Diocese of Baton Rouge  
Labadieville, LA

Instructions for Liturgical Ministries

St. Anne, Assumption, and St. Philomena Parishes

(10-08-07)

 Reader (& Commentators)     Eucharistic Ministers    Ushers     Sacristans    

Children's Liturgy of the Word   Music Directors    Altar Server Coordinators

All liturgical ministries please note:  the following contain a brief description of the procedures to follow for you particular ministry.  The instructions are listed according to the ministries of reader, Eucharistic minister, sacristan, usher, music ministry directors, and children’s liturgy of the word.  As with any process or procedure, adjustments may need to be made along the way, according to the need of the particular church or circumstance.  Your flexibility and patience are appreciated.  Thank you very much for your service to God and our communities.)

The Ministry of Reader: (also sometimes referred to as “Commentator”);

a.  Most important of all, read what is written.  Please do not add to, delete from, or change in any way the text of the day, especially with regard to the typed liturgy contained in the Reader’s and Celebrant’s binders.  If there any changes to be made, the Celebrant will make them.  Examples: please do not add announcements of any type (events, meetings, funerals, etc.)  Again, unless the Celebrant makes such changes himself or asks you to make an additional announcement, please do not change the text in any way whatsoever.

b.  Regarding the proclamation of scripture, please be mindful of your pace, volume, and annunciation.  Please speak clearly.  As a reminder, the first and second readings begin with the words, “A Reading from the…”  not “This is a Reading from the…” And each reading ends with the words, “The Word of the Lord.”, not “This is the Word of the Lord…”  The Psalm Response (also referred to as the “Responsorial Palm”), when read, requires no introduction.  Please do not say anything like, “our response is…” or “the responsorial psalm is…”  Simply begin the proclamation with the response itself.  Also, you are asked to please not raise your hand as a sign for the assembly to repeat the response.  Please do not raise your hand.

                     i.      Regarding pronunciation, please consider the following example:  “asked” as opposed to “axed.”  The first is correct; the second is not.  If there is some question as to how pronounce a word or name, simply ask the Celebrant.

c.  Readers will not carry either the Lectionary or the Book of the Gospels in during the entrance procession.  In fact, Readers will not process in during the entrance procession at all.  Liturgical norms call for either the Deacon of Priest to carry the Book of the Gospels in at the beginning.  Prior to the start of Mass, please place the Lectionary on the pulpit.  The Celebrant or the Sacristan will place the Book of the Gospels on the alter itself.

d.  Announcements before Mass should be made when the Celebrant gives a signal to the Reader (Commentator) from the entrance of Church.

e.  After the second reading is proclaimed, please remove the Lectionary from the pulpit.

f.   Please do not remove the Celebrant’s homily notes from the pulpit.  Please do not rearrange, re-stack, or move the homily notes at all.

g.  Please do not ever read the “Alleluia” before the Gospel.  (If the “Alleluia,” more properly referred to as the “Gospel Acclamation,” is not sung, then it is not offered at all.)

h.  Please do not ever read any of the “Antiphons,” either during the entrance procession or prior to communion.

i.   After the pre-Mass announcements have been made, the Reader (Commentator) is asked to please move to his/her seat in church.  Please do not wait for the Celebrant and Altar Servers to enter the sanctuary.

j.   Whenever possible, all songs will be announced by either the music director or a member of the choir from the choir area (i.e.-from the balcony at St. Anne and St. Philomena or the side area at Assumption.)

k.  No announcements will be made during Mass, unless the Celebrant feels the need to do so.  For example, we will no longer make announcements regarding: second collections, children’s offertory, or Children’s Liturgy of the Word.)

l.   Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, and Altar Servers will gather in the sacristy with the Celebrant prior to Mass for a brief prayer.

m. Readers will not process out at the end of Mass.  Readers are asked to simply remain in their pew.

n.  We will no longer be making any announcement inviting children to place a monetary offering in the collection basket.  Children who might have an offering should drop it in the basket at the usual time.

The Ministry of Eucharist Minister
(appropriately referred to as “Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist”):

a.  Meet in sacristy prior to Mass for prayer with celebrant and other ministers.

b.  Please decide (in sacristy, before Mass) who will serve as the second bread minister and the 2 cup ministers.

c.  The procedure for brining communion to handicapped may be altered in the near future.  Please consult with the Celebrant before each Mass regarding this.

d.  If you are attending Mass but not serving at that Mass and will be brining communion to homebound parishioners later that day, you are asked to do one of the following: either bring your pix with you when you yourself receive communion, and just before you receive, let the minister know how many hosts you need; or simply come to the sacristy/tabernacle after Mass to get the number of hosts that you will need.  (If you arrive early enough, you may also go to the tabernacle before Mass begins.)  Please do not place your pix on the altar before Mass.

e.  Eucharistic ministers and altar servers come into the sanctuary during the Sign of Peace and stand behind the Celebrant: (facing the assembly, Eucharistic ministers to the right, altar servers to the left.)

f.   The procedure for the distribution of communion is as follows:

                    i.      The Celebrant himself will give communion (bread and cup) to all Eucharistic Ministers and Altar Servers.

                    ii.      Altar Servers choosing to not receive from the cup should simply bow their heads as the Celebrant comes to them.

                    iii.     The Celebrant will then give the 2 cups and 1 bowl to the Eucharistic Ministers, and then all 4 will move to their communion stations.

                    iv.    All 3 Eucharistic Ministers and the Celebrant remain at their stations facing the assembly, until the last person has received from the cup.  Then all 4 turn at the same time and make their way back into the sanctuary.

                    v.     The bread minister places their bowl on the altar and steps back into the place where they originally were when they came up at the Sign of Peace.  The cup ministers take their cups to the side table and purify them there immediately.  When they have completed this, they move to stand next to the bread minister.  The Altar Server brings water to the Celebrant at the altar to purify the main chalice.  The Celebrant purifies the main chalice, then places any remaining hosts in the tabernacle.  As he is returning from the tabernacle, the Eucharistic Ministers leave the sanctuary and return to their seats in church.  The Altar Servers will remove the remaining bowl and main chalice from the altar, not the Eucharistic Ministers.

1.  Please note: do not bow or genuflect when entering or leaving the sanctuary for communion.

2.  Please note: to “purify” the cup means to pour a small amount of water into your cup (enough to rinse any remaining precious blood), consume the water, quickly wipe the inside of the cup with your purificator, and then leave your purificator in your cup.

3.  Please Note:  if the Celebrant for some reason does not purify the main chalice himself, you are asked to not do so.

  g.  When actually distributing communion, please remember to do/say the following:

                      i.      Hold the host/cup up momentarily, and then say:

1.  “The Body of Christ,” not “This is the Body of Christ.”

2.   “The Blood of Christ,” not “This is the Blood of Christ.”

  h.   Please do not offer a blessing over children not receiving communion.

The Ministry of Usher:

 a. Ushers are very often the first person people encounter when entering church.  Please make every effort to help parishioners and visitors to feel welcome.

b.  One of the first tasks of an Usher is to ask a couple or family to bring the gifts up during the Presentation of Gifts.  While this may at times be difficult, it is very important that someone other than the Ushers do this.  It is very important that we involve as many people as possible in this role throughout the year.

c.  On days when a special second collection is to be taken up, Ushers are asked to wait until the distribution of communion has concluded and the priest is seated in his chair before taking up the collection.  As soon as he sits down after communion, Ushers should come forward for the second collection.

d.  Ushers are asked to please not “flag down” the Celebrant or any of the Eucharistic Ministers to bring communion to someone.  The flow of distribution should not be interrupted.

e.  Ushers are welcome to invite parishioners (both male and female) to participate in the ministry of Usher who may not already be serving in that ministry.

The Ministry of Sacristan:

a.  The ministry of Sacristan is done primarily by volunteers.  It is our goal to involve more and more parishioners in this ministry.  This ministry is of particular help to the Celebrant and all of us as we prepare for Mass.

b.  When setting up for Masses (weekday and weekend), the set up procedure should be the same at all 3 of our churches.  However, regarding the main chalice (Fr. Trey and Fr. Howard use a different set up procedure.  Please consult each of them regarding how they would like their chalice set up.

c.  Purificators should be placed on the altar prior to Mass, on the right side of the altar.

d.  The number of hosts placed out for each Mass should be enough for use at that Mass.  Please do not rely on the hosts in the tabernacle for use at a particular Mass.  These are primarily for communion to homebound and for use if we run out of hosts during Mass.  If, for example, we estimate that we will be distributing communion to 300 people during a particular Mass, then 300 hosts should be put out.  The same is the case for the amount of wine – we will continue to use a measuring cup.  Please consult with the Celebrant prior to each weekend Mass, so that, over time, we can come to a better sense of the amount for each Mass.

                   i.      The weekday Mass set up procedures, regarding the amounts of bread and wine, should remain the same.

e.  If you are not sure what bowls, cups, and chalice to place out for a particular Mass, please consult with the Celebrant.

f.  Sacristans are asked to over see the care of all vessels (cups and bowls) following each Mass.

g.  If there is need for more altar bread and/or wine to be brought out of storage to the sacristy, please inform the Celebrant or the church office.

h.  Sacristans should feel free to invite other parishioners (who may feel called to serve in this ministry) to be present with them to learn the process.

The Ministry of Children’s Liturgy of the Word.

a.  Leaders of this ministry are asked to be present prior to Mass to invite children to join them for their Liturgy of the Word.

b.  We will no longer be stopping during Mass and inviting children to leave church for their Liturgy of the Word at that time.

c.  At times, it would be appropriate for children (who have participated in the Children’s Liturgy of the Word) to bring the gifts forward during the Presentation of Gifts.

d.  Questions regarding any aspect of this ministry should be directed to the parish Director of Religious Education.

The Ministry of Music Director/Coordinator:

a.  As Liturgy Committees for all of our churches are developed, it will be our goal to adopt a more collaborative process in the planning of weekly liturgies and, especially, season liturgies.  This will, hopefully, be a source of support to you in your role.

b.  In the near future, most of the details regarding music and music planning will be discussed in a separate gathering of clergy, liturgy committee members, and music directors.  For now, however, you are asked to note the following potential adjustment to one particular part of the liturgy:

                    i.      The liturgy documents of the church ask that the Psalm Response (also commonly referred to as the “Responsorial Psalm”) be led by a Cantor from the pulpit (where the readings were proclaimed.)  This is, because, the Psalm Response is a proclamation of scripture.  Since the liturgical of our 3 churches are each unique, and given the fact that our number of cantors is limited, please be thinking about whether or not it will be realistic for us to begin this practice.

The Ministry of Altar Server Coordinator:

a.  A separate meeting of clergy and Altar Server Coordinators will be held in the near future.  A separate sign up for new Altar Servers (and for the training of new and continuing Altar Servers) will also be held in the near future.

b.  In the meantime, may we remind our Altar Servers of the following:

                   i.     Proper Dress

                   ii.    Posture

                   iii.   Reverence (no necessary talking)

                   iv.   Length of Robes, position of cinctures (ropes), etc.

                   v.    Purification (of the priest’s chalice) after communion.

 St. Philomena Catholic Church       Diocese of Baton Rouge 
Labadieville, Louisiana    2006