Training for the Lectors was held at St Lawrence Church, Bondel.

Mangaluru, August 27, 2023: In order to make liturgy more meaningful, a training program on liturgy was organized on August 27, 2023, for all lectors at St. Lawrence Church, Bondel. The program was organized by the liturgy commission of the parish. Rev. Fr. Vijay Machado, Director of Mangala Jyothi Liturgical Center, Mangalore Diocese, was the resource person.

The program began with a prayer led by Rev. Fr Andrew Leo D’Souza, Parish Priest of St Lawrence Church. Fr Andrew welcomed the gathering and introduced the resource person to the gathering.

Rev. Fr Vijay Machado, during his session, enlightened the gathering on the importance of the proclamation of the Word of God, which is truly a service to the Church. Lectors bring the living Word of God to the liturgical assembly. The ministry of the Word should, therefore, be treated seriously and with great dignity.

The Word of God is not merely read during the liturgy. It is proclaimed, Effective proclamation involves the delivery of the message with clarity, conviction, and an appropriate pace. To make the service of the Word effective, all lectors are expected to be prepared for their ministry. Preparation should be spiritual, scriptural, and practical.

The Importance of the Holy Eucharist, the Parts of the Mass, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist

The liturgical calendar is the cycle of seasons in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.

The church year consists of six liturgical seasons: Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time after Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time after Pentecost. Seasons begin or end based on a movable feast, and so some seasons vary in length from year to year and vary as to the calendar dates. The Catholic liturgical seasons: their durations, their purpose and focus, and the liturgical year colors The Seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church

Groups were created to discuss the points raised by the Lectors.  At the end, Rev. Fr Vijay Machado clarified the liturgical doubts that the lectors expressed.

Rev. Fr Andrew Leo D’Souza, Rev. Fr Peter Gonsalves, Rev. Fr Lancy D’Souza, Mr. John D’Silva, Vice President of the Pastoral Parish Council, Mrs. Felcy  D’Souza, the Convener of the Liturgy Commission, Mr Neris Dias, were present on the dais.

More than 120 parishioners attended the program. Mr Neris Dias proposed a vote of thanks.

Photography & Report: Meena Serrao Barboza