Spirituality and Theology of Liturgical Lay Ministry

All the baptized, are members of the body of Christ, the “holy people and royal priesthood” who participate in Christ’s ministry of redemption and salvation. In the Mass, the lay faithful exercise this ministry in various ways, but the fullest and most fundamental expression of it has always been “conscious, active and full participation of the faithful” in the mystery of the Eucharist, a participation “to which the Christian people have a right and duty by virtue of their Baptism” (GIRM, #18).
 

As in all liturgical ministries, servant leadership must always be conducive to making the entire celebration resplendent with beauty and noble simplicity, and to what serves the common spiritual good of the People of God, rather than private inclination or arbitrary choice.

To view basic Diocesan policies regarding liturgical ministries please click the following link
(Diocese of Lafayette Policy Manuel)


Ministry of the Priesthood

Priests by the anointing of the Holy Spirit are signed with a special character and so are configured to Christ the priest in such a way that they are able to act in the person of Christ the head." They are consecrated in order to preach the Gospel and shepherd the faithful as well as to celebrate divine worship as true priests of the New Testament."

Acting in the person of Christ and proclaiming his mystery, they unite the votive offerings of the faithful to the sacrifice of Christ their head, and in the sacrifice of the Mass they make present again and apply, until the coming of the Lord, the unique sacrifice of the New Testament, that namely of Christ offering himself once for all a spotless victim to the Father." From this unique sacrifice their whole priestly ministry draws its strength.

If you feel called and wish to inquire into this vocation/ ministry, you can discuss with any of our Jesuit parish priests or contact the Diocesan Office of Priest Formation

Ministry of the Deacon

Deacons are ordained to exercise a ministry of their own, which is not that of a priest, because they "receive the imposition of hands 'not unto the priesthood but unto the ministry.'

It is the duty of the deacon, ...to administer baptism solemnly, to be custodian and dispenser of the Eucharist, to assist at and bless marriages in the name of the Church, to bring Viaticum to the dying, to read the Sacred Scripture to the faithful, to instruct and exhort the people, to preside over the worship and prayer of the faithful, to administer sacramentals, to officiate at funeral and burial services (Lumen Gentium, 29).

As ministers of Charity, deacons are leaders in identifying the needs of others, then marshaling the Church's resources to meet those needs. Deacons are also dedicated to eliminating the injustices or inequities that cause such needs. But no matter what specific functions a deacon performs, they flow from his sacramental identity. (See usccb.org/diaconate)

If you feel called and wish to inquire into this vocation/ ministry, you can discuss with any of our parish deacons, or contact the Diocese of Lafayette, Office of Permanent Diaconate.

Lector - Proclaimer of the Word

Your ministry as a Proclaimer of the Word gives voice to God’s word as it goes forth achieving the purpose for which God sent it. To fully understand the significance of your role is to recognize that your service is reflecting Christ’s presence in the Word that you proclaim during liturgy.
 
“He is present in His word, since it is He Himself who speaks when the holy scriptures are read in the Church.” (Sacrosanctum Concilium 7)
 
Accepting this duty, trust, and privilege requires full preparation and a willingness to grow in your relationship with God. You are agreeing to constantly hone your proclamation skills while inviting the Holy Spirit to work with you, in you, and through you to affect the hearts of the faithful. Attendance at workshops and utilization of various resources to the lector’s ministry are essential, such as the Workbook for Lectors, Gospel Readers, and Proclaimers of the Word.
 
Scroll down and click on the link below to download the Lector Handbook

Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion

Your willingness to serve as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (EMHC), reflects not only a response to your Baptismal call to serve the people of God, but a commitment to Christ as you share in the preaching, teaching and leading aspects of the church.
 
You offer the Eucharist, recognize the Body of Christ in those to whom you offer Eucharist and ultimately you act as the Body of Christ by fully participating in the life of the parish and the wider community. Your willingness to prepare properly for this service further reflects that commitment.
 

As a fully commissioned EMHC you are appointed to the parish community of St. Charles Borromeo to aid in the distribution of Holy Communion at Mass and to the homebound when ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are unavailable. Participation in our parish ministry requires training and ongoing theological and ministerial formation in the following:

• Theology of the Eucharist and understanding of the Mass
• Theology and spirituality of ministry
• Universal church, diocese, and parish guidelines and procedures for their ministry

The Music Ministry is a means by which joy is expressed through singing, hence, should always be a joyful activity. A church choir helps the congregation to have an active, meaningful and uplifting worship through church hymns. Each member strives to celebrate the liturgy in a manner that promotes participation by all, with joy and reverence.

The choir member’s participation in the music ministry is crucial and significant and the service they render involves a major commitment. They are to observe and follow a set guidelines developed by the Choir Director and under the spiritual guidance of the Pastor. Through these guidelines, we hope to accomplish unity, respect, cooperation, growth and appreciation among members and to help in opening minds and hearts of the worshipping community to give glory to God.

You are volunteering as a server at church. You light candles, hold the books, handle the vessels, and arrange the cloths. You help the other ministers focus on their work by simplifying their motions and eliminating distractions. You help the entire community celebrate the Eucharist by your humble service.

Your actions may seem routine, but everyone depends on you to do them without flash. When you serve well no one notices you. The greatest compliment they give you is to ignore that you are there. 

Serving Mass has long been an opportunity for children. It teaches them about Mass and involves them right at the altar. Children who start at a young age can spend a lifetime serving the Church in many other ways.

Still, the Church relies on the assistance of adult servers. Whether in parishes, convents, monasteries, or chapels, adults serve Mass. They join in prayer, and they assure the smooth execution of the liturgy.

Scroll downto view or download the St. Charles handbook for altar servers.

You have agreed to serve your church as an usher or a greeter. You will be welcoming people to worship, tending to their needs, helping them find a place, gathering their gifts during collection, and bidding them farewell when the service concludes.

By nature, you are a person who wants to help. You have a deep faith in Christ, a love for the Mass, and a place in a community. Your desire to serve will help the faithful worship when the arrive at church.

Scroll down to view or download the St. Charles Usher Handbook