| Home About John Lilburne Journal Instituted Lector 7 October 2002 - Discussing this Mass |  |  | # Archbishop Hart's Lector Homily Archbishop Hart has published on the internet his homily of 6 October 2002 when he instituted Paul Pavlou as a lector. I was disappointed when I heard it, but did not want to criticise it from memory when I discussed the ceremony on 7 October. The instructions in the Roman Pontifical for the homily are: "4. Then all sit, and the bishop gives the homily, which he concludes by speaking to the candidates in these or similar words: Dear sons in Chirst, through his Son, who became man for us, God the Father has revealed the mystery of salvation and brought it to fulfillment. Jesus Christ made all things known to us and then entrusted his Church with the mission of preaching the Gospel to the whole world. As readers and bearers of God's word, you will assist in this mission, and so take on a special office within the Christian community; you will be given a responsibility in the service of the faith, which is rooted in the word of God. You will proclaim that word in the liturgical assembly, instruct children and adults in the faith, and prepare them to receive the sacraments worthily. You will bring the message of salvation to those who have not yet received it. Thus with your help men and women will come to know God our Father and his Son Jesus Christ, whom he sent, and so be able to reach eternal life. In proclaiming God's word to others, accept it yourselves in obedience to the Holy Spirit. Meditate on it constantly, so that each day you will have a deeper love of the Scriptures, and in all you say and do show forth to the world our Savior, Jesus Christ." (The Rites Volume Two, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1991, page 104). Archbishop Hart's homily did not have these or similar words. The Ceremonial of Bishops has: "These ministries may be assigned to lay Christians and are no longer to be considered as reserved to candidates for the sacrament of orders." But Archbishop Hart said: "...These are important steps for the priesthood for both of them and they emphasise the growing awareness of the Lord's call given to them. Since the Second Vatican Council, thirty-nine years ago, God's people have received a richer fare at the table of God's Word. There has flourished in our dioceses and parishes an increasing number of men and women who have come forth from the people of God to read the Word of God and indeed to be nourished by it. This development and use of lay readers has taken place throughout the Church and is highlighted in the public Masses which Pope John Paul II has celebrated in the Vatican and in his many journeys throughout the world. Consonant with this practice in the dioceses of Australia, in the English-speaking world and beyond, the practice has been for the instituted ministry of lector to be conferred only on students for the priesthood and for as long as they remain on the journey to the priesthood. Paul, as a reader, will be given a responsibility in the service of the faith to proclaim the Word in the liturgical assembly to instruct children and adults. Paul, you are to accept it yourself in obedience to the Holy Spirit, meditate on it constantly, so that each day you will have a deeper love of the Scriptures. ..." What is this changing? 1. It is clearly making it a step to the priesthood rather than a ministry in itself. 2. Rather than saying "you are a catechist" or "instruct children and adults in the faith" he is saying "when you read you are teaching". 3. Rather than making it an office with permanence Archbishop Hart is effectively saying with this homily: "you are only an Instituted Lector while you in my seminary". This is inconsisent with, for example, the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "903. Lay people who possess the required qualities can be admitted permanently to the ministries of lector and acolyte. ..." I see this as a significant and public departure by Archbishop Hart to faithfully follow the liturgical books, as required by Canon 846 of the Code of Canon Law. When I was instituted as a lector by Archbishop Pell on 27 February 2000 I believe the proper homily was used from the Roman Pontifical. I think its sad that a requirement for ordination in Melbourne is to participate in a ceremony that does not faithfully follow the liturgical books, the Catechism and the Code of Canon Law. ### Update 21 June 2004 I have noticed another error in Archbishop Hart's statement: "the practice has been for the instituted ministry of lector to be conferred only on students for the priesthood and for as long as they remain on the journey to the priesthood." Those training to be Permanent Deacons are not on the journey to the priesthood. But according to canon 1035: "Before anyone may be promoted to the diaconate, whether permanent or transitory, he must have received the ministries of lector and acolyte, and have exercised them for an appropriate time." By J.R. Lilburne, 21 October 2002. Updated 21 June 2004. Link to homily updated 1 November 2004. I give what I have written on this page to the public domain. Extract from The Code of Canon Law - New Revised English Tranlsation, Harper Collins Publishers, 1997. |  | Other Sites: Archbishop Hart's homily of 6 October 2002