My discussion of the 6 October 2002 homily, of
21 October 2002.
Archbishop Hart on Lectors
I think Archbishop Hart has
made some progress with his understanding of instituted lectors.
His homily of 29 August 2003
is a definite improvement on that of 6 October 2002.
On 6 October 2002 he said:
"... Consonant with this practice in the dioceses of Australia, in the English-speaking world and beyond, the practice has been for the instituted ministry of lector to be conferred only on students for the priesthood and for as long as they remain on the journey to the priesthood."
This was saying dismissal
from the seminary meant one was no longer an instituted lector. As if the
ceremony of instituted was cancelled. I see no justification for that view.
In his homily of 29 August
2003 he said:
"... To those young men coming forward to receive the ministry of Reader, which in the Archdiocese of Melbourne we confer only on those who are on the way to the priesthood, the challenge is obvious. ..."
Its an important step forward.
It removes the blatant suggestion that a ceremony can have no effect if
the instituted lector does not remain a seminarian.
Of course there is still a
long way to go. He did not use the full homily from the liturgical book.
He has not invited me to read at the Melbourne cathedral.
But it is a sign of progress. A few weeks ago in a Sunday homily at the cathedral he spoke about the encyclical Veritatis Splendor. Perhaps that had an impact on his thinking.
By J.R. Lilburne, 9 September 2003, modified 29 May 2004. I give what I have written on this page to the public domain.
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