Lector and Acolyte Installation Masses
The Lector and Acolyte Installation Masses took place recently at the main chapel at St. Augustine’s Seminary of Toronto.
On November 10th, the Most Reverend Archbishop Marcel Damphousse (Ottawa-Cornwall) installed the Lectors and on November 17th, the Most Reverend Bishop Ivan Camilleri (Archdiocese of Toronto) installed the Acolytes.
The Mass is held annually for candidates to the priesthood as a step toward Holy Orders. Lectors proclaim the Word of God during Masses, while acolytes serve at the altar by assisting priests and deacons and distributing Holy Communion. Seminarians are first installed as lectors and typically made acolytes a year later.
Second-year new acolytes (including two from RMMS): Peter Bissonnette, James Cyfko, Alvin Joys, Jude Thusiar, Victor Vales, Jesus Fidel Anon, Francesco Buttitta
Third-year new lectors (including three from RMMS): Joseph Do, Michael El-Nachef, Sean Jacob, Cole Powers, Peter Tran, Matteo Bertozzi, Jesus Fidel Anon, Francesco Buttitta
“In giving of ourselves, we find ourselves. It was a beautiful privilege to become an acolyte to formally give ourselves more to the service of the Church.”
A seminarian’s progress through formation is marked not only by a yearly academic cycle but by spiritual milestones that signify to both the seminarian and the community that progress towards Holy Orders is underway. Two moments, in particular, are marked by liturgical ceremonies: the Ministry of Lector and the Ministry of Acolyte.
Before the liturgical reforms of Vatican II, there were seven formal stages, sometimes allegorically compared to the way a sanctuary with seven steps ascends to the altar. These seven stages were: Porter, Lector, Exorcist, Acolyte, Subdeacon, Deacon, and Priest. After receiving the first four “minor orders”, which are not established by a sacrament, the ordinandi finally become Deacons and Priests through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. The offices of Porter, Exorcist, and Subdeacon were suppressed, leaving those offices which were primarily liturgical as stages of progress of the candidates for Holy Orders.
The Ministries of Lector and Acolyte designate the seminarian as one who carries out significant tasks in divine worship. Announcing the Word of God and assisting the priest in the Holy Sacrifice are of such importance that being formally designated to take on these roles is a sign that seminarians are moving close to Holy Orders.
The rites themselves inform us of the meaning. At the Institution of Lectors, the bishop’s ritual homily instructs the candidates that they will not only proclaim the Word in the sacred liturgy, but will teach and catechize in various contexts, and must meditate on, and grow in love for, the sacred scriptures. At the Institution of Acolytes, the bishop points out that the most important part of their ministry will be to bring Holy Communion to the faithful, either in the liturgy or to the sick and homebound. As a sign to the candidates of their ministries, the bishop presents a Bible to the lectors. To the acolytes, he presents the paten with bread or the chalice with wine to each candidate, then invites the new acolytes to prepare the altar and help distribute Holy Communion at the Mass.
Pope Francis issued a motu proprio earlier this year (Spiritus Domini, 2021) allowing for a change to canon law which had restricted the ministries to men. The pope notes the difference between these ministries and ordained ministries, noting that the duties of lectors and acolytes are expressions of “the priestly and royal condition of every baptized person.” A bishop may now choose acolytes and lectors from among all the lay faithful, both men and women.
“I am grateful to God for having been installed as an acolyte. The responsibility of serving the Church, while conforming my heart more fully to the Eucharist, is a beautiful gift.”
“Receiving the book of holy scripture and the ministry of lector was a powerful moment for me as I continue to prepare myself for ordination to the diaconate and eventually proclaim the word of God”