The ministry of Acolyte used to be one of the Minor Orders that were steps on the way to ordination. Each of the orders developed out of need (i.e., the porter used to watch the door, the subdeacon used to assist the deacon, etc.) Pope Paul VI suppressed most of the Minor Orders in 1972, recognizing that they had lost their significance over time and were more symbolic than practical. He kept Lector and Acolyte and designated them as ‘ministries.’ The Lector was trained in the proclamation of Sacred Scriptures and the Acolyte was trained to assist the priest and deacon at the altar.
These days the ministries of Lector and Acolyte are no longer reserved solely for those preparing for ordination but are also open to lay people who seek to serve the church by proclaiming Sacred Scripture and assisting the priest and deacon at the altar.
In the formation process for the Permanent Diaconate, the candidate’s whole family discerns the call of God together and makes the sacrifices that go with it. And so, I offer my congratulations to Kat, Chris’s wife, and the children. Your witness is a blessing to us all.
God bless you all,
Fr. Don