MS 13-14

II. Those With a Role in Liturgical Celebrations

13. Liturgical services are celebrations of the Church, that is, of the holy people united in proper order under a bishop or priest. [10] In a liturgical service the priest and his ministers have a special place because of holy orders; the servers, reader, commentator, and choir members, because of the ministry they perform. [11]

Role distinctions in liturgical services. Main distinction between the ordained and the non-ordained who both have their places in the services.

14. Acting in the person of Christ, the priest presides over the gathered assembly. The prayers he sings or recites aloud are spoken in the name of the entire people of God and of all the assembly; [12] therefore all present must listen to them with reverence.

Importance of the priest; speaks for all those gathered (and not gathered for that matter) with prayers of the utmost importance.

10. See Sacrosanctum Concilium art. 26 and 41-42; Lumen Gentium no. 28.
11. See Sacrosanctum Concilium art. 29.
12. See Sacrosanctum Concilium art. 33.