Congratulations to these six men from across the Diocese of Lansing who were conferred with the Ministry of Lector at Saint Mary Cathedral on August 29, Feast of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist, as they make their way, Deo volente, towards ordination to the permanent diaconate. The six new lectors are pictured on the front row, from left to right:
Lorens Gjernes, Saint Joseph, Ypsilanti;
Ronald Stacey, Sacred Heart, Hudson;
Joseph Fedewa, Saint Mary, Westphalia;
Andrew Cocagne, Holy Family, Grand Blanc;
Wayne Carpenter, Saint Mary Cathedral, Lansing;
Paul Godfrey, Christ the King, Ann Arbor.
Next to the six men is Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing who conferred the Ministry of Lector upon them. So, what is a permanent deacon and what is a lector? Read on.
Since the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), the Catholic Church has restored the diaconate as a permanent rank within the hierarchy of Holy Orders as opposed to “transitory” deacons who will, in due course, be ordained to the priesthood. Permanent deacons can be either married or unmarried men.
Meanwhile, a lector is appointed to read the Word of God in the liturgical assembly and, accordingly, reads the lesson from Sacred Scripture, except the Gospel, at Holy Mass and in other sacred celebrations. Also pictured, left to right, on the back row:
Deacon Randy Desrochers, Director of Diaconal Formation for the Diocese of Lansing;
Father David Reamsnyder, Pastor of Saint Anthony of Padua, Hillsdale;
Father Todd Koenigsknecht, Pastor of Sacred Heart & St. Mary on the Lake Manitou Beach;
Father Joe Krupp, Pastor of Holy Family, Grand Blanc & Saint Mark, Goodrich;
Deacon Gary Perrydore, Saint Joseph, Ypsilanti
Please do keep these six new lectors in your prayers in the months and years to come by, amongst other things, invoking the three great patrons of permanent deacons.
Saint Stephen, pray for them;
Saint Lawrence, pray for them;
Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for them.