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Saturday Evening
6.30pm |
Sunday Morning
10.00am |
Sunday Evening
6.30pm |
Thirtieth Sunday in Ord Time
22nd & 23rd October 2011 |
Mike Cooper
Tom Whyatt |
David Powell
Barbara Powell |
Rai Stevens |
Thirty-first Sunday in Ord Time
29th & 30th October 2011 |
Sr Josephine
Annabel Williams |
Tania James
Maria James |
Gwynfor Williams |
Thirty-second Sunday in Ord Time
5th & 6th November 2011
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Anthony Elletson
Peter Skelton |
John Evans
Andrew Campbell |
Peter Evans |
Thirty-third Sunday of Ord Time
12th & 13th November 2011 |
Margaret Primavesi
Dominic Primavesi |
Aidan Reynolds
Graham Talbot-Paine |
Chris Evans |
The Feast of Christ the King
19th & 20th November 2011
(Cycle A) |
Tom Whyatt
Mike Cooper |
Marie Bowkett
Tony Ring |
David Haswell |
| First Sunday of Advent - Cycle B readings commence. |
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First Sunday of Advent
26th & 27th November 2011
(Cycle B) |
Sr Josephine
Annabel Williams |
Royston Price
Joyce Joseph |
Rai Stevens |
Second Sunday of Advent
3rd & 4th December 2011 |
Peter Skelton
Anthony Elletson |
Barbara Powell
David Powell |
Gwynfor Williams |
Third Sunday of Advent
10th & 11th December 2011 |
Margaret Primavesi
Dominic Primavesi |
Capel Tenison
Cecily Tenison |
Peter Evans |
Fourth Sunday of Advent
17th & 18th December 2011 |
Mike Cooper
Tom Whyatt |
Andrew Campbell
John Evans |
Chris Evans |
The Nativity of Our Lord
24th & 25th December 2011 |
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No evening Holy Mass |
Mary, the Mother of God
31st December & 1st January 2012 |
Sr Josephine
Annabel Williams |
Tania James
Maria James |
David Haswell |
The Feast of the Epiphany
7th & 8th January 2012 |
Anthony Elletson
Peter Skelton |
Graham Talbot-Paine
Aidan Reynolds |
Rai Stevens |
Second Sunday in Ord Time
14th & 15th January 2012 |
Dominic Primavesi
Margaret Primavesi |
Tony Ring
Marie Bowkett |
Gwynfor Williams |
Notes for those practising the Ministry of Reader at
Our Lady and St Michael’s, Abergavenny.
A new Readers’ Schedule is drawn up approximately two weeks before the end of the current schedule!! If you know of any prior commitments which mean you are unavailable to read on any particular date(s), please let me know and I will accommodate these dates in the new schedule, otherwise contact another reader in your reading group and swap with them. A list of telephone numbers of readers from your group is provided for this purpose with your own copy of the schedule. A personally addressed copy of the schedule is left for collection on the table in the church porch as soon as a new programme has been produced or e-mailed to you directly. A current copy of the schedule is also posted on the notice board in the porch on Our Lady’s side of the church.
On the schedule, the official church and calendar dates are given, as well as the cycle of readings that is being used, so readers will be able to prepare their reading(s). Two readers are listed for Saturday evening and Sunday morning masses, whereas only one reader is listed for Sunday evening masses at present and so this single reader reads both readings, the Responsorial Psalm, the Gospel Acclamation and the Prayers of the Faithful.
At Saturday evening masses, usually the first reader listed reads the First Reading, the Responsorial Psalm and the Prayers of the Faithful. The second reader reads the Second Reading and the Gospel Acclamation.
At Sunday morning masses, usually a choir member sings the Responsorial Psalm and the Gospel Acclamation, so the first reader listed reads the First Reading and the Prayers of the Faithful, while the second reader merely reads the Second Reading.
The Prayers of the Faithful are to be found in a white ring binder on the left-hand side of the pulpit and are usually put on the lectern by the priest at the end of the Homily. If you wish to study them before reading them, it is possible to look at them before Mass.
It is obvious when the Deacon intends to read since he will be on the altar.
At Saturday evening masses, the first reader listed on the rota reads the First Reading and the Responsorial Psalm. The second reader reads the Second Reading and the Gospel Acclamation. The Deacon reads the Gospel and the Prayers of the Faithful.
At Sunday morning masses, the first reader listed reads the First Reading only; usually a choir member sings the Responsorial Psalm and the Gospel Acclamation and so the second reader listed reads the Second Reading. The Deacon reads the Gospel and the Prayers of the Faithful.
At Sunday evening masses, the single reader reads the First Reading, the Responsorial Psalm, the Second Reading and the Gospel Acclamation. The Deacon reads the Gospel and the Prayers of the Faithful.
The readers approach the altar at the end of the Opening Prayer (Collect) and genuflect/ bow to the Blessed Sacrament together. (The Opening Prayer or Collect occurs just after the Gloria, when it is used or during Advent and Lent, the Opening Prayer is at the end of the Penitential Rite). The first reader takes the lectern and the second reader stands at the side of the pulpit. The second reader takes the lectern when the psalmist or first reader vacates it and waits at the side of the pulpit. Both readers remain until after the Gospel Acclamation and then return to their places, genuflecting/ bowing together before the altar as they do so.
The preferred introduction to the readings is:
“The reading is taken from …”
e.g. “The reading is taken from the book of Genesis.”
Whilst proclaiming the introduction try to look at the congregation and pause before starting the reading, this allows the congregation to settle and to be ready to receive the Word of God. At the end of the reading look up, pause (count slowly to 3 if it helps) and then still looking at the congregation proclaim:
“The Word of the Lord.”
If the psalm is not sung, the Responsorial Psalm is introduced by the reader proclaiming the response to the congregation only. There is no reason to state:
“ The response to the psalm is…”
The reader waits for the congregation to repeat the response and then continues with the psalm.
Help the congregation to join in the response by reading it after each verse of the psalm since it is sometimes difficult to remember after hearing it only once.
After the second reading, the Gospel Acclamation is proclaimed if it is not sung by the psalmist or choir. There is no reason to ask the congregation to stand for the Gospel Acclamation. It is simply read and the congregation stands and often joins in with the proclamation.
In order not to keep the priest waiting until their arrival, the reader of the Prayers of the Faithful approaches the altar at the end of the Creed, usually at the words, ‘We believe in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church…’ genuflects/ bows to the Blessed Sacrament and waits in the pulpit until the priest has finished the introductory prayer. It is so important to give the congregation time to make the prayers theirs at this time, so remember to read slowly. Often there is an introductory statement outlining the subject of the prayer, once you have stated this pause to allow the congregation time to reflect. The theme is then expanded upon, pause again before announcing the verse to be responded to by the congregation this gives them time to meditate upon the prayer. After reading the prayers, the reader leaves the lectern after the priest’s final prayer, following any prayers in silence, genuflects/ bows to the Blessed Sacrament and returns to their seat.
It has been pointed out that the proclamation of the Entrance and Communion Antiphons can be a fairly hit-and-miss at the Saturday and Sunday evening Holy Masses. It has been suggested that the Readers should take on the responsibility for making sure they are proclaimed. The Entrance and Communion Antiphons are used when a hymn is not sung. Therefore at Saturday evening Holy Mass when there is an entrance hymn the antiphon is not said, on the other hand the Communion Antiphon is since there is not usually a communion hymn. The proclamation of the antiphons simply entails the first or only Reader announcing “Entrance Antiphon” when the priest arrives at the altar, even before he starts making the Sign of the Cross and proclaiming “Communion Antiphon” when the priest receives Holy Communion. Announcing the antiphons means members of the congregation are forewarned, they can find their place in their missal and join in.
Our pulpit microphone requires the reader to speak in its direction – if necessary move the lectionary nearer to it (it doesn’t have to be in the middle of the lectern) and raise your voice quite a lot as you are reading. An indicator that you are reading loudly enough is you can hear your voice coming from the speakers. Pace is equally important, it has been suggested we read at 2/3 of normal conversation speed. I find this rather difficult to assess, my interpretation is to read rather slowly and as distinctly as possible so the congregation can hear and understand.
Finally, many thanks for agreeing to read, your commitment never ceases to amaze me. From the extremely kind comments made by parishioners, it is obvious everyone really appreciates the time and effort we give to exercising our ministry.
If you require any help or more information, contact me, Margaret Primavesi, on 01873 853055 or mgt.primavesi@virgin.net
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