OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP CHURCH, FUJAIRAH, U.A.E. LECTOR GUIDELINES
Preparation
Make a good confession (if needed) and be in the grace required.
Say the following prayer or similar prayer, while you are seated in the pew asking the Lord to bless you and to prepare you to read well so that the audience will be able to understand, enjoy and grasp the message of what you are proclaiming. (“Lord, be in my heart and my lips that I may worthily proclaim your Word. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit Amen.”)
Practice the reading loud, at least 3 or 4 times or more, till you understand the passage fully.
Give emphasis to the important words.
Rules to follow:
General
Reading the Word of God during the Holy Mass is a gift from God. We should prepare and practice well.
Dress modestly. No jeans or tee shirts or slippers when lecturing.
Do not go to the lectern bare footed.
Read loud and clear so that the congregation should not strain to hear what is being proclaimed.
Maintain punctuations such as commas, exclamations, full stops, etc.
Stand erect without bending or drooping your body.
Try to face the audience occasionally while you are reading.
Do not make an artificial accent or tune while reading. Only the pronunciation of the Biblical words
should be clear.
Do not go to the lectern unless you are appointed for that reading.
All lectors be present 10 minutes before the mass and be seated in the first pew. Otherwise the reading will be given to the standby reader.
1st & 2nd reading readers go to the lectern only after the congregation responds to the Collect with ‘Amen’ and return to their seats together after both the readings.
The Prayer of the Faithful reader goes to the lectern only after the completion of ‘The Creed’.
Go to the center and gently bow and proceed to the lectern
Adjust the mike.
Do not instruct the congregation “Please stand”, “Repeat after me”, “Your response”, etc.
Any extra announcement on the lectors’ part can only distract the congregation who are already prayerful.
If the lector is absent, the co-ordinator or the one who is appointed by the co-ordinator has to read.
If the lector is not available for the assigned date, the same must be informed the co-ordinator at least one day in advance.
If possible, the same person should not read for more than one Sunday mass.
Give chances to everybody to serve the Lord.
Please check the notice board or church website (www.olphfujairah.org) for the day and date of your reading. The coordinators will not inform the readers individually.
Readings:
Do not read from the Missalette – read only from the Lectionary on the Lectern
Do not read anything that is written in red color in the daily missal.
Do not say “First Reading”, “Second Reading”, “Responsorial Psalm” or “Prayer of the Faithful”
Do not say the theme or chapters, verses, which Sunday of the year, etc.
Start the reading by saying “A reading from …………”
End the reading after a PAUSE by saying “The WORD of the Lord”
Do not add, alter or delete anything from the reading
Do not take a different reading than the one provided at the lectern.
Return back to your place after reading the Gospel Acclamation. Do not wait for singing the second part of Alleluia
Do not think that Prayer of the faithful is of less importance. All the readings are of equal importance
Responsorial Psalm:
Start by reading the Responsorial Psalm, eg, “the Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want ”
Responsorial Psalm means a Psalm that is recited with a response from the audience, so there is no need to say “Your response”
Read the Psalm slowly, clearly and prayerfully. At each response required, pause and wait for the congregation to say the response.
P.S: The final decision is by the Parish Priest who can change or stop the lector from reading even at the last moment.