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Extraordinary happenings
Topic Started: Friday, 3. July 2009, 02:31 (359 Views)
Rose of York
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CARLO
Saturday, 4. July 2009, 00:19
Derekap
Friday, 3. July 2009, 17:24
........... I have not come across any ceremony for Readers or Catechists apart from that which started this debate. My reading started one day when the Celebrant on his way from the Sacristy to the Sanctuary looked at me and shook his head towards the lecturn because nobody was reading the Entrance Antiphon. Though known, I wasn't vetted or trained.
You are speaking of better times some years ago Derek.

Now we have special 'training' and compulsory meetings and 'optional' retreats and 'awaydays'.

CARLO I cannot see the logic of your objection to readers being trained, after all, you expect high standards of liturgy and you appreciate well played music in church. Would you be content to have an organist who was picked out from the crowd?

The reader proclaims the Word of God. If the reader is not competent, mumbles, stutters or appears not to understand what he or she is reading, what is the point in the exercise? We readers carry out our task for God, not for ourselves.

If God gave a person the gift of a clear voice, and an opportunity to be trained to read clearly in public, should not that person offer that gift for the glory of God and the benefit of others.

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Soon I fear we will have competency based interviews and assessment centres as well as e-learning packages, endless reviews and refresher courses.

And they say they have no time to visit folk at home!


If you mean the priests, there is no reason why a priest should train readers. A lay person can do it.

Re e-learning packages, why not? They will be beneficial to persons unable to get to the church premises mid week. Isolated Catholics would welcome them. Our Lady's Catechists run correspondence courses for catechists. Students can progress to a diploma course, each one has a personal tutor.

Let us rejoice!
Keep the Faith!

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OsullivanB

Rose of York
 
Would you be content to have an organist who was picked out from the crowd?

This once popular song suggests you could do worse.


The Volunteer Organist

Written by William Gray, music by Henry Lamb, in 1863.


The preacher at the village church, one Sunday morning said,
"Our organist is ill today; will someone play instead?"
An anxious look came o'er the face of every person there
To see who in the church that morn would fill the vacant chair.

An old man stumbled up the aisle, his clothes was worn and torn
How strange a drunkard seemed to be in church on Sunday morn
But as his fingers touched the keys, without a single word
The melody the old man played was the sweetest ever heard.

Chorus:
The scene was one I'll ne'er forget as long as I may live
And just to see it o'er again, all earthly wealth I'd give
The congregation all amazed, the preacher old and grey,
The organ and the organist who volunteered to play.

Each eye grew dim in church that morn, and the strongest cheek grew pale.
The organist without a word, had told his own life's tale.
No lesson that the preacher read, that morning could compare
With life's example that morn sat in the vacant chair.
And as he gently closed the lid and slowly went his way
The preacher rose and softly said "Good brethren, let us pray."
Edited by OsullivanB, Saturday, 4. July 2009, 13:48.
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer
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Derekap
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Lest anyone should think otherwise and despite any implications to the contrary in my comments I do think Readers should be given some advice on presentation and reminded from to time Lord hear us.

As a former Reader I could go on about the faults of others. I was once told nobody could hear me, I can't remember the details but perhaps the microphone was pushed to one side and I didn't realise it. Who knows what others thought of my efforts. I once had to read when the electric wiring was being renewed and hence no live microphone.
Derekap
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Deleted User
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Our parish thanked all the different people involved in these activities by putting on a meal/party in the parish hall. Very well attended and very pleasant to see everyone together in a social setting. Our parish priest then announced that he had wanted to give everyone a bottle of wine but that John Sweeney had said "Do you know how much that would cost Father? " I think most people realised that this was a joke ( not to mention a complete fabrication) but I think some people have been a bit frosty with me since!

What do people think of the practice of making announcements just before the final blessing? We have had baby-minding certificates handed out to a class, a round of applause for the primary school winning the athletics championship and so on. I think it great and I think most other people quite enjoy it.

John
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CARLO
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Oh come on I am not against the training of readers!

Just all the meetings and pow wows that are not really necessary and that tend to surround any 'training' provided in the Church for lay people.

I am a big supporter of e-learning if used in a sensible way.

:bl:

Pax


CARLO
Judica me Deus
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Rose of York
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The meetings and pow wows are held centrally, generally at diocesan Headquarters (oops, sorry, Pastoral Centre). Reader training includes appreciating how the two readings and the psalm link together. I would have thought that a good reader in the parish could help readers with enunciation, pauses, deportment and use of a microphone. Anybody who listens, with attention, to the readings, can tell they are linked together. A journey of fifty miles should not be necessary.
Keep the Faith!

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