Seminarians Advance

Friday, 20 November 2009 08:41

Instituted as Lectors, Acolytes  COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Most Reverend Glen John Provost, Bishop of Lake Charles, instituted 25 seminarians studying at the Pontifical College Josephinum into the liturgical ministries of lector and acolyte, including two - David W. Hardey Jr. (Lector); D. Bryan Thompson II (Acolyte) - from the Diocese of Lake Charles. Thompson is a second year theology student and was instituted as an acolyte while Hardey, in his first year of theology studies, was commissioned as a lector.    The installation Mass was celebrated in St. Turibius Chapel of the in the company of visiting priests, families of the candidates, and benefactors and friends of the seminary.    In his homily, Bishop Provost spoke to the importance of the day. “The Church is installing young men who are continuing to embrace what they perceive to be the call of God to the priesthood,” he said. “The Word of God and the Eucharist are the central focus of the discernment. The Scriptures he will read and proclaim and the Eucharist he will minister are the source and celebration of their prayer and their life in Jesus Christ. So it is now, and so it should be for the remainder of their lives.”    Once termed minor orders, the positions of lector and acolyte are conferred to first and second year theologians, respectively. As the candidates were about to be installed, Very Rev. James Wehner, STD, Rector/President, testified to their worthiness: “On behalf of the formation team and the faculty, I can testify that these men have been theologically, liturgically, and spiritually prepared to be installed into the ministries of lector and acolyte.”    First-year theology students installed as lectors are commissioned to proclaim the Word of God in the liturgical assembly and to catechize the faithful. During the liturgy, the candidates knelt before Bishop Provost, who held out a Bible to them and said, “Take this book of Holy Scripture, and be faithful in handing on the Word of God so that it may grow strong in the hearts of His people.”     The candidates for acolyte, who are second-year theologians, are entrusted with the duties of attending to the altar, assisting the deacon and priest at Mass, and distributing Holy Communion as an extraordinary minister. They may also expose the Blessed Sacrament for adoration. The candidates knelt before Bishop Provost as he held a paten of bread out to them and said, “Take this vessel with bread for the celebration of the Eucharist. Make your life worthy of your service at the table of the Lord and of His Church.”    The Josephinum serves an average of 30 national and international dioceses each year. Fourteen dioceses had seminarians receive ministries during the liturgy: including Atlanta, Brownsville, Columbus, Covington, Fort Wayne-South Bend, Gaylord, Lake Charles, Nashville, Peoria, Phoenix, Steubenville, Taunggyi (Myanmar), Tyler and Youngstown.