A-Day session for Lectors and Commentators was held in St. Joseph Church on June 25th, 2016. It was presented by Rev. Fr. Clarence  Dass, based on topics:

• Understanding the context. 
• Ministry  verses  Function. 
• Proclaiming  the  Word.
• Challenges verses Opportunities.
• Building  Spirituality.

HEREWITH ARE SOME INSIGHTS FROM VARIOUS PARTICIPANTS:

1. From Basil Gomez, Coordinator for SJC, Lectors and Commentators:
   Thank you Fr. Clarence for sharing so much during the Formation and also your comments which made us have a light moment about SJC being the only church to have a large numbers of members in the Lectors and Commentators Ministry. One of the most important things Fr. Clarence shared and that caught my attention was the difference between “Proclaiming the Word” and “Doing a duty”.Fr. Clarence pointed out that we are so “Task focused”  in performing and accomplishing a duty that we fail to comprehend that there is also a “Spiritual Dimension” to the “Task”.  The question was, as a Lector and Commentator,  has the word become a part of us? How do we proclaim the “Word” and what can we do to make the “Word” come alive today?He further advised us that as Lectors we first need to be transformed by the text while going through the readings. The readings should be read until one understands the actual meaning of the text. Practice plays a very important role as mentioned by Fr. Clarence not just training in Church but that we should go through it as much as we can, even at home, until  the word truly sinks into us and only then  can we be transformed into understanding the word clearly. Eventually the “word’ will touch the hearts of the listeners because we as Lectors had understood the message and read the text with emotion. Very often we are just merely performing a task by just reading through the text. Those in the Lectors and Commentators Ministry are Ministers of the “Word”.Hence these criteria can be and should be applied to all Ministries within the church. We should constantly ask ourselves when performing a task, “are we ministering” or “are we performing” a function?
2. From Victoria Arulanthu, Asst. Coordinator for Lectors and Commentators: 
   An enlightening session given by Rev. Fr. Clarence Dass, as he advised us to go beyond the functions and technicalities of the Lectors and Commentators Ministry and to take it to another level, starting with inner conversion.  Fathers explanation touched many especially on “Building Spirituality”. He pointed out that acceptance comes with familiarity for many, so, we must go beyond just a Function by getting together, doing things together to Build Spirituality. It also starts from caring for each other and keeping in touch with each other personally on a regular basis and not just by using the social media.
3. From the Secretary, Lectors and Commentators Core Team: 
   Fr. Clarence helped us understand, that  our role is to make ALIVE the Word of God through three very simple things: Our Personality, Our Proclamation of the Word by our actions. Giving us a realisation that it is really NOT a Sacrifice but a Responsibility as Lectors and Commentators, to make The Word of God, “Alive”.
4. From June Wong, Joyce Louis, Davina and Peter Lee:
   

• An amazing session with Fr. Clarence. Was truly blessed and greatly inspired.
• Praise the Lord for a meaningful and fruitful session by Rev. Fr. Clarence.
• Yes the formation on ‘Proclaiming the WORD’ by Rev. Fr. Clarence was indeed an eye opener… a very meaningful session. Let’s apply what we learn today to make this Ministry a place where we can bring JESUS & the WORD OF GOD to those around us.
• The session was really informative, thought provoking and fun.
• Personally, the formation really opened my mind to the next level.