Living Parish

Online video course for lectors

Proclaim God's Word with faith, clarity and confidence

Reading at Mass is a ministry, not a performance. This course takes you from nervous first-timer or rusty returner to a lector who walks up to the lectern ready. Not flawless. Ready.

Enrol for €25 See what's inside

€30 €25 · Lifetime access · 7-day money-back guarantee

Course introduction video

Watch a short introduction to the course

33video lessons
10sections
11downloads
✓certificate of completion
When you read at Mass, you are not reading about God's Word. You are proclaiming it.

Why your role matters

More than reading aloud

The Church treats the Word proclaimed at Mass as living and active, not just information. For those few minutes at the lectern, you are the voice through which the whole congregation hears it.

That's why the course starts with the why: what a lector is, historically and theologically, and why your ministry serves the whole community. Every technique that follows sits on that foundation, so it becomes part of your ministry rather than a rule you're just following.

Ten sections, built on the book

The course follows the chapter structure of A Guide for Readers at Catholic Mass. Every section closes with a reflection worksheet, so what you learn turns into habits.

  1. 0

    Preface

    Why this course exists, and a reflection to set your starting point.

  2. 1

    Understanding the Ministry

    What a lector actually is, Scripture as living Word and serving the community.

  3. 2

    Spiritual Preparation

    A real relationship with Scripture, prayer before you read, wrestling with difficult passages and dry seasons.

  4. 3

    Practical Preparation

    Your weekly timeline, mastering pronunciation, understanding what you're reading, marking your text, practising out loud and arriving at church.

  5. 4

    The Art of Proclamation

    Proclamation, not performance: eye contact, projection and the microphone; pacing, pauses and emphasis; reading different types of Scripture.

  6. 5

    Liturgical Protocols

    The sacred space, other ministers and handling problems, the Church year, your celebrant and parish customs.

  7. 6

    Challenging Passages

    Why your job isn't to agree; violent, disturbing and complex passages; what to do when you disagree with the text.

  8. 7

    Special Occasions

    Holy Week and Easter; Christmas and weddings; funerals and sacraments; adapting to the occasion.

  9. 8

    Growing in Your Ministry

    From surviving to thriving; prayer, feedback, mentoring and balance; where your journey goes next.

  10. ✠

    Afterword: St Jerome

    Who he was, why he matters to lectors and a prayer for lectors.

What you get

Not just videos. Everything you need to keep by you on the week you're reading.

33 video lessons

Spiritual preparation and practical technique, on mobile, computer or TV.

Printable lector toolkit

Weekly preparation checklist, marking key, pronunciation guide for difficult names and prayer cards.

The Lector's Journal

47 pages, plus a reflection worksheet for every section.

Who it's for

You don't need to be perfect. You need to be willing.

New readers

Preparing for your first reading and want to know what to do, step by step.

Returning readers

Coming back after years away, or wanting to sharpen habits built up over a long time.

Anyone who's dreaded a reading

A passage that makes you squirm, a name you can't say, a mid-reading mishap: the course has a plan for each.

For coordinators and parish priests

Training a group of readers?

The course includes a facilitator's guide for running it with your parish readers in eight group sessions.

  • Give every reader on your rota the same foundation
  • Train new readers before their first Sunday
  • Certificates of completion for every reader who finishes

Parish group access

Enrolling several readers? Get in touch about group access for your parish.

Ask about group access
Donal Thompson

Your instructor

Donal Thompson

Donal is a lector, lector trainer and lector coordinator at Our Lady of Mercy, Madrid. He is the author of A Guide for Readers at Catholic Mass, now published in seven languages.

He has a drama background from Manchester University and has spent decades combining that training with his own ministry as a parish reader. He runs lector-training workshops alongside this course, with the same been-there approach: honest about the mangled names and the dry Sundays, practical about what actually helps.

Enrol

A Guide for Readers at Catholic Mass

€30 €25

One payment. Lifetime access.

  • 33 video lessons in 10 sections
  • Printable lector toolkit and The Lector's Journal
  • Facilitator's guide for parish groups
  • Certificate of completion
  • Watch on mobile, computer or TV
  • 7-day money-back guarantee

Enrol in the course

Questions

Do I need any experience?

No. The course is built for complete beginners and for lectors returning after years away. If you can read aloud and are willing to prepare, you're ready.

How long do I have access?

Lifetime access. Come back to any lesson whenever you're on the rota.

Can I run this course with my parish's readers?

Yes. The facilitator's guide sets it out in eight group sessions. For group access, email info@living-parish.com.

What if it isn't for me?

There's a 7-day money-back guarantee.

Is there a book to go with it?

Yes. The course is built on A Guide for Readers at Catholic Mass, available in paperback. The course works on its own, but the book is a good reference to keep by you.