Ministry Conference

On Saturday, November 5th, Father Cioppi and Deacon Mark Dillon facilitated the first Ministry Conference at Mother of Divine Providence Parish.  Just under 70 ministers were present for this enlightening presentation.  Father Cioppi spoke of the Sanctuary.  His slideshow is copied here for your reference:   The Sanctuary presentation.  Deacon Mark spoke of  the importance of Scripture in our liturgies.  Deacon Mark’s notes are available here for your reference:  Scripture in the Liturgy .

Father Cioppi and Deacon Mark also addressed the upcoming changes that will occur beginning with the First Sunday of Advent, November 27th.   Changes that will directly impact our ministers are outlined here:

1.  Lectors and Extraordinary Ministers will no longer be part of the Entrance Procession.  The ministers will be seated with their families and advance at the appropriate time to assume the responsibilities of their ministry.  One exception would be for of our Instituted Minister, Greg Maskarinec who will be vested in an alb and cincture.  When present, Greg will be part of the procession and will  be seated in the sanctuary of the church.

2.  We will have two lectors  assigned for each Sunday Mass. To facilitate this change and to assure proper coverage, we will provide a lector  sign-in sheet in the sacristy.  The sheet will be located in the ministry binder.   By signing in before each Sunday Mass the lectors will know if we have the appropriate ministers.  They will also say a silent prayer of preparation that will be posted in the sacristy.  If there is no Deacon present at Mass: a.)  the first lector will be responsible for the first reading and the responsorial psalm; lector 2 will be responsible for the second reading and the intercessions  b.)  the lectors should approach the celebrant to see if he wishes to have the Book of the Gospels included in the celebration.  If the response is yes, one of the lectors will volunteer to participate in the procession and carry the Book to the altar, once the book is placed on the altar the lector should decend the steps of the altar, bow profoundly and proceed to their seat in the congregation.

3.  Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion will come to the sacristy to obtain their assignments.  (Presently we gather for prayer in preparation for the celebration of Mass before the Entrance Procession, in our new outline there will be a minister’s prayer posted in the sacristy which will be prayed silently once the ministers obtain their assignment.)  The cantor will continue to have the same responsibilities as previously assigned.

It is planned that the Ministry Conference will be held twice a year.