EWTN Liturgy Q&A
I have been impressed with lots of answers from Colin B. Donovan on the Liturgy Question and Answer section of www.ewtn.com. For example a recent one on genuflecting during Mass is particularly helpful.
But I disagree with part of his answer on Lay Ministers and so have submitted a question to him with the heading "Rights of instituted lectors":
Colin B. Donovan,
In your answer on Lay Ministers of 4 October you concluded about readers: "This duty should not be given out as a reward or a right, regardless of age, since it serves the common, not the individual, good."
But in the GIRM 101 you quote it has: "In the absence of an instituted reader, other lay people maybe designated to proclaim the readings from the Sacred Scriptures."
Surely this is saying that other lay people may only do the readings if there is the absence of an instituted reader.
As GIRM 99 says: "The reader is instituted to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture, with the exception of the gospel reading."
Do you agree that the ceremony when a bishop institutes someone as a reader gives him the right and duty to read?
I hope he does agree and that a few more people learn about instituted lectors.
Answer Update
I think Colin gave a good answer on 15 October at ewtn.com, which should remain available for 30 days.
Copyright J.R. Lilburne, 5 October 2002. Updated 22 October 2002.
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