Rev. Fr. Anthony Teye Binyemi, Parish Priest of St. Fidelis Catholic Church, Tease, in the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom, in Ghana’s Eastern Region, has commissioned 19 lay readers in the Parish Church during this year’s Mass of ‘Corpus Christi’ on June 2, 2024.
Prior to the commissioning ceremony, there was a recollection exercise during which the lectors had been schooled on their duties in a liturgical assembly in accordance with the liturgical norms of the Church.
The exercise include reading the word of God (except the Gospel), reciting the psalms in the absence of a psalmist; presenting the intentions in the absence of a deacon; and preparing other faithful temporarily charged with the duty of reading the scriptures in the liturgical assembly.
Drawing inspiration from the Solemnity of ‘Corpus Christi’, Fr. Binyemi, in a homily, drew the attention of the lectors and the faithful to the relationship between the Word which they proclaim and the Body and Blood of Christ.
“The Word of God became flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ, who is wholly and entirely present, body and blood, soul and divinity, in the Eucharistic species, which in communion with the whole Church, we are celebrating this day as Corpus Christi,” he said.
The Parish Priest charged the lectors to consider themselves blessed when taking up the responsibility to proclaim God’s Word.
“Count it a blessing when you devoutly read the word of God in the assembly of his faithful, which is a key element in the celebration of the Mass,” he underlined.
Fr. Binyemi appreciated the lectors for their zeal in proclaiming the Word of God in the Church, and assured them of the prayerful support of the Church community.
He further urged them to pray for their benefactors especially those who donated their readers’ robes.
Mr. Confidence Amudzi, one of the newly commissioned lectors, speaking on behalf of the others, expressed joy and gratitude that their reading ministry has been recognised by the Church, coupled with the awareness that this is a ministry that remains so dear to the Church.
By DEPSOCOM, Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate
