Year 4 invited Mrs Brown, a member of the parish and former dinner lady of St Bede’s, to come and talk to them about the role of the laity in St Bede’s parish.

Mrs Brown talked to the children about what she does in church and the role of the laity in the parish.  She also gave the children a Mass sheet and talked them through the various roles that parishioners undertake throughout the Mass.

Mrs Brown spoke to the children about the various roles within the parish.  These include:

• Sacristans – People who get the altar ready for Mass.
• Welcomers – Someone who greets people at the door of the church.
• Altar servers (there are 2 servers who carry the candles and 1 who carries the crucifix).
• Readers – the main reader (who processes in with the priest and altar servers). The 1^st person reads the First reading and psalm and the 2^nd persons reads the Second reading and the Bidding Prayers.
• Offertory – parishioners who take the gifts of bread and wine to the priest.
• Parishioners who do the collection during the Offertory – money raised goes towards raising money for the church.
• Eucharistic Ministers – who share the body and blood of Christ with the congregation.
• Catechists – People who help children and young people prepare for their First Holy Communion and Confirmation.
• Stewards – show people where to sit.
• Choir and Organist
• Bulletin preparation – people are involved in preparing, printing and folding the newsletter.
• Flower arranger
• Volunteer – takes food and money that has been collected from parishioners in the coffee mornings to the food bank
• Funeral Server – Master of Ceremonies – carries the cross at funerals