I
mportant advice from the council bishops:
In liturgical celebrations each person, minister or lay(person), who has an office to perform, should do all of, but only, those parts which pertain to his office by the nature of the rite and the principles of liturgy.
If we could all remember this, we’d be in much better shape on the fringes of Catholic liturgy. Because naturally, nothing like this ever happens in my parish or yours.
Right?
Catholic Sensibility 
We have a person who is both a lector and member of the choir, who after the Prayers of the Faithful, puts on the choir robe. I have pointed this out to both Father and the MD but they don’t seem to care, saying her duty as lector is completed so why not sing now? What about her duty as a member of the choir for that particular liturgy? Isn’t that only partial?
Here’s an even better/worse example that has happened to me more than once as a deacon: the presider flies into the sacristy five minutes before Mass (as usual) and says to me: “Oh, I like this Gospel. I’ll read it myself.” At which point I say “No problem,” take off my vestments and go out to participate as a member of the assembly. The priest is usually dumbstruck. Later one even said to me that I was being uncooperative. “You can still prepare the chalice!” Wow, thanks, Father! One said, “Why don’t you just stay vested and take one of the readings from the lectors?” I said no, that would be infringing on the lector’s role. He did not understand why I wouldn’t do it.
Another: Once I was MC for the bishop for confirmation at one of our parishes. As usual, I arrive an hour beforehand to go through the details with the ministers and make sure everything was set up. So I ask the pastor, “Father, where is the Gospel book?” “Oh, it’s in the rectory. Fr. So-and-so will carry it in.” This would be one of his priest pals he had invited to concelebrate so they could all have a nice dinner afterwards. “Well, Father, since you don’t have a deacon, the lector should carry that in.” Icy glare from said reverend pastor ensues. I go back into the church to meet the lectors. I ask who will be doing the Prayer of the Faithful. Sister DRE says, “Oh, Fr. Whatever will be doing that.” I tell one of the lectors to do it and go back to let the reverend pastor know. He is not pleased. I am not invited to the dinner afterwards. Like I care!
You can’t make this stuff up.
Yes, this happens all the time. More and more priests these days treat their vocation as profession and they try to be creative, and add on so many other junks into the Mass. the abuses of the Mass have reached an epic proportion.
Wow! I’m just shaking my head at that post Eric.