Three seminarians instituted as Lector and Acolyte

David McGough, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Birmingham, has conferred the Ministry of Lector and Acolyte on three East Anglian seminarians.

The Rite of Institution of a Reader and Acolytes took place on November 22, the Feast of Saint Cecilia. Benjamin Barnett was instituted as a Lector, while seminarians Peter Ho and Anthony Reilly were instituted as Acolytes.  

Pope Paul VI, in his Apostolic Letter Ministeria Quaedam, established the lay ministries of Lector and Acolyte. They are to be given to all seminarians who are aspiring for Holy Orders as a preliminary preparation for the commitment they are undertaking in the Church. 

Those entrusted with the ministry of Reader are tasked with the reading the word of God in the liturgical assembly and for the preparation of the faithful who by a temporary appointment are to read the Scriptures in liturgical celebrations (Apostolic Letter issued Motu Propio by which the discipline of first Tonsure, Minor Orders, and Subdiaconate in the Latin Church is Reformed, no. 5).

Those instituted as Acolytes are tasked to help the deacon and the priest in the service of the altar in every liturgical celebration, especially the Holy Mass. They are also tasked to distribute Holy Communion as auxiliary ministers during the Mass, to expose the Blessed Sacrament for the adoration of the faithful, and to instruct the faithful who are temporary appointed to assist in liturgical celebrations as servers.  

 On June 25 seminarian Bienn Carlo Manuntag had been ordained to the Diaconate. This ordination took place on the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Bienn Carlo was ordained together with his fellow seminarians in the college: Seminarian David Bateman for the Diocese of Portsmouth, Seminarian Gregory Beckett for the Diocese of Menevia, Seminarian Paul Kilduff for the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle and Seminarian Colm Martin for the Diocese of Motherwell. The Mass and the Rite of Ordination was celebrated by Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham. 

The ordination to the diaconate takes the seminarians one step closer to priesthood. Please pray for all our seminarians and all students who are studying for the priesthood. 

Pictured above are (left to right) Seminarian Alex Wyndham (Diocese of Brentwood), Seminarian Tenny Antony (Archdiocese of Birmingham), Rev Bienn Carlo Manuntag, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus David McGough, Rev David Bateman (Diocese of Portsmouth), Seminarian Peter Ho (Diocese of East Anglia), Seminarian Jithin Titto (Archdiocese of Birmingham) and Seminarian Anthony Reilly (Diocese of East Anglia).

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