Guidelines for Lectors
St. Matthew the Evangelist Parish
Before Mass Begins
- Please arrive 15-20 minutes before Mass begins; present yourself to the Celebrant. Arrive at the main entrance of the Church 5 minutes before Mass begins.
- Ensure that the Lectionary, the Book of the Gospels and the Prayer of the Faithful, the Mass Intentions are there and in good order.
- Place the Lectionary on the ambo and open it to the First Reading.
- Detailed Mass announcements will not longer be read by either the Lector or the Cantor. Instead the Presider will read abbreviated, occasional, announcements after the Prayer after Communion.
- The Mass Introduction (Welcome, Week of the Year/Holy Day, Intention, Opening song introduction) will be read by the Cantor at the beginning of Mass, however, and not the Lector.
Entrance Procession
- If a Deacon is present…
- The Deacon processes with the Book of the Gospels, carrying the Book of the Gospels aloft in a reverent way.
- The Lector processes in after the Altar Servers, and before the Book of the Gospels.
- When Approaching the Sanctuary,the Lector bows to the Altar and proceeds to their place in the Sanctuary.
- The Lector remains in the Sanctuary until after the Second Reading.
- If a Deacon is not present…
- The Lector processes in with the Book of the Gospels.
- Process after the Altar Servers, but before the Celebrant.
- Carry the Book of the Gospel at chest level in a reverent way.
- When the procession arrives at the Sanctuary, do not bow, but enter the Sanctuary. Go around to the back of the altar (facing the congregation), place the Book of the Gospels centered on the altar, take 1-2 steps back, bow, and then proceed to your place in the Sanctuary.
- The Lector remains in the Sanctuary until after the Prayer of the Faithful.
- At their discretion, the Lector may decide on a Mass-by-Mass basis in the Sanctuary for the entirety of the Mass or return to their pew. Some Lectors might prefer to sit with their family.
Proclaiming the Sunday Scripture
- After the Presider prays the Collect and as the people sit, move to the ambo. Wait for the congregation to settle, then wait an extra 2-3 beats, and then proclaim the First Reading.
- The proper introduction pronunciation is “Uh-reading from the Prophet Isaiah.” Do not preface the reading with “The first Reading is from…”
- Wait 1-2 beats before starting to proclaim the Scripture.
- Proclaim the Scripture.
- Pause 1-2 beats between the end of Scripture and “The Word of the Lord.”
- If a Cantor is available for the Psalm Response…
- Take a seat in the Sanctuary, near the ambo.
- If a Cantor is unavailable for the Psalm Response…
- Remain at the ambo, and pause 3 beats.
- Introduce the response for the Sunday, but do not preface the Psalm with “The Responsorial Psalm… ”
- Lead the Psalm response, and after the last response, pauses 5 beats.
- Proclaim the Second Reading with the same reverence and details as the First Reading.
- After proclaiming the Second Reading, place the Lectionary on the shelf under the ambo, or in another designated location to ensure room for the Book of the Gospels.
- If a Deacon is present…
- Return to the congregation, after bowing to the altar from the front of the Sanctuary.
- If a Deacon is not present…
- Return to your seat in the Sanctuary, listening attentively to the proclamation of the Gospel and the Homily, and boldly joining in the Creed.
- Return to the ambo at the end of the Creed, and not before the creed ends.
- Proclaim the Prayer of the Faithful, and remain at the ambo until the Priest completes the collect for these prayers.
- As the congregation begins to sit, return to your pew, after bowing to the altar from the front of the Sanctuary.
- During the Dismissal, Lectors come to the edge of the Sanctuary and process out at the end of Mass.
Latest revision: 2/2/2020 (a)