Instituted Lectors in the 2002 Roman Missal
Since my 2001 tribunal case the 2002 Roman Missal has been published. There Very Reverend Ian Waters made it clear that the 2000 Institutio Generalis was not part of the judgement's considerations in refusing the admission of evidence which related to it:
... are not admitted, as they all concern the Institutio Generalis of the forthcoming edition of the Roman Missal. As the Institutio is not yet effective, it can have no juridical consequences it this case. ... (From page 27 of the Acts of the case )
Now this new Roman Missal has been published. This brings into force new instructions which strengthens the case for having instituted lectors proclaim the readings and not other lay people. A similar case pursued today -- about whether the liturgical books were being faithfully followed (Canon 846) regarding instituted lectors -- would need to consider these changes.
The 1975 General Instruction of the Roman Missal, n. 66 had:
66. The reader is instituted to proclaim the readings from Scripture, with the exception of the gospel. He may also announce the intentions for the general intercessions and, in the absence of the psalmist, sing or read the psalm between the readings.
The reader has his own proper function in the eucharistic celebration and should exercise this even though ministers of a higher rank may be present.
Those who exercise the ministry of reader, even if they have not received institution, must be truly qualified and carefully prepared in order that the faithful will develop a warm and lively love for Scripture from listening to the reading of the sacred texts.
The Study Translation (of the USCCB BCL Secretariat) of the 2000 Institutio Generalis has:
99 The reader is instituted to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture, with the exception of the gospel reading. He may also announce the intentions for the general intercessions and, in the absence of the psalmist, sing or read the psalm between the readings.
In the celebration of the Eucharist, the reader has specific duties which he alone ought to perform, even though ordained ministers may be present.OTHER FUNCTIONS
100 ...
101 In the absence of an instituted reader, other lay people may be designated to proclaim the readings from the Sacred Scriptures. Such designated readers must be truly qualified and carefully prepared for this office, so that the faithful will develop a warm and lively love for Sacred Scripture from listening to the reading from the sacred texts.
The 2002 Roman Missal text for these two paragraphs is:
99. Lector instituitur ad proferendas lectiones sacrae Scripturae, Evangelio excepto. Potest etiam intentiones orationis universalis proponere et, deficiente psalmista, psalmum inter lectiones proferre.
In celebratione eucharistica lector proprium munus habet (cf. nn. 194-198), quod ipse per se exercere debet.De ceteris muneribus
100. ...
101. Deficiente lectore instituto, alii laici deputentur ad proferendas lectiones sacrae Scripturae, qui revera apti sint huic muneri adimplendo et sedulo praeparati, ut fideles ex auditione lectionum divinarum suavem et vivum sacrae Scripturae affectum (Footnote 86: ... Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 24) in corder concipiant.
The 2002 Institutio Generalis differs slightly from the 2000 Institutio Generalis, which had:
99. ... In the celebration of the Eucharist, the reader has specific duties which he alone ought to perform, even though ordained ministers may be present.
In the 2002 Institutio Generalis words that were at the end of n. 99 "quamvis adsint ministri ordinati" have been removed. So the translation would now be:
99. ... In the celebration of the Eucharist, the reader has specific duties which he alone ought to perform.
Ordained ministers doing the instituted lector's readings is not a problem. So the sentence now addresses more clearly the problem of anyone else doing the instituted lector's readings.
Copyright J.R. Lilburne, 5 June 2002.