Father
Priest who is a member of a religious order.
Pastoral worker
Man or woman – married or single – who is appointed as a non-priest to fulfil pastoral tasks. This can be within a parish (liturgy, visiting the sick, bereavement counselling, …) but also in hospitals, prisons, … He/she cannot administer sacraments but can conduct prayer services and funerals.
Parish priest
A priest in charge of a parish.
Norbertine
A member of a religious order founded by Saint Norbert in Prémontré (Northern France) in 1220. Hence the official name for Norbertine is regular canon of the Order of Prémontré. In Antwerp, St Michael’s Abbey was a Norbertine (or Premonstratensian) abbey.
Monk
A male member of a monastic order who concentrates on a life of balance between prayer and work in the seclusion of a monastery or abbey.
Altar server
Someone – usually a child between the ages of 8 and 16 – who helps the priest during the Eucharist or accompanies him during the administration of the Last Sacraments.
Martyr
Someone who refused to renounce his/her faith and was therefore killed. Many martyrs are also saints.
Lecturer
Man or woman who, during a church ceremony, performs the reading(s) of the Bible, except for the Gospel reading, and who may also read other texts and prayers (penitential, prayer of the faithful, reflective text, etc.).
Sacristan
The person entrusted with the daily care of the church building and the preparation of liturgical objects for worship.
Hermit
A person who lives alone and isolated from the world in order to live a sober and pious life. The home of a hermit is called “hermitage”.
