Parish Ministries

Bishop Greg, through the parishes, is committed to active listening, relational accompaniment, and deep spiritual formation of young adults in the critical transition phase when they move away from secondary education into university, employment, and early family life.

He stresses that the primary goal of youth leadership is to build "real and genuine relationships" between young people and the Church, rather than just executing events. The Diocese of Lismore has recently established a Diocesan Youth Council.

Bishop Greg’s ASPIRE evening sessions for young adults and youth ministers provide spiritual formation and support community outreach. These sessions are held in Lismore and online, and focus on introducing youth to Carmelite saints and contemplative prayer, creating a space for honest dialogue, self-reflection, and discernment.

Ignite Young Adults also exists to provide fun and fellowship for young Catholic adults through a program of social events and a young adults festival.

The Cathedral Parish also sponsors pilgrims attending World Youth Day, which is held every three years.

Altar servers help the Priest throughout the liturgy. Anyone who has received their First Holy Communion and is trained can be an altar server. At the beginning of the Mass the altar servers process into the church with the Priest, and they bring religious symbols such as the cross or candles into the sacred space. During the Preparation of the Gifts, the altar servers stand either side of the Priest at the front of the altar to receive the gifts. They then take the gifts and the water used by the Priest to the altar table. At the conclusion of the liturgy the altar servers process out of the church with the Priest.

The Ministers of the Word, also known as readers or lectors, have an important role in the celebration of the Liturgy of the Word.  Through their proclamation of Sacred Scripture, they help the gathered faithful hear and receive the living Word of God with the people gathered.

Following the Introductory Rites, the lector moves to the lectern or ambo, and reads from the Lectionary the readings for that Sunday. Our eagle lectern in the Cathedral was cast in 1903 and was acquired as part of a major renovation which was completed in 2016.

Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion assist the Priest to prepare and distribute the bread and wine to the people during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. This involves bringing the hosts from the tabernacle to the altar after the Lamb of God is sung or spoken. They stand at the altar with the Priest, pray with the assembly and reverently distribute the bread or wine to the people. The extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, who are usually adults, have special instruction before they perform this ministry. They also take the Eucharist to believers who are unable to attend Mass due to illness or disability immediately after the Mass.

The liturgical musicians help the people to respond through music and song during the Mass. They lead the assembly at key points in the liturgy such as the Entrance Procession, the Psalm, the Alleluia, the Eucharistic Prayer, and Communion. The liturgical musicians could be those who sing, play instruments, and join with others in a choir. Music is used to help people to participate in the Mass and lift their hearts to God.

St Carthage’s Cathedral is home to a majestic pipe organ, a prominent 3-manual, 47-stop instrument originally built by J.E. Dodd of Adelaide in 1912.

The Cathedral bell tower first tolled in 1911, and houses the only set of 12 bells in Australia. The personal favourite of our campanologist is the St Patrick bell, renowned as the “Big Ben’ of Lismore.

The ushers and greeters meet and greet people in a welcoming manner as they arrive at the church. They will hand out our weekly bulletin and other information so that people feel welcome and prepared for Mass.

The collectors circulate among the people gathered to collect money for the Parish and for those in need. We have recently introduced an electronic donation point that accepts credit/debit card. If you would like to donate to our planned giving by direct debit, please contact the Parish Office.

The gift bearers bring up the gifts of bread and wine during the Preparation of the Gifts on our behalf. At the sanctuary the Priest receives the gifts and then places them on the altar.

A laptop operator supports the liturgy by displaying hymns, prayers, responses, images and other worship resources on screens throughout the Mass. Working discreetly and attentively, they help the congregation participate fully by ensuring content is accurate, timely and presented in harmony with the flow of the celebration.

At present, this ministry is carried out only at Our Lady Help of Christians, South Lismore.