Liturgical Ministers
Serving the Lord!
Who are liturgical Ministers?
Liturgical Ministers have a special opportunity to be Christ to those assembled by their acts of service within the Mass. By welcoming as Hospitality Ministers, by proclaiming the Word as Lectors, and by imitating Christ in sharing communion as Extraordinary Ministers, liturgical ministers are Christ present sacramentally.
Altar Servers
Altar Servers are those who are called from the community to help everybody pray well. Their special role, along with all other ministers, is to assist the celebrant (priest) to lead the community in prayer. Serving is a ministry, a service to be given, not a job to be done.
Who may serve?
Servers are baptised Catholics, male or female, who have received first Holy Communion.
Young servers need to be old enough to understand and carry out their tasks with confidence.
Servers must be capable to manage the physical demands of the role (for example, act as thurifer, cross-bearer or book bearer etc).
Qualities
Servers have to be keen of service to God and the community, willing to be trained for their role and to keep on learning.
- Good team players who are happy to work with others
- Punctual , humble and reliable, not attention seeking
- Move quietly and behave reverently in the Church.
If you wish to serve at the Altar of any of our parishes, please download the application form and email the completed form to the Parish.
Download Enrolment form for Altar Servers
Acolytes
The acolyte is instituted by the diocesan Bishop for service at the altar and to assist the Priest and Deacon. It is his place principally to prepare the altar and the sacred vessels and, if necessary, to distribute the Eucharist to the faithful as an extraordinary minister.
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
The Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion often called Special Ministers are prepared and commissioned by the Parish Priest or Bishop exclusively for the Parish where they are installed.
Purpose of becoming a Special Minister is to assist the Priest in distributing holy Communion or precious blood during Mass to the faithful as well as taking Communion to the sick or homebound.
Lectors
Lectors are trained laypeople, who are assigned to proclaim the Word of God, specifically the first and second readings, psalm and intercessions during the Liturgy of the Word at Holy Mass. They play a very important role in breaking open the Scriptures for the faithful, requiring careful preparation, reverence, and a strong, clear proclamation style.
Readers
Readers are trained laypeople, who are assigned to proclaim the Word of God, specifically the first and second readings, psalm and intercessions during the Liturgy of the Word at Holy Mass. They play a very important role in breaking open the Scriptures for the faithful, requiring careful preparation, reverence, and a strong, clear proclamation style.
Hospitality Ministers
Choir
Ministers of Communion to the Sick
The sick and the parish community both share in the one paschal mystery celebrated in the Eucharist.
“By their witness the sick show that our mortal life must be redeemed through the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection.” (Pastoral Care of the Sick #3)
Who can be the Ministers of Communion to the Sick?
Ministers of Communion to the sick are:
– Baptised Catholics active in the life of the parish
– To be an Extraordinary Minister of Communion (Special Ministers)
– Kind-hearted men and women.
– Inspired by self to serve
– Willing to be pastored with the Parish Priest and other ministers
– Compassionate to the sick
– the ability to adapt to circumstance
Ministers of Pastoral Visitation
God comes to us in love and wants to share in our joys and sorrows, griefs and anxieties. Jesus, in his ministry and mission, visited and healed the sick and consoled who were in grief. It is the same mission Jesus wants us to continue in today’s world. We are called to support each other within our parishes and wider communities.
It is a service to the people of God in need and isolated or sick or grief.
