Worried about reading at Mass

[Northey]

I have been asked to join the reading team at church and was very glad to say yes. I haven't taken communion for five years though. I will again one day, possibly soon, but not yet, and I may want to go to confession first and so on. Do you think this means I shouldn't read? I don't want to ask the rota organiser...

It's up to the bishop, usually delegated to the parish priest, to make guidelines & apply them over who can read (and take part in other ministries). I don't think you should have to discuss your private business with the rota organiser. If you want to, you could discuss it with the parish priest in confidence, but if he hasn't already said anything then I doubt he would intervene unless you asked him directly.

It varies from parish to parish, but I would say the norm in England would be along the lines of, if the reason you can't receive communion is temporary and private, then there's no real issue with ministering at Mass; if the reason someone can't receive is a matter of public knowledge, then it might cause scandal to see them 'officially' representing the Church in public so they shouldn't read etc.

Basically it's up to your conscience and there's nothing to stop you from reading if you feel ok with it. Nobody else's business.

In other news: I know this comes across as preachy, but definitely get yourself to confession and back to communion soon if you can. Communion is awesome!

Your second paragraph is really helpful, Fink (well, all of it is, but that bit particularly). That feels like reasoning I could follow for myself, if you see what I mean. My thing is a temporary and private thing, rather than a public thing, so perhaps I will be ok.

As to confession and communion - I would like to do so, which is massive progress from five years ago, when I couldn't even walk into a church without choking with grief and rage, so the passage of time is helping me, and I actually think that reading in church will help me even more :)

Happy to help . And I really hope it goes well for you and that the reading (if you decide to do it) helps you to settle in and feel at home in church. Good luck!