A Belated Post: My Installation as Acolyte
From the NAC website: "The Pontifical North American College community rejoiced with the 54 members of the Class of 2017 who were instituted to the Ministry of Acolyte on March 1, 2015. Bishop Paul Loverde ’66 (Arlington) was the main celebrant. In the Rite, each man kneels before the bishop and receives a paten from him, symbolic of the new role the acolyte fulfills at Mass, caring for the Eucharist and the Eucharistic vessels. As the bishop presents the ciborium to the new acolyte, he says, “Take this vessel with bread for the celebration of the Eucharist. Make your life worthy of your service at the table of the Lord and of his Church.”
The new acolytes will immediately begin serving Mass each day at the College and will perform a variety of other functions related to their new ministry, especially when they return home this summer."
What exactly is an Acolyte though? From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal:
The Ministry of the Instituted Acolyte and Lector
98. The acolyte is instituted to serve at the altar and to assist the priest and deacon. In particular, it is his responsibility to prepare the altar and the sacred vessels and, if it is necessary, as an extraordinary minister, to distribute the Eucharist to the faithful.[84]
In the ministry of the altar, the acolyte has his own functions (cf. nos. 187-193), which he must perform personally.
For me, the ceremony was additionally significant as it was the last of two ministries (the first being that of Lector, which I received last year) that a candidate for Holy Orders (Priesthood) receives prior to his ordination as Deacon, which in turn, is followed by that of the Priesthood.
Above is a picture that I find useful in demonstrating the ancient steps to the priesthood. Although these "Minor Orders" have been simplified by Pope Paul VI, following the Second Vatican Council, (now only Lector and Acolyte) the basic idea remains: that as a seminarian candidate advances towards Diaconate and Priesthood, he gradually grows in responsibilities and service at the altar of God.
Please allow me to provide a summary of the Institution of Acolyte itself. The institution is held within the context of the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass:
After the Gospel, the deacon calls forward those be instituted to the Ministry of Lector. We raise from our seat, respond "present" and then bow to the Bishop instituting us. After this, the Bishop proceeds with his homily. He may choose to give his own, or use a sample one provided by the Church. Bishop Loverde chose to give a great homily about the Transfiguration (Gospel for today's Mass) and how during this season of Lent, we, as disciples of Christ, are called to transform our lives, minds and hearts toward Him. After his homily the Mass proceeded as follows:
After which, the new acolyte’s response to that is a heartfelt and confident “Amen.” Following this, the Mass continues as usual. A full album of pictures from the event can be found at: http://www.pnac.org/gallery/
“Dear sons in Christ: As people chosen for the ministry of acolyte, you will have a special role in the Church's ministry. The summit and source of the Church's life is the Eucharist, which builds up the Christian community and makes it grow. It is your responsibility to assist priests and deacons in carrying out their ministry, and as special ministers to give holy communion to the faithful at the liturgy and to the sick.
Because you are specially called to this ministry, you should strive to live more fully by the Lord's sacrifice and to be molded more perfectly in its likeness. You should seek to understand the deep spiritual meaning of what you do, so that you may offer yourselves daily to God as spiritual sacrifices acceptable to him through Jesus Christ.
In performing your ministry bear in mind that, as you share the one bread with your brothers and sisters, so you form one body with them. Show a sincere love for Christ's Mystical Body, God's holy
people, and especially for the weak and sick. Be obedient to the commandment which the Lord gave to his Apostles at the Last Supper: "Love one another as I have also loved you."
Then all of those to be instituted to the Ministry of Acolyte go to the center aisle of the Church, and after the Bishop invites the faithful to pray with him for the brothers to be instituted to the Ministry of Acolyte, we kneel and the Bishop prays over us saying:
“God of mercy, through your only Son, you entrusted the bread of life to your Church. Bless + our brothers who have been chosen for the ministry of acolyte. Grant that they may be faithful in the service of your altar and in giving to others the bread of life; may they grow always in faith and love and so build up your Church. We ask this through Christ our Lord.”
After this each candidate goes to the Bishop, who gives him a vessel with the bread to be consecrated, saying:
“Take this vessel of bread for the celebration of the Eucharist. Make your life worthy of your service at the table of the Lord and of His Church.”
As the days continue to fly by, since that eventful celebration, I am growing more and more aware of the dignity and gravity of the calling that our Lord puts before me. It is amazing to think that, God willing, in October 2016, I would be ordained a Deacon!
Please continue to pray for me as I follow in the footsteps of our Divine Master and know that I pray for you daily!
May God bless you and keep you always.
-Seminarian Shawn
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