The document discusses the important role and responsibilities of lectors in proclaiming the word of God at mass, emphasizing that lectors must prepare thoroughly, understand the meaning of the scripture, and convey God's message clearly so that listeners can have a personal encounter with Christ through his living word. Lectors are called to imitate Christ and serve the community by making God present through their ministry of reading the scriptures. Effective proclamation of the word requires prayer, study, practice, and a love for God, his word, and his people.

1. LECTORATE

2.  Lectorate is probably the most
SACRED and PROPHETIC.
 It NOT just a ceremonial ministry. It is
FOR REAL
 The Lector READS the scripture and says,
“The Word of the Lord”
 The Risen Christ is really present in
His Living Word .

3.  God is PRESENT through YOU, is
something not to be taken lightly.
 This is ministry of Christ’s real presence
and divine revelation.
 It is prophetic privilege, serious
responsibility and a great honor.
 We need not take LECTORATE for
granted.

4.  LECTORATE is an official ministry of the
WORD.
 Ministry=Latin ministerium=service
 Lectorate is a loving service to God, His
Word and His People.
 To be a Lector is to be a SERVANT
 To forget one’s self and be available at the
disposal of the Master. (Matthew 16:24)

5.  The Lector is called to follow Jesus, to be
with Jesus. To be JESUS to others, to
share his life and love, his mind and
mission on Earth.
 Come after me and I will make you Fishers of Men. (Mt.
4:19)
 As the Father has sent me, so I send you. (Jn 20:21)
 All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:18-
19)
 Reading in the liturgy gives the lector a
chance to fulfill her/his prophetic role as a
disciple of Christ.

6.  Sharing the Life of the Church
 As a Lector s/he are participators in the function
of Christ.
 The Laity participate because they belong to the
community and share the life and ministry of
the Church.
 They are NOT passive spectators or invited
guests or visiting performers.
 The faithful should take part FULLY AWARE of
what they are doing, actively engaged in the rite
and enriched by it.
 ALL should be led to the fully conscious and
active participation in the liturgical celebrations.

7.  LECTORS have a SPECIAL ROLE
 They are tasked “to proclaim the Word of
God”
 They are tasked “to read the reading from
the lectern”
 Recite the readings and psalm
 Present the intentions for the general
intercessions
 Direct the singing and the participation of the
faithful
 They make God present among his people
through his LIVING WORD.
 Their JOB is indeed most PROPHETIC,
PRIESTLY, and ROYAL

8.  To be a READER is an honor, a privilege, a gift to
be proven and developed, not presumed.
 S/He should carefully examine himself/herself.
 If you qualify:
 Thank God with Humility, Generosity and Love
 Offer yourself at His disposal
 Remember…. Lectorate is an official Ministry
 Recognized
 Authorized
 Performed in the name of God, the Church and the
Community
 It is an exercise of authority, a form of leadership.

9.  The Reader must therefore be:
 A good, practicing Catholic Lay person
 Humble, edifying, responsible and mature.
 S/He is part of the living message.
Remember:
Her/His life and testimony can help or hinder
the proclamation and reception of the Word.
S/he is the Principal Witness of the Word s/he
proclaims. S/he must be concerned with how
the message is received.

10.  The lector’s job is NOT to read aloud like reading some report
BUT to make God present to his people in a special way, to
proclaim and deliver to his people God’s living Word, his
love and concern.
 The Mass is a double communion with Christ
 Through the Word
 Through the Sacrament
 The Lector facilitates this very personal and intimate
encounter, this important communion of the community
with Christ.
 The Lector is asked to read as a minister of the community
and as a disciple of the Lord who understands the
thoughts and feelings of His Master.
When the Lector reads, Christ himself is talking to his people…
Whoever listens to you, listens to me
Luke 10:16

11. In the Liturgy, the Holy Scripture is of “Extreme
Importance”. People hunger for the Word of God.
His Word is rich in wisdom, dynamic and effective.
It has its own power to move hearts, if only it
could be proclaimed and heard intelligently.
Every Liturgical celebration, because it is an action of
Christ as the priest and his body, which is the
Church,is a sacred action surpassing all others.
The Liturgy is the summit towards the activity of the
Church is directed. It is the fount from which all her
powers flows.
It is the primary and indispensable source from
which the faithful are to derive true Christian
Spirit.

12. When GOD speaks, MAN has to listen
carefully, to respond with love and to
obey.
To do otherwise would be an INSULT, a SIN.
Therefore, God’s message should be:
 delivered clearly
 convincingly; with faith and conviction
 With respect and reverence it deserves
 With love and compassion of a Good Shepherd
When a Lector or Reader takes the trouble to prepare carefully and
does her/his job well, the Word of God is proclaimed effectively.
People listen attentively and are spiritually enriched, inspired to
thank the Lord and moved to obey and commit themselves to
him evermore generously.

13.  Public Communication
 Diction
 Accent
 Pronunciation
 Readers need to PRACTICE
 Art of Oral Interpretation

14.  Sense of Discipleship, Strong Prayer Life
 Loving Service
 Love of the Word of God
 Love for the LITURGY
 Love for the Church, the People of God
 Good Communicator

15.  Bible
 Lectionary
 Missal
 Common Library
 Good Public Address System
 Lectorate Group must conduct Bible classes,
recollections, seminars on the Church, liturgy, ministry,
the Bible, Communication Arts

16.  PRAYER
 STUDY
 Background
 Literary Form
 Aesthetic Quality
 Intellectual Content
 Emotional Tone
 Personal Insights
 INTERNALIZATION
 PRACTICE
 PROFESSIONALISM
 COORDINATION

17.  DELIVERY: Proclamation not SOLILIQUY
 PACING: Speak deliberately and distinctly without eating
the words, dropping the last consonants, slower than
private conversation
 PAUSING
 EMPHASIS
 DRAMATIZING
 CHECKING

18.  DISTRACTIONS
 EXAGGERATIONS
 FUMBLING
 GESTURES
 MISTAKES

19.  Did the reader’s personality exude trust, respect,
warmth, sincerity, enthusiasm, love for the Word of God
and people? Or was s/he aloof, indifferent, detached,
careless, overbearing, insecure?
 Did s/he appear prepared?
 How was her/his pronunciation, delivery, oral
interpretation?
 Does he have a gift of lectorate? Or s/he be better off in
another ministry?
 PARISH EVALUATION

20.  Isaiah 42: 1-9
 The Servant of the LORD
 42 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I
will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or cry out, or
raise his voice in the streets.
3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff
out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be
discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the
islands will put their hope.” 5 This is what God the LORD says— the Creator
of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives
breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: 6 “I, the LORD, have
called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and
will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release
from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. 8 “I am the LORD; that is my
name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. 9 See, the
former things have taken place,
and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them
to you.”