Acolyte of the Altar

• Clean and Sanitize Restrooms and Empty Waste and Recycling Receptacles