Fr Leonard E Dollentas
The Rite of Institution of Lectors is one of the ministries a seminarian must receive before ordination to the Diaconate and Priesthood. Those given the ministry of Lector are entrusted with reading the Sacred Scriptures during Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours
On Wednesday the 9th of February 2022, Bishop Stephen Lee, the Bishop of Macau and Rector of Seminário de São José installed two seminarians of the Diocese of Macao as Lectors. The two seminarians, who are currently in the senior year of their theological studies are Bosco Chan from Hongkong and Adriano Agostinho from Macau.
The Ministry of Lectorate marks another step in the priestly formation of Bosco and Adriano as future priests for the Diocese of Macau after they have been formally accepted as seminarians of the Diocese.
Bosco completed a degree in English and has spent some years teaching and discerning a vocation to religious life. He moved to Macau to continue following God’s call in the diocesan priesthood. “It hit me,” he said, “that four years of seminary have gone by, seeing how God has worked in me. I’m ready to see where the Lord takes me next.”
After receiving a degree in medicine in Portugal, Adriano followed his calling to the diocesan priesthood and spent the past four years adding ecclesiastical studies to his degree. “I felt a lot of emotion, and a little anxious,” he admitted, “how quickly four years have gone by, and now I just hope that all goes well and that it is a fruitful experience.”
The ceremony was held at the St. Joseph Seminary Chapel after the Eucharistic Adoration, with a number of the priests present for their monthly recollection.
After the Gospel was read, the Rector, Bishop Lee, called each candidate by name while they proceeded to the sanctuary, bowing profoundly, and declaring, “Present!”
In the ceremony, the bishop reminded the two seminarians of the profound importance of the Word of God in the Sacraments and in their life as seminarians.
Afterward, a prayer of blessing was said over the two seminarians.
Finally, each seminarian receiving the ministry of Lector was instructed by the bishop: “Take this book of Holy Scripture and be faithful in handing on the word of God, so that it may grow strong in the hearts of his people.”
The Rite of Institution of Lectors is one of the ministries a seminarian must receive before ordination to the Diaconate and Priesthood. In most diocesan seminaries, seminarians are usually instituted to the Lectorate in their third year of theological studies. The Church holds them as mandatory steps for seminarians in their journey to the priesthood: “Candidates for the diaconate and the priesthood must receive the ministries of Lector and Acolyte and must exercise them for a suitable length of time so as to be better fitted for the future service of the word and altar.” Those given the ministry of Lector are entrusted with reading the Sacred Scriptures during Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours.
Any young man discerning a vocation to the priesthood is welcome to Seminário de São José for a “come and see” discernment period. When a man enters the seminary, it doesn’t mean he is automatically called to the priesthood, but he can generously give his time and energy to God and allow his desire for the priesthood to be tested. God’s grace will transform him into a new man and through this relationship, God will give him the freedom and the knowledge necessary to know what He wants him to do.
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