“Who is that guy up there bossing around the archbishop?”
You might be surprised how many people I’ve heard ask this question, and to me it always elicits a slight chuckle. Me? Bossy? Never.
Well, at least I try not to be bossy. Please forgive me when I am!
In July 2022, Archbishop Coakley appointed me Master of Ceremonies following my year working in the Secretariat for Divine Worship and assisting at the bigger archdiocesan Masses.
In these past three years, I’ve learned so much from the wonderful priests who have been serving this ministry much longer than I’ve been a priest, and much longer even than I’ve been a seminarian or altar server. It has certainly been a steep learning curve, so I owe a debt of gratitude to these experienced and charitable priests and the many priests who have supported me as I have begun my work in this role.
In that time, I’ve come to understand my role more profoundly.
As the Ceremonial of Bishops notes, “For a liturgical celebration, especially a celebration presided over by the bishop, to be distinguished by grace, simplicity, and order, a master of ceremonies is needed to prepare and direct the celebration in close cooperation with the bishop and others responsible for planning its several parts, and especially from a pastoral standpoint” (CB, 34).
While on the surface, the master of ceremonies seems to serve the bishop, it is in fact a ministry to all the faithful, including concelebrating priests, deacons, servers, lectors, and the congregation who celebrate the liturgy with the bishop. Indeed, it is an essential ministry to fulfill the aim of the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council, “that all the faithful should be led to that fully conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy” (SC, 14).
That’s a lot of responsibility.
If I’m being honest, I cannot do this all alone. Especially in Masses with the more complex rites associated with the ordination of priests and deacons, the dedication of a church, the blessing of holy oils, and the funeral of a priest, I need help.
Therefore, I have asked Archbishop Coakley to appoint three assistant Masters of Ceremonies who can help at these bigger Masses. In this edition of the Sooner Catholic, you will see that he has appointed Father Cory Stanley, Father Alexander Kroll and Father Rodrigo Serna to participate in this important ministry.
I’m grateful for their willingness to work with me on behalf of all the faithful of all our archdiocese.
The Archdiocese of Oklahoma City has a reputation for celebrating the liturgy quite well. This is largely due to the sustained efforts of these men and others who have served as MCs, as well as the experience and hard work of Father Stephen Bird, the director of the Office of Worship, who has been behind the scenes for well over 40 years.
I hope to continue this legacy through my work in collaboration with these assistant MCs appointed by Archbishop Coakley.
Photo: Fr. Zachary Boazman served as the Master of Ceremonies when Archbishop Coakley celebrated the Native American Mass on Nov. 19, 2023. Photo Chris Porter/Sooner Catholic.