Seven seminarians of the Diocese of Wichita were installed Monday evening, April 15, during a Mass of Institution for Readers & Acolytes at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Wichita.

Candidates for Reader were Dillon Cott, a member of St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Schulte; Matt Glazier, St. Teresa of Avila Parish, Madison; Andrew Meng, St. Joseph, Ost; Christopher Rumback, St. Teresa of Avila, Hutchinson; William Stuever, St. Joseph, Andale; and Jonathan Tolberd, Church of the Magdalen, Wichita. They are all in their second year of theology studies.

The Candidate for Acolyte was Seth Arnold, of Church of the Holy Spirit, Goddard, who is in his first year of theology.

The installation advances the men on the road to formal and official ministry in the church to proclaim the Word and to assist at the altar and sanctuary.

In the Ministry of Lector, a man is challenged to deepen his relationship with scripture while also being given the responsibility to proclaim and share the Good News of salvation. In the Ministry of Acolyte, a man is invited to draw closer to the altar of God, to mold his life more perfectly to the likeness of Christ, and to assist priests in carrying out their ministry of Holy Communion.

Ministry of Reader

Those installed into the Ministry of Reader may:

• Proclaim the readings from sacred Scripture, except for the gospel, in the Mass and other sacred celebrations;
• Recite the psalm between the readings when there is no psalmist;
• Present the intentions for the general intercessions in the absence of a deacon or cantor;
• Direct the singing and the participation by the faithful;
• Instruct the faithful for the worthy reception of the sacraments. He may also, insofar as may be necessary, take care of preparing other faithful who are appointed on a temporary basis to read the Scriptures in liturgical celebrations.

Ministry of Acolyte

The acolyte is appointed in order to aid the deacon and to minister to the priest. It is his duty to attend to the service of the altar and to assist the deacon and the priest in liturgical celebrations, especially in the celebration of Mass; he is also to distribute communion as a special minister when ordinary ministers are not available or are prevented by ill health, age, or another pastoral ministry from performing this function, or when the number of communicants is so great that the celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged.

An acolyte may be entrusted, in some extraordinary circumstances, with publicly exposing the Blessed Sacrament for adoration by the faithful and afterward replacing it, but not with blessing the people; and to assist the priest or deacon in liturgical celebrations by carrying the missal, cross, candles, etc., or by performing other such duties.