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Slava Isusu Christu!

In many of our threads, we discuss the overall aging of our parishes, and methods and best practices to evangelize and increase our parishes through increased membership.

Could the minor orders, acolyte, reader, and subdiaconate be used to help engage our youth and help promote groth in the Church?

In Christ,

Michael

Moderators' Note:
This post originally appeared in another thread in Evangelization. It has been edited to engage in the posts that started in the thread.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+
Moderator

Could we perhaps try to get some of the teen age boys in Minor Orders. Lower orders that would allow Marriage after Ordination/Tonsure. Is that possible?

How about training some of the girls in some of the finer aspects of chant.

What are some other things we could we do to involve the girls?

The reinstitution of minor orders is something we've been begging our bishops to do for some time now. Pray that god will hear our prayers.

CDL

The Latins restored the revamped sub-diaconate and called them Acolytes and it has been the norm here for so long now, that adult men serve Mass assisted by children. The problem has always been the insulatiry of the Various Eastern churches. They dont show much idea that then know what the Latins are doing and why they do what they do. I used to think in my worst moments that the eastern bishops thought Vatican II was some 'Latin thing' they had been invited to to provide some colour and motion. They will get there, just dont rush them.

ICXC
NIKA

Further thought. We do need armies of sub-deacons in every parish we need to break the idea that these are stepping stone only to the Clergy. Yes they need to pass through these stages but they (the positions) should stand alone as positions to be filled by the laity.

ICXC
NIKA

The above posts have been split off from a thread in the Evangelization Forum. Two different topics were developing and I felt that each needed a respective thread to air out the thoughts.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+
Moderator

I for one would like to see the restoration of the full ministry of the Church, that being, the minor orders.
And I aggree it should not just be a stepping stone to major orders. It needs to be a full and permanent ministry in the service of the Church.

That being said, I hope that it would not follow as so often is the case, that of the ministry of Deacon. In many cases it has just been a manequin store front show deacon.
Its time to really restore the ministries.
Stephanos I

Father Anthony,

Bless.

Thank you for moving this.

Do minor orders have to be conferred by your Bishop, or does the Presbyter have limited authority to vest certain minor orders on deserving laity?

In Christ,

Michael

Michael,

To my best knowledge, in the Byzantine practice, only a bishop may confer Holy Orders. I am not sure if it is also the same way in Latin practice.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

In the Latin Church Abbots of monasteries and Major Superiors (Provincials) for the non monastic orders, can install their subjects into minor orders. That is as Reader and Acolyte (Subdeacon). Deaconate and above is strictly a bishop role.

ICXC
NIKA

As there are ranks of angels in heaven, and everything we do liturgically on earth is iconic of the heavenly reality, absolutely a full restoration of tonsured readers and subdeacons is a necessity.
FDD

n.b. In some cases of emergency (sickness/imprisonment), archimandrites in the Slavic tradition have been given a specific blessing by the bishop to tonsure.

Who is going to get the bishops to do it?

I once saw Pope Shenouda III enter St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne. A vast procession of all ranks processed in before him that was most impressive. I fear that we could not mount such a procession, as it would be clergy and thats it.

ICXC
NIKA

Dear Pavel,

Forgive me for using this analogy, but it may work? Here in America, we having a saying:

"He who dies with the most toys wins."

If we were to change it to:

"He who has the most tonsured ranks wins" might help.

Just trying to think outside the box. A little motivation never hurts.

Michael

I will relate from personal experience as a priest. While the minor orders, especially that of reader or chanter I find to be especially valuable, the one order I would love to see more actively promoted is that of the diaconate.

I have had many an occasion to have the priviledge of having a deacon serve with me as a priest outside of the context of a hierarchical liturgy. The Divine Liturgy takes on a different context with one serving. I have the opportunity of praying without having to be rushed because of the public litanies. The dialogue is also in place, that is absent without one. I have observed in my opinion that his liturgical role is to lead the faithful in prayer. This was truly exemplified when I was in Minsk a couple of years back and concelebrating the Divine Liturgy at the cathedral there. The Protodeacon that was serving besides intoning the litanies would then turn to face the people and lead them in responses. A truly wonderful experience hearing the congregation respond and not just a choir.

I have also found deacons being willing to engage in education and working with social services projects, which takes some of the burden off the priest to work in other areas that may be needed. A deacon, I believe can enhance the ministry team of a community not only by being a liturgical office but one of ministry. The few parished I have seen with a deacon are truly blessed by having another servant not only of the altar, but also in the ministry to the parish.

Just a thought on my part.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Well, that fixes the cantor shortage!

Dave