Institution as an Acolyte
To watch the livestream of the Mass, please visit: https://usml.edu/mundelein-seminary/mass-of-the-institution-of-acolyte/ or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POw8RPqsFmc “Serve the Lord with gladness” (Psalm 100:2) On January 19, 2026 , I will be instituted into the ministry of Acolyte by the Church. If you’re wondering what an Acolyte means, here’s a short explanation. For centuries, the Church prepared men for priesthood through what were known as the minor orders : porter, lector, exorcist, and acolyte. These were not sacraments, but real ecclesial ministries meant to shape a man gradually into one who serves at the altar and shepherds God’s people. Following the Second Vatican Council, Pope Saint Paul VI, through his Motu Proprio Ministeria Quaedam , reformed these minor orders into what we now call instituted ministries of Lector and Acolyte . While the form changed, the heart did not. These ministries remai...