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LECTOR INFORMATION
(updated May 2005)
Serving as a Lector or Jr. Lector at Mass is an important responsibility. You are entrusted with the crucial role of making the Word of God come alive. With your voice and appearance you lift up the people in the congregation. You project your voice so that all words are clearly heard and easily understood.
If you are interested in Lectoring, please contact Joan Edwards. If you are a student in 8th grade or above and would like to volunteer as a Jr. Lector, click here for a sign-up form or contact John Kane.
Thank you. May God bless you.
Joan Y. Edwards
SJN Lector/Jr. Lector Coordinator
>>
Audio pronunciations of
just about every biblical term !
>> Internet resources for lectors
>> Printed resources for lectors
May 2005 SJN
Guidelines for Lectors/Jr. Lectors Joan Y. Edwards, CoordinatorServing as a Lector/Jr. Lector during Mass is an important responsibility. You are entrusted with the crucial role of making the Word of God come alive. With your voice and appearance you lift up the people in the congregation. You project your voice so that all words are clearly heard and easily understood. You are dependable and professional.
1. If you cannot read when scheduled, call and get someone to replace you.
2. Call the person reading with you a week ahead and decide which readings you are doing.
3. Be very prepared. Study and prepare both readings so you can read both with confidence, if necessary. Use your lector workbook. It has pronunciations and syllables that should be stressed.
4. Arrive 15 minutes before Mass begins. Initial the schedule in the sacristy when you arrive.
5. Check with the presiding priest for the Mass to make sure you have the correct readings and for any changes in procedure, i.e., Baptisms, RCIA, or Children’s Liturgy.
6. Check to see if someone in the choir is singing the Responsorial Psalm. If not, the First Reader will read the Responsorial Psalm and may hold up a hand for the congregation to respond.
7. Review the readings in the Lectionary to be sure they are the ones you practiced.
8. If a Deacon is there, he will carry the Book of Gospels down the aisle with the priest and he will read the Prayers of the Faithful. This means that the Second Reader will be seated in the front row before Mass begins and will read the Stewardship Prayer. If there is no deacon and only one lector, one of the altar servers will process with the Book of Gospels.
9. Make certain you read the correct name(s) for the Mass Intentions and that you pronounce them correctly. Ask the presiding Priest or the sacristan how to pronounce the names.
10. About 7 minutes before Mass begins, the First Reader places the Lectionary on top of the podium and opens it to the first reading. Then he/she carries the Notebook and sits in first row nearest pulpit and watches the presiding priest at the back of the church for a signal to begin the Introduction and Greeting.
11. Always lean to the slow and loud side. Use your finger to keep your place and look out at congregation – middle, left and right.
12. PAUSE and wait until everyone is seated and paying attention before you begin to read.
13. If choir director is not doing the Greeting, First Reader should be free and cheerful in doing the Greeting. Say the number of hymn before and after its name: “Number 204 Now Thank We All Our God Number 204.” Then say to the congregation, “Please rise.”
14. After doing the Greeting, the First Reader takes the Notebook back to the pew and hands it to the Second Reader for the Prayers of Faithful and/or Stewardship Thought.
15. If no Deacon is present, the Second Reader carries the Book of Gospels down the aisle, opens it and places it in the back CENTER of the altar with the words facing him/her and fancy side facing congregation. Then he/she takes a seat in the front row near the pulpit.
16. Begin each Reading by saying “A reading from…”
17. PAUSE and pronounce slowly and distinctly each word in “The Word of the Lord.”
18. First Reader turns the Lectionary to the page for the Second Reading. After the Second Reading, the Second Reader closes the Lectionary and places it under the podium.
19. If you are doing the Prayers of the Faithful, move to the pulpit near the end of the Creed (at the words, “ONE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH” so that you are in place with the Notebook open when the priest begins the Prayers of the Faithful.
20. When receiving communion, follow the choir then return to your seat. Remain seated if you are in the front row with no kneelers.
21. After the Presiding Priest, Deacon, and Altar servers leave the main church, the First Reader retrieves the Lectionary and Book of Gospels from the podium and takes them to the Sacristy. The Second Reader takes the Notebook to the sacristy.
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1. http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm ..... Today’s Readings New American Bible
2. http://netministries.org/BBasics/bbbott.htm .... Pronunciation Guide by ABC order
3. http://www.lectorprep.org/index.html ...... Lector Preparation (historical and theological background) Current Month of Readings
4. http://www.lectorprep.org/index.html#all_of_em ..... Cycles A,B, & C
5. http://www.lectorprep.org/citationsindex.html ..... Listed by Readings (Acts, Mark, etc.)
1. The Joy of Being a Lector by Mitch Finley
2. Lector’s Guide to Biblical Pronunciations by Joseph M. Feaubacher
3. Read the Way You Talk: A Guide for Lectors by Jack Hartjes.
4. Workbook for Lectors and Gospel Readers by Aelred R. Rosser