Spirituality of
Liturgical Ministers
Pat Kerwin
2011 Southwest Liturgical Conference
Salt Lake City, UT
Spirituality

Religious Spirituality

Christian Spirituality

Liturgical Spirituality
human spirit
Holy Spirit
Christian Spirituality
• Trinitarian
• Christological
• Ecclesial
Liturgical Spirituality
• Participation in God’s creative and transformative
love for the world
• Paschal Mystery
• Source of spiritual direction –”summit and fount”
SC, 10
• “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as in all
wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns and spiritual
songs…whatever you do in word or deed, do
everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Col. 3: 16-17
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• Roots in Jewish spirituality:
– Lived awareness that all of life can be a
means of becoming holy as God is holy.
• All of life as context of and context for
living in Christ
• At table of Word and Eucharist, liturgy
is the privileged place for growing in
holiness.
• Full, conscious and active participation
SC, 14
– qualitative engagement with the mystery of God
by entire assembly
– oriented towards spiritual renewal, conversion,
and ongoing transformation in the Christian life.
Liturgical Year – context for deepening the
mystery of Christ
• Liturgical Ministry – reveal the presence of
Christ through service to the faith
community
• “We want to see Jesus.”
Jn 12:21
Jesus
• In baptism, we become one with Christ
• In confirmation, we are strengthened to be
more perfect witnesses to Christ
• In Eucharist, we offer ourselves with Christ
– broken and given for the life of the world
• Initiation into a life of discipleship—share
in the mission and ministry of Jesus
Our ministry is….
• a share in Christ’s ministry
• flowing from initiation
• called forth by the Church
• for the sake of others
Ministry & God’s Covenant
• God has chosen us
• Covenant – our relationship based on
ever-faithful love
• God’s covenant made visible in Christ
• Covenant calls for a response
For liturgical ministers…..
• How does our service at the liturgy
transform us / help us grow in holiness?
– Personally & individually
– Communally
• What is the calling we receive from the
Church in our installation/commissioning?
Reflect and Share
in Ministry Groups
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Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
Lectors
Sacristans / Altar Servers
Ministers of Hospitality (Greeters/Ushers)
Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi
• The liturgy expresses the faith of the Church.
• Enacting the rites (symbols, gesture, posture,
movement) deeply embeds the deeper meaning
of the liturgy in us.
• Through our ministry we are formed and
transformed more fully into the Body of Christ.