2019 Commissioning for LeComs, EMHCs, GreCols
The renewing batch of lectors and commentators were formally ’commissioned’ by the Christ the King Parish Greenmeadows parish priest Fr. Steve Zabala last Sunday, November 18, during the noon mass. A total of 95 LeComs were in attendance, with 45 absent, for a total of 140 renewing lectors-commentators for 2019. They join the 12 new lectors-commentators who had been commissioned earlier, for a total of 152 expected active Lectors- Commentators in 2019.
Fr. Steve called on all the lectors- commentators present to come forward to the front of the church for the commissioning rites. He then introduced the commissioning by saying:
The Word of God, proclaimed in the sacred Scripture, enlightens our minds and hearts. When the Scriptures are read in the liturgical assembly, God speaks to us and calls us to respond in faith and love. The Ministry of the Lectors and Commentators, then, is important to the life of the Church, for the reader proclaims Gods’ living word. We ask God to bless these Lectors and Commentators and for all of us who now listen to the word of the Lord.
At that point, Fr. Steve asked the LeComs, ‘Are you resolved to continue to undertake the office of proclaimer of the Word of God as Lector and Commentator at the service and growth of the Church?’ And ‘Are you resolved to continue to strive more earnestly than ever to live the Christian life, to give good example, and to take your faith more seriously? To both questions, the LeComs present answered in unison, ‘I am’.
Fr. Steve ended with the Prayer of Blessing, ‘Everlasting God, when he read in the synagogue at Nazareth, your Son proclaimed the good news of salvation for which he would give up his life. Bless these Lectors and Commentators as they proclaim your words of life, strengthen their faith that they may read with conviction and boldness, and put into practice what they read.’ After which Fr. Steve proceeded to bless the lectors and commentators, then asked them to face the massgoers, before sending then back to their pews.
The batch of 152 lectors-commentators who will read the Word of God in 2019 have gone through the diocese-organized half-day renewal seminar at Lantana, Cubao at any of the half-day sessions held from September 1 to November 17; the refresher course a.k.a. retraining of LeCom protocols and practices with their mass or village coordinators; and attended at least one LeCom General Assembly and two formation talks, whether organized by the Formation Ministry, Stewardship Committee, or EMHC or LeCom liturgical ministries. The Lectors and Commentators Liturgical Ministry is led by Mel Novales.
At the November 18 10:30 am mass just before the noon mass where the LeComs were commissioned, the Extraordinary Ministers of the Holy Communion or EMHCs were similarly commissioned. EMHC had 91 renewing Eucharistic ministers, with 72 of them attending. Therefore, with the 11 new EMHCs earlier commissioned, there will be a total of 102 active EMHCs for 2019. The EMHC Liturgical Ministry is headed by Albert Cuadrante.
It should be noted that the LeComs and EMHCs who failed to attend the commissioning will still need to be commissioned before they can legitimately take their place in the roster. A second commissioning date is still to be identified for both liturgical groups. Also, a few of the commissioned LeComs are still on probationary status due to unfilled requirements until and unless they can make up by attending one or both formation talks scheduled for November and December.
The Greeters-Collectors similarly had their commissioning later in the same afternoon, at the 5 pm mass. The GreCols are led by Coordinators Jeanette Cagurangan and Beth Monadero.
