His Excellency Bishop Earl Boyea of the Diocese of Lansing installed fourteen candidates for the priesthood into the ministries of Lector and Acolyte. The ceremony took place in Sacred Heart Major Seminary’s main chapel on October 19.
“What we celebrate today are not honorifics, they are works and duties, taken up by you,” said Bishop Boyea, an alumnus of Sacred Heart’s Class of 1978. “We do this today because the Word is great, and we need helpers. St. Paul is very clear with his protégé Timothy, ‘I charge you, proclaim the Word!’ This is about a task to be done.”
The Ministry of Lector is a required step towards Holy Orders. The man instituted does not make a permanent commitment towards ordination, but he does make a permanent commitment to proclaim the faith.
Acolytes are appointed to serve the Church on a stable basis by assisting priests and deacons in liturgical celebrations and distributing Holy Communion. He also may instruct those who temporarily assist the priest or deacon and assist with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
The new acolytes who are studying for the priesthood at Sacred Heart are John Carlin, Colin Fricke, Andrew Mabee, and David Pellican for the Archdiocese of Detroit; Michael Cassar and John Vinton for the Diocese of Lansing; and Thomas Merkel for the Diocese of Marquette.
New lectors include Ryan Eggenberger for the Archdiocese of Detroit; David Pinto for the Diocese of Kalamazoo; Miguel Colunga-Santoyo and Mark Martin II for the Diocese of Lansing; Benjamin Rivard for the Diocese of Marquette; Kevin Wojciechowski for the Diocese of Saginaw; and Jeremiah Hahn for the Diocese of Steubenville.
