By Caroline Smith
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe has recently addressed more than 100 soon-to-be acolytes, emphasising the importance of understanding the Eucharist as a crucial and fundamental aspect of their roles.
The Archbishop was one of two key speakers, together with the Safeguarding Project’s Barbara Blayney, who addressed an Acolyte Training workshop on 13 August, where the role of the acolyte was framed as much more than just knowing the ‘mechanics’ of the Mass.
Held at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Nollamara, the event was the second session in a program of four organised by the Archdiocesan Centre for Liturgy.
“We need to have a sense of what the Eucharist is really all about, and what the Eucharist is asking – not only of you, who are putting your hands up to be official ministers in the Church, but all of us as a Catholic community,” the Archbishop said.
“Why do we gather weekly to celebrate the Eucharist? Because Jesus asked us to. Why did He ask us to? Because He wants us to celebrate the Eucharist in memory of Him,” he added.
Archbishop Costelloe drew on the Latin phrase ‘lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi’ to explain how the faith of the Church should be honoured through the liturgy, Eucharist and in the everyday lives of believers.
“What it means is, the law of prayer is related to the law of belief, which is related to the law of life,” he said.
“What we pray reflects what we believe, and what we believe shows itself in the way we live – so there’s a profound link between our prayer, our belief and our way of life.
“The liturgy is the Church’s formal, official and most profound and sublime form of prayer.”
He added that acolytes should remember to prioritise the faith of the Church above their own private beliefs.
Mrs Blayney – who presented after Archbishop Costelloe – is an Officer from the Safeguarding Project – an initiative launched last year aimed at ensuring the safety of children, young people and the vulnerable within the confines of the Catholic Church across the Archdiocese of Perth.
Mrs Blayney told the acolyte trainees that ministers of the Church, and parishioners generally, had a responsibility to look out for the wellbeing of children in their midst.
“Pope Francis made a very clear statement to the clergy on this, stating that the role of protecting children was everyone’s,” she said.
“The children within our Churches need to feel confident when speaking out if they’re unsafe, and that they can have choice and control about what they do.”
To help with this, the Safeguarding Project has set up guidelines to help acolytes and other ministers when working with children, Mrs Blayney added.
“The education that we provide to the parishes, the clergy, the volunteers, hopefully will empower you to bring back young people to our Church,” she said.
Upon completion of the program, the men involved will attend a Mass for the Institution of Acolytes on 15 September at St Mary’s Cathedral, where Archbishop Costelloe will welcome them into their new role.