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The Participants While remaining true to Christ's statement "Where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst," (Matthew 18:20) the formal celebration of the Mass is made complete by the participation of several people in various ministries:
The Priest
The most visible person in the Mass is the Priest. Ordained in the sacrament of Holy Orders, the priest is the representative of the people in leading prayers, presiding over the Mass and, most importantly, performing the consecration of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.
Deacon
Ordained in the sacrament of Holy Orders as subordinate to the Order of Priest, there are two designations of Deacons: the transitional Deacon and the permanent Deacon. A transitional Deacon is someone who has completed his third year of seminary Theology training and will be ordained a Priest at the end of this training. The office of the permanent Deacon, re-established in 1977, is (usually) a married man and may have a career outside of the Church. Whether transitional or permanent, his function in the Mass is to assist the Priest in the prayers, prepare the altar for celebration, read the Gospel, give the homily if applicable and distribute Communion (in fact, the Priest and Deacon are referred to as "ordinary" ministers of the Word and Communion in order to distinguish him from the "extra-ordinary" ministries of Lector and Eucharistic Ministers now performed by the laity.)
Lectors
Once ordinarily reserved for a man who had completed his first year of seminary training in the suborder of Lector, this ministry is now performed largely by lay members who are installed as extra-ordinary ministers of the Word, or Lector. During Mass, the Lector will read the first and second Readings (usually taken from the Old Testament and the Epistles), may lead the congregation in the Responsorial between the readings (always taken from the Book of Psalms) and make any necessary announcements.
Eucharistic Ministers
This ministry is performed by extra-ordinary ministers of the Eucharist, lay people installed to extend the community of the faithful both during the formal Mass and to bring Communion to people unable to attend Mass due to illness or infirmity. During Mass, these people will assist the Priest and Deacon in distributing communion to the people, possibly in both species (that is, in both forms of bread and wine which have been consecrated into the Body and Blood of Christ during that Mass.)
Cantors and Musicians
These people lead the congregation in the musical worship of the Mass. Considered a form of prayer, music provides the opportunity to focus on the celebration at hand and to offer our voices and talents as "incense wafting up to the Lord." (Psalms 141:2)
Altar Servers
Once ordinarily reserved for a man who had completed his second year of seminary training in the suborder of Acolyte, this ministry is now largely performed by lay people who are installed as acolytes, typically grammar- or high-school age young people. Altar-servers assist the Priest and Deacon in various tasks during the Mass such as bringing the gifts to the altar, assist during incensing when needed and ensure that the events of the Mass are conducted smoothly.
Greeters and Ushers
These lay people are members from the congregation who have taken on a special task in promoting the sense of community that is vital to the Church. They assist those who have difficulty getting to their seats, help during the collection, answer or refer any questions that churchgoers may have regarding the Mass or the church, and generally provide a friendly face to those who have come to offer celebration.
The Congregation
It is often a misconception that the Priest offers the Mass and the people are spectators. In reality, all present are offering the Mass, guided by the Priest. Without the community that its members provide and their active participation, both in the liturgy and outside the confines of the church building, the Catholic church would not be effective in carrying out Christ's directive to "tell the Good News to the ends of the earth." (Romans 10:18)
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Last Changed on: Monday, May 24, 2004. All contents of this page are the property of St. Gabriel's Parish and may not be used without permission of the Pastor. Comments? Please e-mail the Webmaster.
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