Liturgical Ministries
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Overview
All Liturgical celebrations, especially the celebration of the Eucharistic Liturgy, are celebrations of the whole Church. They are not private functions. The Church is the “sacrament of unity: the holy people united and arranged under their bishops. Therefore, liturgical services pertain to the whole Body of the Church”. (CSL 26)
In the midst of this Body, there are individual ministries who serve all the faithful by executing different functions. These functions are integral and necessary parts for the liturgy to be performed in a dignified and reverend manner, and for respecting the nature, shape, and dynamic of liturgy. These ministries may include:
- Priest (Main Celebrant)
- Deacon
- Altar Servers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Lectors
- Ushers
- Music Ministers (choir/cantor)
The Priest & Deacon are ordained ministers; the Priest is the single indispensable minister for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Fr. John wrote about this in the Faith Focus section of this bulletin. The Deacon, when present, has specific functions pertaining to his role in the celebration, and these must be observed.
Lay Liturgical Ministers exercise a “genuine liturgical function. They ought, therefore, to perform their roles with the sincere piety and decorum demanded by so exalted ministries and rightly expected of them by God’s people” (CSL 29).
All liturgical ministers exist for the service of the Body of Christ, the People of God, the assembly gathered in God’s name. Although serving in any of these ministries should be a source of joy and satisfaction for individual people, these ministries exist for the benefit and service of the Church and not for individual or personal piety, spiritual growth, or status. As such, these ministries are regulated by Church and Liturgical law and are submitted to the authority of the Bishop and the local Pastor (USCCB).
At Holy Faith Catholic Church, these liturgical ministries strive to be modeled after the example of service of Jesus Christ in the Washing of the Disciple’s feet at the Last Supper. (John 13: 1-15). Serving at the Liturgy is an act of self-giving, not self-seeking; an act of love that must be continued in the ordinary of our lives for the glory of God. Therefore, “The faithful should not refuse to serve the People of God in gladness whenever they are asked to perform some particular service or function in the liturgical celebration.” (GIRM 97)
The Ministry of Sacristans
The Ministry of Altar Servers
The Ministry of Altar Servers
“One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” (Ps 27:4)
Sacristans are people in charge of the sacristy and ceremonial equipment in the church. As a team, the sacristan ministry accomplishes what is s
“One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” (Ps 27:4)
Sacristans are people in charge of the sacristy and ceremonial equipment in the church. As a team, the sacristan ministry accomplishes what is seldom noticed. They are the unsung heroes of most churches, who prepare all of the items for liturgy, from cups and plates to vestments and lights, who clean, press and assist in countless ways at the liturgy.
Sacristans help serve the liturgical needs of the parish at Mass by:
- preparing the altar and sanctuary for Mass, arranging the liturgical books and sacred vessels, bread and wine.
- caring and maintaining the sacred vessels, vestments, linens, oils, holy water, and all liturgical items and sound/lights before and after Mass,
- assisting the presider, especially visiting priests,
- providing a clean and tidy worship space, including the sanctuary and the sacristy.
“The word Sacristan comes from the Latin word, sacer, meaning sacred. This sacred and essential parish ministry is most often work performed behind the scenes, but very visible if not performed with diligence and accuracy.”
The Ministry of Altar Servers
The Ministry of Altar Servers
The Ministry of Altar Servers
“I will go in to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and joy.” Psalm 43:4
Altar Servers are male or female members of the congregation who assist the priest and deacon in the celebration of the Mass and other liturgical ceremonies. Altar Servers are full and active participants in the Eucharist and have the added responsibility of b
“I will go in to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and joy.” Psalm 43:4
Altar Servers are male or female members of the congregation who assist the priest and deacon in the celebration of the Mass and other liturgical ceremonies. Altar Servers are full and active participants in the Eucharist and have the added responsibility of being leaders of the assembly. Special training for this ministry provides the basis for knowledge of every aspect of the duties and responsibilities required to serve the liturgy with order, grace and reverence. During the liturgy the altar servers model the activity of the congregation by singing, praying, and maintaining silence at appropriate times. The Ministry of Altar Server is a very important sign of humility and hospitality as we approach the Table of the LORD. Altar servers assist Father in celebrating the Sunday Liturgies and other Special Liturgies. Altar servers' main help is with the processional cross, torches, and incense. They also help lead the processions at the beginning of Mass, at the Gospel, and the end of Mass.
Fr. Martin de la Cruz allows children as young as 7 years old to participate as altar servers.
** Parental permission is also required.**
The Ministry of Lectors
The Ministry of Altar Servers
The Ministry of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
“When the Scriptures are read in Church, God himself speaks to His People, and Christ, present in his own Word, proclaims the Gospel. Therefore all must listen with reverence to the readings from God’s word for they make up an element of greatest importance in the Liturgy” (General Instruction of the Roman Missal).
Lectors are members of
“When the Scriptures are read in Church, God himself speaks to His People, and Christ, present in his own Word, proclaims the Gospel. Therefore all must listen with reverence to the readings from God’s word for they make up an element of greatest importance in the Liturgy” (General Instruction of the Roman Missal).
Lectors are members of the Assembly of the Faithful who proclaim the Word in the first two scripture readings. They also assist in creating a prayerful environment by reading and leading the Prayers of The Faithful for the Assembly.
Training and preparation are necessary for those persons wishing to be a Lector. Proclaiming the Sacred Scriptures is different from other kinds of public speaking. Lectors are not only effective communicators but express the spirit and sacredness of the liturgy as well. We are a diverse community of believers who come from all walks of life. We welcome people of all ages, races, and backgrounds, and we strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone.
The Ministry of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
The Ministry of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
The Ministry of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
“Receive what you are. Be what you receive….You are the Body of Christ and through you the work of redemption must go on. You are to be taken. You are to be blessed, broken and distributed that you may be the means of grace and the vehicle of eternal love” (St. Augustine).
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMOHCs) are members of
“Receive what you are. Be what you receive….You are the Body of Christ and through you the work of redemption must go on. You are to be taken. You are to be blessed, broken and distributed that you may be the means of grace and the vehicle of eternal love” (St. Augustine).
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMOHCs) are members of the Assembly of the Faithful who assist in the distribution of Holy Communion. Typically, EMOHCs also distribute Holy Communion to those who are unable to attend Mass, such as the sick in hospitals, the elderly in nursing homes, and the homebound, thereby providing love, support and spiritual care to others in need.
The ordinary minister of Holy Communion is the bishop, priest or deacon. The role of The role of the EMOHC - the giving and receiving of the body of Christ - is a sacred duty, privilege, and a profound act of faith, which captures the essence of what it means to be a servant of the people of God at the Table of the LORD.
The Ministry of Music
The Ministry of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
The Ministry of Ushers
“Those who sing pray twice” (St. Augustine).
Music is an integral part of worship in the Roman Catholic tradition. From the simple, chanted dialogue between priest, deacon, or cantor and the assembly, the singing of psalms, acclamations, hymns or the appreciation for majestic organ solos and music compositions, worship at St. Thomas the A
“Those who sing pray twice” (St. Augustine).
Music is an integral part of worship in the Roman Catholic tradition. From the simple, chanted dialogue between priest, deacon, or cantor and the assembly, the singing of psalms, acclamations, hymns or the appreciation for majestic organ solos and music compositions, worship at St. Thomas the Apostle is enhanced and made possible because of our music ministry.
“…and so with all the choirs of angels we join in the unending hymn of praise…” Each time we assemble for the celebration of the Eucharist the texts of the Roman Rite urge us to join our voices with the divine. We give thanks to the choirs of adults and children who sing countless liturgies of praise and prayer in this beautiful church of St. Thomas the Apostle. All are welcome and encouraged to share their talent in this ministry.We are a diverse community of believers who come from all walks of life. We welcome people of all ages, races, and backgrounds, and we strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone.
The Ministry of Ushers
The Ministry of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
The Ministry of Ushers
“Whoever receives you, receives me, and whoever receives me receives the One who sent me.” Matthew 10:40
The ministry of Usher is deeply rooted in Scripture and tradition. The ushers of today have descended from a long line of people who have gone before them. During the time of Christ, the doorkeepers of the temple numbered in the hundr
“Whoever receives you, receives me, and whoever receives me receives the One who sent me.” Matthew 10:40
The ministry of Usher is deeply rooted in Scripture and tradition. The ushers of today have descended from a long line of people who have gone before them. During the time of Christ, the doorkeepers of the temple numbered in the hundreds and were the forerunners of today’s usher sometimes referred to as “Ministers of Hospitality”.
While the Ministry of Usher has changed and developed over many centuries, their primary duties today include greeting and welcoming parishioners as they enter the church, help them to find seats, taking up the collection and creating a hospitable and warm environment for people who attend Mass.