Mary, Mother of the Good Shepherd Chapel at the Center for Pastoral Leadership in Wickliffe was filled on Sept. 26 with the family and friends of the 11 men who were instituted into the ministry of lector. Some are seminarians at Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology and others are candidates in formation for the permanent diaconate.
Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost celebrated the Mass, assisted by Father Andy Turner, president/rector of Borromeo and Saint Mary seminaries, Father Joe Mamich, vicar for clergy and religious, and several of the new lectors’ pastors.
Those instituted for the Diocese of Cleveland and their home parishes are Jose Alberto Alcantara Vazquez, La Sagrada Familia, Cleveland; Benjamin Henry Baratian, St. Mary, Hudson; Johannes Kurt Benninghoff, St. Clarence, North Olmsted; Kevin Peter Juguilon, St. Raphael, Bay Village; Jonathan Paul Green, Holy Family, Stow; Robert Matthew Maximilian Musial, St. Francis Xavier, Medina; Patrick Alan Rall, St. Edward, Ashland; Hector Luis Ramos, St. Michael the Archangel, Cleveland; and Eric Robert Uturo, St. Francis Xavier, Medina.
Donald Louis Bailey, St. Teresa of Calcutta, Warren, was instituted for the Diocese of Youngstown and Hyunseo Simon Park, St. Andrew Kim, Cleveland, was instituted for the Archdiocese of Daegu, South Korea. The Mass was livestreamed so Park’s family in South Korea could watch.
“Tonight the Church affirms that you have heard, that you have listened and that you are ready to respond,” Bishop Woost told the 11 men. “Tonight, the Church and your bishops call you to assume a ‘special office,’ to take on an awesome responsibility.”
As lectors, he said the men are not simply glorified, professional readers at the liturgy. Instead, he told them they are “unique bearers of God’s word … Being an instituted lector is a ministry. It is an offering of yourself in the service of God’s people and of our faith, rooted in God’s word and assisting in a vital part of the Church’s mission.”
They are responsible for not only proclaiming God’s word, but for evangelizing those who have not yet received his word. “The instituted lector is also to foster the participation of the faithful in the Church’s liturgy and may assist in preparing other members of the community to proclaim God’s word well,” Bishop Woost said.
(See photo gallery above.)
“Hear and be careful to observe. Listen and respond. You cannot do this on your own … there is something more going on here. More than just the words being read. More than just Scripture stories being told. Through the Church’s liturgical ministry and her ministers, the word, Jesus, is revealed among us and for us, with you and for you,” the bishop added.
The men were called forward by name, each knelt before the bishop and then they were presented to the congregation, who responded with applause.
The new lectors posed with the bishop and Father Turner for photos after Mass and then all were invited to enjoy a reception in the Founder’s Room.