Steps along the path: Reader and Acolyte

Most Catholics are familiar with the three levels of Holy Orders: Bishop, Priest and Deacon. Of course the Permanent Deacon, despite unprecedented growth, is misunderstood by many. We always go back to Scripture, particularly the 6th chapter of Acts of the Apostles, to see the genesis of the diaconate. We can further heed the instructions by St. Paul about qulaifications for the Deacon(1 Timothy 3:8) (also see references in Romans 15:25, Ephesians 3:7). The charism of service for the Deacon can be attributed to Matthew 20:28. Church fathers wrote extensively of Deacons, notably Ignatius of Antioch and Clement of Rome. And the great example of Deacons through the ages like St. Stephen, St. Lawrence, St. Francis, to name a few, are well known to many a Catholic.

Today, as the restoration of the Permanent Diaconate is about 40 years old, candidates for ordination as a Deacon are subject to about 5 years of intense formation. After a period of inquiry, a man contemplating God's call to be a Deacon must submit an application and be subject to interviews, testing and scrutiny. If selected, he enters a full year of Aspirancy; a time when he receives instruction as he aspires to make a second application or request to be a candidate. Once a candidiate he will face institution to two minor orders of the church: reader and acolyte. Reader is distinguished from lector, although the duties are very similar. The difference is that reader is an instituted ministry, currently reserved to someone in formal pursuit of possible ordination. All of the candidiates for the Permanent Diaconate are instituted as Reader and serve in this role for at least a minimum of six months.


After Reader the candidate approaches the minor order of acolyte. This too is an instituted order and immediately precedes ordination. A candidate may serve as an instituted acolyte for a period of 6 months or longer depending on the needs of the formation process and perhaps the diocese. In my case, in post-Katrina New Orleans, I served as acolyte for a period of over 2 years. Acolytes are seen on the altar, they look like adult altar servers. They carry the cross in procession, light candles, may prepare the altar or assist the deacon or priest in doing so. He may be asked to distribute communion, as an extraordinary minister but one who is instituted. Like reader, the minor order of acolyte is only to be given to those in formation to be ordained as clergy.

Today our 2012 candidates were given instructions on the ministry of and functions of the acolyte. Soon these men will have completed 6 months as instituted readers and will become eligible to be instituted as acolytes. When this will take place is yet to be decided but for a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate it is fertile training ground for service and movement on the altar once ordained.

We come full circle. As our class of 2012 was receiving instructions about the order of acolyte, our 2010 class, currently acolytes, are preparing for their transition as ordination is now just one short week away.