It would be hard to understate the importance of God's Word, or the importance of proclaiming it.  That is the job of 44 people within the parish - lectors.  Twenty-two adult lectors, ranging in age from their early 20s to retirement age, proclaim God's Word through Old and New Testament readings at all Masses (with the exception of the 6:45 AM weekday Mass in which the Sisters of St. Joseph serve as lectors, and the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass).  During the 9:00 AM Mass youth lectors take on the job.  Twelve young people currently serve as youth lectors.

Ideally, lectors are transparent, according to Tom Beirne, who has served as a lector for almost 40 years.  "The idea is to help people appreaciate what is being read," he said. "It's better if people say to you after Mass, 'I didn't realize that' (in regard to a reading) rather than 'You did a good job reading.'"

Tom was one of five or six men who, in the early sixties, became the first lectors at St. Patrick's.  Father Joseph Canning invited seminarians from the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception to come to St. Patrick's to train them.  Eventually, women too were allowed to serve.

Over the years, lectors have proclaimed God's Word in many different places.  One lector recalled doing readings in the basement of St. Patrick's Church when it was located at Mayflower and Edgewater Avenues.  Rather than reading from the sancturary, lectors stood up in the crowded congregation to read.  Eventually, lectors were allowed in the sanctuary.

Following the fire that severely damaged the church, lectors did the readings in a tent set up on the chruch grounds, at times in sweltering heat, and in the Smithtown Movie Theater, which opened its doors to St. Patrick's following the fire.  In more recent years, of course, lectors have served in the present church and Canning Hall.

Over the years, lectors have also used various methods for preparing for the readings.  Early on, Tom Beirne recalls taping himself doing the readings to see if he was going too fast or too slow.  When his son, Tommy, was seven or eight-years old, he practiced in front of him to guage his reactions.  He also would read the verses very rapidly to see where he might be tongue-tied and then go back and work on those lines.  During Mass, he sometimes would look toward his wife in the pew who would signal if he were speaking too loudly or too softly.

Now, Tom says, preparing for the readings is easier with the help of workbooks written specifically for the lectors.  The workbooks give insights into the readings by giving historical perspectives and explaining what the author was trying to accomplish.  They explain whether the reading was written as a narrative, as poetry, or as an historical piece.  Tom also emphasizes the importance of reading the verses before and after a particular reading in order to put it into context.  Prayer, too, he says is essential.

For the past 11 years, Joy Robles has served as a lector.  Joy says she became a lector in order "to be a part of the bigger community." Participating in the Mass, she says, made her feel very much a part of the parish.  She feels privileged to be so close when the consecration is taking place.  She also has enjoyed meeting many people through lectoring.  joy remembers specifically the first time Father Walsh knew her name.

"The Word of God means a lot to me," she said. "I believe every word of it.  I want to speak it in a way that people will be captivated, because I am captivated.  I want to convey that excitement."

Anyone interested in becoming a lector should contact the rectory.  There is a brief training process and lectors are also encouraged to attend an annual workshop.

Interested in Serving as a Youth Lector

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