I'm Back

[Nihil Obstat]

I was at one ordination to the diaconate, and the next year to the priesthood, a few years ago now, but my memory is all hazy. :P I am sure it was the same as what you just posted.

 

Also obviously a layperson can be installed as an acolyte and a lector, I guess now 'ministries' rather than minor orders, so based on that I will conclude that no ontological change takes place at elevation to minor orders. Or, excuse me, ministries. ;)

 

 

So yeah, I guess the minor orders do not make much of an appearance in the rite of ordination itself. Perhaps they occur sometime before the ordination itself.

 

 

[VeniJesuAmorMi]

This thread reminded me of something very interesting that happened to someone I know. Many years ago she started a pregnancy care center and still works there now as the Director and has done a tremendous amount of good in her pro-life work. It took many years and trials to get the Center to where it is today and she has remained very faithful and persevering. I had the pleasure of meeting her to hear about the work she has done and still continues to do when she came to the pregnancy care center that I volunteer at.

 

At some point in her work she went to visit a Church, I'm not sure if this was some kind of retreat or just a visit to this Church but she was waiting in line to go to confession, and this line was very long and she was at the end of it. Someone came up to her (who she has never seen before) and said to her, "Father is waiting for you in the Adoration Chapel." She was confused because she didn't know anyone there and not any priest either. She went to the Adoration Chapel and there was a priest sitting there. He said to her, "Would you go to work naked?" I can't remember exactly what she said to him but obviously at this point she was very confused. The priest happened to be an exorcist and what he was talking about was the need for the spiritual protection she needs in the work that she is doing (at the Center.) Father must have some kind of experience to know she was at the Church and to talk to her. He ended up giving her a prayer he had written for protection against evil. I received a copy of this prayer at the pregnancy center where I volunteer. It's a long prayer, but it covers everything. It's very good.

 

Prayers for you and may the Holy Spirit guide you in your discernment! :)

 

Edited June 15, 2013 by VeniJesuAmorMi

[Pax_et bonum]

I'm pretty sure that being installed as a lector and acolyte happens before ordination at least in my diocese. The campus minister at my college who's a married layman was installed as a lector last fall and hopes to be installed as an acolyte in the future. The bishop came and said Mass in our college chapel for it, and he said something like our campus minister was the first man in our diocese to be installed as a lector who isn't pursuing holy orders.