LITURGICAL
MINISTRIES
Thomas A. Krosnicki, S.V.D.
The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy has made some
important points relating to the liturgical ministries in the
Church.
No.26: The nature of the liturgy itself underscores the fact that
“liturgical services are not private functions but are the
celebrations of the Church which is ‘the sacrament of unity,’
namely, ‘the holy people united and arranged under their
bishops.’” Ecclesial Dimension
No.28: There exists a variety of ministries within the
Liturgical act so that “each person, minister, or layman who
has an office to perform, should carry out all and only those
parts which pertain to that office by the norms of the liturgy.”
Variety of ministries within the Liturgy
Various Liturgical Ministries
(Ministers)
Ministries = Works
Ministers = Ones who perform the works
It is easier to identify the liturgical ministries in
the act of the ministers who perform.
e.g. the function in a school
(teaching = teacher)
The proper ordering of liturgical
ministers
Ordained Liturgical Ministers
Instituted Liturgical Ministers
Deputized Liturgical Ministers
Recognized Liturgical Ministers
They are bishop, organist, communion ministers,
psalmist, sacristan, cantor, commentator , leader of
song, presbyter, musicians, choir, reader, acolyte,
altar server, minister of hospitality, deacon, .
Ordained Instituted Deputized Recognized
Ministers Ministers Ministers Ministers
Bishop Reader Communion Reader
Presbyter Acolyte ministers Altar server
Deacon Music
Psalmist
Cantor
Song leader
Organist (musicians)
Choir
Commentator
Minister of hospitality
Minister of
environment
(sacristan)
Ordained Ministers
These ministries have been divinely instituted,
conferred and recognized by the sacrament of
ordination.
Since apostolic time they have been ordained with the
laying-on of hands within and for the well-being of
the community (Acts 6:6; 13:3; 2Tim 1:6).
During the 2nd century the episcopacy, the
presbyterate, and the diaconate had already achieved
universal recognition in the Church.
Bishop
A bishop becomes the principal
liturgist within the local church.
Vatican II said “The bishops are
the principal dispensers of the
mysteries of God and it is their
function to control, promote, and
protect the entire liturgical life of
the Church entrusted to them”
(Christus Dominus, no.15).
The liturgical life of the diocese
centers around the bishop in terms
of both leadership and
presidency (no.41).
Presbyter
It is impossible for any bishop to be
present to his entire diocesan
community at the same time.
For sacramental and administrative
reasons the need of the ordained
presbyters arises.
Each presbyter has to responsible in
liturgical availability as well as
professional competency.
They recognize the primary role of
the bishops in the liturgy.
Deacon
The third order of ordained
ministries is the diaconate.
The deacon assists the bishop
and presbyters in liturgical
celebrations, especially the
Eucharist, but he is also
directed to proclaim the
Gospel, preach and baptize,
bless marriages and preside
at funerals.
Instituted Ministers
In 1972 Pope Paul VI reformed the ministries within
the Church and opened them to laypeople.
In the apostolic letter Ministeria quaedam Pope Paul
VI outlined the liturgical ministry of the instituted
reader and acolyte.
Reader
In the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy No. 5 addresses that:
The reader’s function is to read the word of God in the liturgical
assembly, except the Gospel in the Mass and other sacred
celebrations.
He is :
to recite the psalm between the readings where there is no psalmist;
to present the intentions of the general intercessions in the absence
of a deacon or cantor;
to direct the singing and the participation of the faithful;
to instruct the faithful for the worthy reception of the sacraments.
He may also, insofar as necessary, take care of preparing other
faithful who by a temporary appointment are to read the Scriptures
in liturgical celebrations.
Acolyte
“It is his duty to attend to the service of the altar and to
assist the deacon and the presbyter in liturgical
celebrations, especially in the celebration of Mass”.
(no.6)
The instituted acolyte may distribute Holy
Communion:
When the ordinary minister of Communion is not present or
hindered by ill health, age, or another pastoral ministry, or
When the number of communicants is so great that the
celebration would be prolonged.
However, he is not to replace the ordinary ministers of
Communion, presbyters and deacons, who might be
present and able to exercise their proper ministry.
addition
It should be noted that the category of instituted lay
liturgical ministries is not limited to that of reader and
acolyte. Ministeria quaedam permits conferences of
bishops to request from the Holy See the formal
installation of other ministries, not associated with
holy orders, if there is a pastoral necessity or usefulness.
The instituted liturgical ministries open to men and
women within the Church today. In some places this
avenue has not been pursued.
All candidates for the diaconate and presbyterate must
be instituted as reader and acolyte prior to ordination to
the diaconate.
Deputized Ministers
In addition to instituted ministries there is a second
category of liturgical ministries that falls under the
title of “deputized” ministries.
Pope Paul VI in the instruction Immensae caritatis
(1973) permitted the authorization of special
ministers to give Communion. These Communion
ministers are to be formally commissioned for a
limited time period according to the approved
liturgical rite of the Church.
Communion ministers
Their function is:
to assist in the distribution of
Communion within the Eucharist and
to bring Communion to those who are
sick, shut-in, or dying when they cannot
to Mass, especially Sunday Mass.
Furthermore, when there is a genuine
pastoral need, a person may be
authorized by the presbyter to distribute
Communion at Mass on a single
occasion without any previous
deputation.
addition
In the absence of a presbyter at the exposition of the Blessed
Sacrament, the special minister of Communion may lead the
assembly in Communion service, but not the blessing.
In such cases, e.g. Sunday assemblies without a priest, the
minister must observe the approved rite for the distribution of
Communion outside of Mass and follow the liturgical
directives of both the universal and local Church.
However, the present Church norms regulate that the
Communion ministers is not to supplant the service of an
ordinary minister of the Eucharist (bishop, presbyter, deacon),
or even an instituted acolyte, when they are present and
capable of fulfilling their ministry within the liturgical act.
Recognized Ministers
In most local churches, men and women are invited to
minister in the liturgical roles.
This implies no requirement of formal institution or
deputation, but rather it is informal recognition and/or
invitation by the local pastor.
This ministry falls within the category of recognized
liturgical ministries.
The sample of these ministries are:
Reader
Acolyte
Other ministries
Reader and Acolyte (Altar
server)
Reader
As a matter of fact, these persons generally
undertake the function of the so-called instituted
reader without any formal rite of recognition.
Acolyte (Altar server)
In 1992 the Congregation for Divine Worship and
the Discipline of the Sacraments promulgated
that local Ordinaries could permit women to be
acolyte, depending on circumstances (e.g.,
cultural considerations).
Without formal rite of institution or deputation,
they are not permitted to perform all of the
responsibilities of the instituted acolyte (e.g., the
right to distribute Communion).
The recognized acolyte in the limited sense can
be referred to as the altar server.
Other ministries
A number of new ministries within the liturgy have
emerged with the post-Vatican II liturgical reform.
There are some obvious ones that would be
introduced here:
The ministries of
music
commentator
hospitality
Environment (sacristan)
Ministries of Music
Music ministries include among
other ministry of
the psalmist,
the cantor,
the leader of song,
the organist and other musicians, and
the choir.
All of these ministries remain
recognized as important within the
full liturgical context but without any
necessary formal institution or
deputation.
Each ministry requires its own
preparation and set of competencies.
Commentator
The ministry of liturgical
commentator provides
explanations and commentaries
with the purpose of introducing
the faithful to the celebration and
preparing them to understand it.
This ministry is also one of the
roles of the deacon.
Ministries of Hospitality
In some churches the ancient order of
porter has been transformed and
reintroduced as the ministry of hospitality
(i.e., usher).
Their function is:
to welcome the faithful, especially new
members or visitors,
to oversee the good order of the assembly
(e.g., processions, collection, Communion),
lastly, to exclude those who have been
banned from the liturgical gathering (e.g.,
the excommunicated).
Ministries of Enviroment
This ministry responds the need of
proper environment in the liturgy.
Traditionally they have been
referred to as sacristan.
The scope of work is considerably
broad.
Some example is to facilitate the
prayer of the assembly and any
other kind of pastoral concern in
the liturgical act.
FORMATION OF LITURGICAL
MINISTERS
No.29 in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy states that
“To fulfill a ministry, all must be deeply imbued with the spirit of
the liturgy, in the measure proper to each one and they must be
trained to perform their functions in a correct and orderly
manner.”
The good will alone is not an adequate criterion for the
selection of either lay or ordained liturgical ministries.
Each minister must also come to know how the function of
one’s particular ministry in terms of both its limits and its
demands.
Therefore the natural aptitudes and the proper formation are
demands and expectations on the part of the Church for all
who aspire to or are already engaged in liturgical ministry.
PURPOSE OF LITURGICAL
MINISTRIES
Although the liturgy is hierarchically structured, this does not
mean that it is exclusive manner or oblivious of the role of the
baptized laity within it, but rather it has the nature of the
gathered assembly, the body of Christ.
The variety of ministers reflects the nature and richness of the
Church itself with its diversity of gifts. It should not be
interpreted as a source of divisiveness, differences or
competition.
All who minister are ultimately servants of the members of the
community.
Therefore the purpose of all liturgical ministries is to facilitate
the community’s worship of God and the sanctification of
God’s people.
END
